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Computer Science (A Level)
Course Specification |
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Subject Specific Entry Requirements |
Grade 5 in Mathematics; Grade 5 in Computer Science. In addition to the general entrance requirements. |
Costs Associated with this Course |
We expect all students to purchase a revision guide (£17.00) or textbook (£30.00). Students will require access to a Computer or Laptop at home for the duration of the course. |
Introduction
Computer Science is a part of everything we do and it enables you to solve complex and challenging problems. Computer Science opens doors to many lucrative careers, even if your primary career is something else, expertise in Computer Science will help you.
Is it for me?
You should enjoy working with computers and have plenty of programming experience. This course is suitable for students who are keen to understand how things work. The emphasis is on computational thinking, which is about developing logical skills needed to solve problems, and write code. You will need a systematic and logical approach to problem solving, together with a numerical competence. Computer Science is an exciting and challenging field and it is constantly evolving.
What will I study and how will I be assessed?
AS-Level Course Structure (Year 1):
Paper 1 (On-Screen examination), worth 50% of the AS Level, 1 hour 45 minutes long, based on preliminary material and a skeleton program. Topics include: Programming, Data Structures, Systematic approaches Problem Solving and Theory of Computation.
Paper 2 (Written examination), worth 50% of the AS Level, 1 hour 30 minutes long, more traditional paper exam with a series of short-answer and extended-answer questions. Topics include: Data Representation, Computer Architecture, Communication and Networking.
A-Level Course Structure (Year 2):
Paper 1 (On-Screen examination), worth 40% of the A Level, 2 hours 30 minutes long, based on preliminary material and a skeleton program. Additional topics include: Algorithms, Data structures and Object Oriented programming.
Paper 2 (Written examination), worth 40% of the A Level, 2 hours 30 minutes long, more traditional paper exam with a series of short-answer and extended-answer questions. Additional topics include: Big Data, Databases and the Internet.
NEA (Non Exam Assessment), worth 20% of the A Level, assesses your ability to use the knowledge and skills gained through the course to solve or investigate a practical problem.
How will this course support my future plans?
Computer Science is a very useful subject to consider if you are interested in pursuing a career as a computer programmer, hardware engineer, network engineer, systems analyst, database administrator or webmaster to name but a few. The computing industry is constantly developing and the rate of change is increasingly rapid. Such is the pace of change that it is impossible to predict future developments in job terms but it seems clear that there will be increasing career opportunities within the field of computing and IT.
Computer Science is recognised by the Russell Group of Universities as a facilitating subject, studying it could help you gain entry onto one of the following courses: Aeronautical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Electrical / Electronic Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Optometry and Pharmacy.
