Combined Level 3 + Level 4 + Level 5 + Level 6 Diploma in Information Technology

This unit aims to develop learners’ knowledge and use of information technology including the use of standard office applications to prepare documents and presentations. This includes computer software and hardware, basic computer operations, application software, operating systems, information systems and IT-related issues in computing. The unit also seeks to provide learners with an awareness of ethical issues essential to an IT professional. This includes ethics in the cyberspace, intellectual property, privacy, the issue of security and reliability, how computing affects our health, professional code of ethics and how IT changes our daily lives.

This unit aims to provide an opportunity to learn mathematics and statistics and equip learners with the mathematical skills to analyse and solve problems that will enable them to work within the field of IT. The unit covers number systems, logic, relations, functions, quadratic equations, quadratic functions, simultaneous equations, polynomial equations, exponential functions, logarithmic functions, coordinate geometry and matrices. The unit provides an opportunity to learn statistics and equip learners with the descriptive and analytical methods for dealing with variability in observed data. It covers graphical presentation of data, descriptive statistics, index numbers, correlation and regression, time series, probability and statistical inference.

This unit aims to provide knowledge of personal computer hardware. Successful completion of this unit will enable learners to install a computer system unit and operating system and conduct troubleshooting. The unit provides the essential knowledge of computer hardware, the software needed to make a hardware work, the components of the hardware and the technologies and principles that support the components. In addition to this knowledge, learners will be able to assemble computer hardware to build a full set PC, understand how to install the operation system and how to conduct troubleshooting in faulty hardware. This unit also aims to provide the basic concepts about operating systems and to be able to install, configure and operate two commonly used operating systems. It includes an overview of Windows and Linux operating systems, the installation and configuration of these systems; the use of proper file systems; managing groups and users; installing and uninstalling applications on these two operating systems; operating basic command-line environment; manipulating simple files and printer-sharing.

This unit aims to explain the concepts of photo editing. This will enable learners to insert photos into documents such as user manuals and the IT structure of an organization. The photos may need to be touched up before they are ready for use. This mainly involves using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator for photo/image editing and designing. The unit delivers skills in photo retouching and digital drawing to address the issues of digital image design. It emphasizes exploration, techniques, media, ideas development and production techniques.

This unit also provides the fundamental concepts of a database system through Database Management System (DBMS), relational databases, entity relationship modelling and normalization. Learners are also required to create database systems using the database language of Structured Query Language (SQL).

This unit aims to provide learners with knowledge of logical networking. It covers Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) / Internet Protocol (IP), Local Area Networks (LAN) and Wide Area Networking (WAN), including IP address and subnetting.

This unit aims to provide learners with knowledge of physical networking and basic network administration skills. It covers knowledge of computer networks.

This unit aims to provide learners with web programming knowledge and skills including advanced technologies to upload content onto the internet. Key components of the unit include the application of Personal Home Page (PHP) (Hypertext Pre-processor) and the integration of PHP with My Structured Query Language (MySQL) database.

This unit aims to provide learners with Graphical User Interface (GUI) programming skills. This includes objects, methods and instance variables, problem solving concepts, programming languages and GUI programming. The main focus is on the design principles of GUIs, events handling, classes and interfaces, the use of layout managers, buttons, labels, lists, text fields and panels creation and manipulation, colours and font manipulation.

his unit aims to provide learners with Graphical User Interface (GUI) programming skills. This includes objects, methods and instance variables, problem solving concepts, programming languages and GUI programming. The main focus is on the design principles of GUIs, events handling, classes and interfaces, the use of layout managers, buttons, labels, lists, text fields and panels creation and manipulation, colours and font manipulation.

This unit aims to provide learners with the knowledge and skills needed to establish a new techno business. It includes understanding the characteristics of entrepreneurs, planning, marketing and finance.

This unit aims to provide learners with knowledge of network security issues in a networked environment and the process of preventing and detection common security incidents. The unit covers authentication; attacks and malicious codes; the security of remote access; email and web security; the security of directory and file transfer services; storage media; network security; intrusion detection; physical and security and disaster recovery.

This unit aims to provide learners with the basic concepts and principles of ASP.NET programming using C#. This will enable learners to understand how to create dynamic web pages using server side programming techniques. The unit covers component-based programming and how to access records in relational databases. Successful achievement of this unit will enable learners to create their own web applications and make them available on the internet.

This unit aims to provide the knowledge needed to administer a system in Linux and Windows. Topics covered include user and group management; file system management; task automation; shell scripting; Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers; mail servers; domain name servers; files and printers sharing; basic utilities and tools; application management; registry; local and group policies; backup policies; restore policies and performance tuning.

This unit aims to deliver the knowledge needed to carry out switching and the knowledge and skills needed to carry out routing – how to set up and configure a router and switches to interconnect a multi area network. The unit covers computer networks routing and switching including Router Information Protocol (RIP); Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF).

This unit aims to provide the knowledge and skills needed to enable learners to design a network i.e. how to scale and connect different networks to form an effective inter-connecting network. It covers hierarchical network design; gathering network requirements; identifying network performance issues.

This unit aims to provide learners with the knowledge and skills needed to use content management systems (CMS) as a tool for the creation of digital content. Successful achievement of this unit will enable learners to understand CMS roles, content modelling, content aggregation, publication management and content migration.

This unit aims to provide learners with the skills and knowledge of client side programming and how to create a dynamic web pages using JavaScript (JS) programming language and Adobe Dreamweaver. The unit covers the creation of dynamic web pages that use form validation, validate user input, process user input at client side, dynamic navigation menu and a web client application.

This unit aims to provide learners with knowledge of Business to business (B2B) e-commerce. This includes Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), online transaction processing, inventory management systems and supply chain management

This unit aims to provide learners with knowledge of business to consumer e-commerce. This includes the concepts and techniques used in mobile e-commerce and ticketing, the psychology of marketing, artificial intelligence (AI) in image recognition and social commerce.

This unit supports learners to develop a critical understanding of relevant and modern concepts in networking technologies within the IT industry. This unit also introduces learners to the detection of threats and vulnerabilities in physical and IT security, and how to manage risks relating to organisational security.

The aim of this unit is to provide learners with the knowledge and skills for advanced data analytics. This unit introduces learners to applied analytical models used in business to discover, interpret and communicate meaningful patterns of data held in silos or data warehouses, and to derive knowledge for competitive advantage. Learners are assumed to have some programming knowledge.

The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ knowledge and skills of advanced database systems and how these systems are managed within a business or corporate environment. Learners will be able to make informed choices between vendor and open source platforms for database management systems, and design and develop a relational DBMS for a client using an open source platform.

This aim of this unit is to develop learners’ knowledge and skills in managing information systems for organisations. Learners will examine how systems can be used to support core business functions, to drive business improvement, and to enable organisations to be more productive and competitive within the global marketplace.

The aim of this unit is to develop learners’ ability to deal with work related IT issues that apply beyond the immediate tasks of the Information Technology practitioner, ie ethical, legal and societal considerations. Formal legal requirements and responsibilities of the profession are included, as are the relevant professional codes of conduct.

This is a practical unit with two projects:

Creation of an e-commerce solution

Creation of a Mobile application.

The aim of the first part of this unit is to provide learners with an understanding of how and why businesses and organisations develop E-Commerce strategies and the elements and resources required to set up an E-Commerce site as an implementation of organisational strategies. The learner will develop the skills required to create such an e-commerce solution.

The aim of the first part of this unit is to develop learners’ ability to identify and select relevant APIs to use within a mobile application of their own choice or from a given scenario, in addition to testing and documenting against the initial design requirement.