Computer Studies / Computing

Course summary

Computer Fundamentals Students look at computing fundamentals, including hardware and software; the presentation, structure and management of data; how data is transmitted and networked; the life cycle of systems development; the characteristics of information systems; and the implications of computer use. Programming techniques and logical methods Students learn about designing solutions to particular problems; how procedural programs are structured; the types of data and data structures; the common facilities of procedural languages; how to write maintainable programs; and how to test and run solutions. Advanced Computing Theory Students understand the function of operating systems; the function and purpose of translators; how computer architectures are structured; how data is represented, structured and manipulated; high-level language programming paradigms; low-level languages; and how databases function. Computing Project Through coursework, students gain an understanding of definition, investigation and analysis; system design; software development and testing; documentation; evaluation; and how to produce written reports covering these topics. The coursework is internally assessed and externally moderated.