Unit Details
Eight units of which six are mandatory and three are external and assessed by exams (Unit 1, Unit 2) or controlled assessments (Unit 3).
Mandatory units
Unit 1: Principles of Computer Science (120 GLH) – External Exam
This unit covers the principles that underpin all areas of computer science. It will develop your knowledge of computational-thinking and support you in demonstrating your ability to analyse and interpret problems and develop detailed and complex solutions in response. You will gain an in-depth understanding of programming constructs and a thorough understanding of how data is handled in a computer program.
Unit 2: Fundamentals of Computer Systems (90 GLH) – External Exam
In this unit you study the fundamental principles of how computer systems work and will gain underpinning knowledge on the role of hardware and software, the way components of a system work together and how data in a system is used. You will develop skills in applying knowledge of computing to deconstruct problems, drawing on various sources of information to develop effective solutions with justification. You will develop the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of computer systems to make justified recommendations on their development.
Unit 3: Planning and Management of Computing Projects (120 GLH) – External Assessment
Develop your knowledge and understanding of the role of a computing project management professional and gain the skills necessary to apply project planning and management techniques to given computing project scenarios. The application and further development of these skills also forms an intrinsic part of the Industry Projects.
Unit 7: IT Systems Security & Encryption (90 GLH) – Internal Assessment
Learn about the different types of security attack and develop your knowledge of how to protect IT networks from such attacks. Learn about encryption and gain knowledge of various encryption techniques. Undertake practical activities using a range of software simulation tools and sandboxed virtualisation environments to develop your practical skills, such as by ‘hardening’ computer servers against potential security threats, in protecting IT systems.
Unit 8: Business Applications of Social Media (90 GLH) – Internal Assessment
Explore different social media sites and gain knowledge on how organisations can use social media to promote their products and/or service and the potential pitfalls when doing so. Leverage that knowledge to develop skills in designing and implementing a social media plan for an organisation to meet its specific business requirements.
Unit 9: The Impact of Computing (90 GLH) – Internal Assessment
Study the impact that developments in computing have on organisations and wider society. Develop a plan to implement a computing technology development in an organisation and then review using feedback from others to analyse the skills, knowledge and behaviours that you practised during this activity.
Additional units
Unit 17: Mobile App Development (60 GLH) – Internal Assessment
Investigate mobile apps, how they are used, why they are created, the differences between devices and the implications of creating and using software on mobile devices. Study the design considerations inherent in mobile apps design. Use this acquired knowledge to help develop your skills in designing, developing, testing and evaluating mobile apps to fulfil a specific set of client requirements.
Unit 14: Computer Game Development (60 GLH) – Internal Assessment
Investigate the computer games industry and its impact on technological and social trends. Develop your knowledge of game genres, player categorisation, game design techniques, production options and monetisation strategies. Apply this knowledge and your emerging programming skills to design, develop and test a computer game to meet exacting user requirements.
How will I be assessed?
| Unit | Type | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1: Principles of Computer Science | – Written examination set and marked by Pearson – 90 marks – Two hours | Jan and May/June. First assessment: May/June 2017. |
| Unit 2: Fundamentals of Computer Systemd | – Written examination set and marked by Pearson – 80 marks – 1 hour and 45 minutes | Jan and May/June. First assessment: May/June 2017. |
| Unit 3: Planning and Management of Computer Projects | – A task set and marked by Pearson and completed under supervised conditions. – There are two assessment periods. Part A is a maximum of three hours in a one week period and Part B is a maximum of two hours in a three day period. Both periods are timetabled by Pearson. – Completed using a computer and submitted electronically. – 66 marks. | Dec/Jan and May/June. First assessment: Dec/Jan 2018. |
Each external assessment is available to be taken twice per year. These are referred to as the January Exam Series and the June Exam Series. At Ada, we have successfully structured our courses, and our learners achieved great success, by adopting the following exam timetable:
| Unit | First sit | Re-Sit (only where this is considered necessary) |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | Y12 – June Exam Series (i.e., June 2026) | Y13 – Jan Exam Series (i.e., January 2027) |
| Unit 2 | Y12 – June Exam Series (i.e., June 2026) | Y13 – Jan Exam Series (i.e., January 2027) |
| Unit 3 | Y13 – Jan Exam Series (i.e., January 2027) | Y13 – June Exam Series (i.e.,May 2027) |
Year 1 ( Sep 2025 – July 2026)
Unit No & Title:
- Unit 14 Computer Games Development Part A
- Unit 14 Computer Games Development Part B&C
- Unit 7 IT Systems Security and Encryption Part A&B
- Unit 7 IT Systems Security and Encryption Part C&D
Year 2 (Sept 2026 – July 2027)
Unit No & Title
- Unit 9 Impact of Computing Part A&B
- Unit 9 Impact of Computing C&D
- Unit 8 Business Applications of Social Media A
- Unit 8 Business Applications of Social Media B&C
- Unit 17 Mobile App Development Part A
- Unit 17 Mobile App Development Part B&C