Entry requirementsWho is this course for? Young people aged 16-18. What do I need to get on the course? You must satisfy the general entry criteria for A Level courses which are based on your GCSE results general entry requirements for AS Levels
Academic titleAS-Level Computing after the first year of study, A-Level Computing after the second year.
Course descriptionWhat is this course about?
AS Computing is about what really happens inside the computer. How does the hardware and software work? How do different parts of a system and even different systems talk to each other? What is a computer program and how do you write one? The focus of the course is technical and it is aimed at anyone who wants to know about how the technology we encounter increasingly in our lives actually works, with a great emphasis on programming and the development of problem solving skills.
In addition, to study this subject, you must achieve at least a grade C in GCSE English.
Preferably a grade B in GCSE Maths
What will I study?
You will learn about the fundamentals of what computers are and how they work. This will involve looking at hardware at its most basic level and considering questions such as: how does the processor work? And how does the computer understand numbers, text, graphics and sound? You will also learn to write programs using the Java programming language. In Communication and Networking you will find out about different types of networks and how data is sent across a network and some of the technical detail behind how the internet works.
Later in the course, you will look in detail at what is meant by a computer application and how to develop one. You need to be enthusiastic about programming in Java. This is a challenging but stimulating part of the course and part of the exam will involve writing a Java program to solve a problem set by the exam board.,
What can I do after the course?
Close to 80% of our A-level students progress to Higher Education. Alternatively, you could choose to enter employment.