Course Overview
This two-year course aims to provide students with a career pathway into IT, providing you with the skills to have a future as a games programmer, technician, website designer or project manager.
What will I learn?
- Gain a broad understanding of ICT and be able to study selected areas in more depth.
- Develop skills, knowledge and understanding of ICT.
- Have an opportunity to apply learning in a practical and realistic way.
- Follow a programme of study that enables progression to both higher education and employment within ICT.
- Gain confidence through developing independent learning skills.
13 modules are studied:
Year 1
- Principles of Computer Science – external examination – learn about computational thinking skills, the common components of different types of programming languages and the tools used to design and develop high-quality applications.
- Fundamentals of Computer Systems – external examination – understand how different parts of a computing system work together
- IT Systems Security and Encryption – understand how to how to protect IT networks from different kinds of security attacks.
- Business Applications of Social Media – learn how social media can be used for business purposes.
- Computer Games Development – learn how to design and create your own computer game using a programming language.
- Website Development – design, create and publish websites using a range of software applications
- Cybersecurity.
Year 2
- Planning and Management of Computer Projects – controlled assessment - understand how to apply planning and management techniques to a computing project.
- Software Design and Development project – controlled assessment - learn how to design, test and develop a software solution.
- The Impact of Computing – understand the impact of computing developments on both the organisation and wider society.
- Digital Graphics and Animation – learn how to create computer animations for the internet and other applications
- Relational Database Development - learn database design and create, populate and test a relational database incorporating advanced features.
- Computer Networking – set up a computer network and learn the knowledge and skills needed to use the tools and technologies available to the network manager to manage a network.
- Virtualisation – study how and why virtualisation can be used by individuals and organisations and set up virtualised solutions to meet identified needs.
16/12/22
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Entry Requirements
Five GCSEs at grade C or the Level 2 Diploma in IT
Course Delivery
The course is classroom based and is assessed through a series of assignments, as well as two external examinations in Year 1 and two controlled assessments in Year 2.
Progression Opportunities
Staying with the college, you could progress on to the HND Applied Computing.
Previous students have gone on to study a wide range of IT or computing related degrees in university including computer information systems, computer forensics, computer games development and computer science. Their choice of university has also been varied, including Swansea, University of South Wales, University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Cardiff University or Cardiff Metropolitan University.