Computer Architecture / Systems

Course summary

IT Level 3 is designed to provide specialist work-related qualifications in a range of sectors. This course has been developed to provide preparation for employment in IT, career development opportunities for those already in work, and/or a route into further or higher education. BTEC IT Level 3 will also facilitate progression to the achievement of an NVQ within the workplace and is a natural choice if you are wishing to progress from a level 2 qualification in IT. You will study this course over 360 guided learning hours and it is equivalent in size to one A Level. The course consists of 4 units of which 2 are mandatory and 2 are external. Unit 1 - IT systems Information technology (IT) systems have a significant role in the world around us and play a part in almost everything we do. Having a sound understanding of how to effectively select and use appropriate IT systems will benefit you personally and professionally. Unit 2 - Creating systems to manage data Creating systems to manage data in order to produce information to support many business processes as well as our social lives, relational databases are widely used to manage and process data. From the smallest in-house systems to stock control systems for large online retailers, databases are repositories of information that are a significant part of organisational operating requirements. Unit 3 - Using social media in business Social media websites are a popular way for people to communicate and share information with friends and family. People spend a lot of time on social media websites and they give businesses opportunities to interact with people, for example to promote their business, to encourage people to visit their e-commerce site and buy, to provide customer service. You may be familiar with social media for personal use and in this unit you will discover how it can be used in a business context. Unit 6 - Web design In this unit, you will review existing websites – commenting on their overall design and effectiveness. You will use scripting languages such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript® and a simple text editor, or rapid application development tools. Finally, you will reflect on the website design and functionality using a testing and review process.