IT BTEC - Diploma | Birkenhead Sixth Form College

Qualification:

BTEC Level 3 Diploma

Entry Requirements

Five GCSEs including Maths & English Language: a minimum of three GCSEs at Grade 4 and two GCSEs at Grade 5.

What is it?

The IT Diploma is equivalent to two A Levels.
This IT course focuses on the software application development and Cyber Security and Incident Management. You will study a combination of theoretical and practical work, with programming a computer game using Unity.
You want to develop your skills using industry standard software, time management, report and presentation preparation, creativity skills, investigation and research.

Where does it lead?

The IT BTEC Diploma course offers a good foundation for many careers and it also provides an extremely valuable addition to many other career routes. Having studied this course you might consider apprenticeships in industry, progressing onto Higher Education and there are a wide variety of courses to suit a number of preferences including computer science, software engineering, cyber security, business information systems and computer games design.

What will I learn?

Year 1

Creating systems to manage information

In this unit you will learn to design, create, test and evaluate a relational database system that manages information. This unit is assessed by a computer based external exam.

Using Social Media in Business

You will explore how businesses use social media to promote their products and services. You will also implement social media campaign for a business of your choice to meet their requirements. This unit is assessed by producing a piece of coursework.

Information Technology Systems

In this unit you will explore the relationships between Information Technology systems hardware and software; the way systems work individually and together; the relationship between the user and the system; IT systems issues and their impact on organisations and individuals. This unit is assessed by an external exam.

Website Development

Students will investigate existing websites to recognise and understand good design principles. You will then design and develop a website using HTML and CSS. This unit is assessed by producing a piece of coursework.

Year 2

Programming

You will learn about computational thinking skills and the principles of designing and developing computer programs. You will apply computational thinking skills to design, develop, test, refine and review computer programs for a given range of purposes. This unit is continually assessed through coursework.

Computer Games Development

You will investigate existing games to identify good practice. Students will propose game ideas and design, develop, test and improve a game for a client to their specification. This unit is continually assessed through coursework.

Project Management

You will investigate the principles of project management, deliver an IT project using project management methodology. You will undertake the planning, execution and monitoring and control stages of the project and close the project by reflecting on the success of the outcome and your personal performance. This unit is continually assessed through coursework.

Cyber Security and Incident Management

You will investigate the techniques used to assess risks and produce a business plan on how to reduce the risk of threats. and ways of planning to deal with the results of a cyber-security incident and recover systems following an incident. You will carry out a forensic investigation to deal with a cyber security incident. You will also make recommendations to businesses on how they can improve their IT systems to protect against the latest cyber threats. This unit is assessed through a computer-based exam.

How will I be assessed?

Year 1 is assessed through a mixture of coursework, external exam and externally marked controlled assessment.

Year 2 is assessed through a mixture of coursework and externally marked controlled assessment.

How will this subject prepare me for the world of work?

The qualification is an ideal platform to go onto an apprenticeship in the industry or further study at university, and the skills gathered offer high-employability. IT & computing is an ever-growing field and requires qualified experts.

Exam Board

Pearson Edexcel

*We have made every effort to ensure that the information displayed is accurate. The College reserves the right to make changes and cannot accept liability arising out of, or in connection with any revision.