Cambridge A & AS Level- Computer Science

by Nandana Surendran

The aim of the Cambridge International AS and A Level Computer Science syllabus is to encourage learners to develop an understanding of the fundamental principles of computer science and how computer programs work in a range of contexts.

Learners will study topics including information representation, communication and Internet technologies, hardware, software development, and relational database modelling. As they progress, learners will develop their computational thinking and use problem solving to develop computer-based solutions using algorithms and programming languages. Studying Cambridge International AS and A Level Computer Science will help learners develop a range of skills such as thinking creatively, analytically, logically and critically.

They will also be able to appreciate the ethical issues that arise with current and emerging computing technologies.

Aims of the Syllabus

The aims of a course based on Cambridge International AS and AL Computer Science, whether leading to an AS or A Level qualification are-
• To develop computational thinking
• To develop an understanding of the main principles of solving problems using computers
• To develop an understanding that every computer system is made up of subsystems, which in turn consist of further subsystems
• To develop an understanding of the component parts of computer systems and how they interrelate, including software, data, hardware, communications and people
• To acquire the skills necessary to apply this understanding to develop computer based solutions to problems.

Computer science is the study of the foundational principles and practices of omputation and computational thinking and their application in the design and development of computer systems.
This syllabus aims to encourage the development of computational thinking, that is thinking about what can be computed and how by the use of abstraction and decomposition. It includes consideration of the data required. Learning computational thinking involves learning to program, by writing computer code, because this is the means by which computational thinking is expressed.

Syllabus

  1. Section 1- Theory Fundamentals
    1.1 Information representation, Number representation, Images, Sound, Video, Compression techniques
    1.2 Communication and Internet technologies, Networks, IP addressing, Client- and server-side scripting
    1.3 Hardware, Input, output and storage devices, Main memory, Logic gates and logic circuits
    1.4 Processor fundamentals, CPU architecture, The fetch-execute cycle, The processor’s instruction set, Assembly language
    1.5 System software, Operating system, Utility programs, Library programs, Language translators
    1.6 Security, privacy and data integrity, Data security, Data integrity
    1.7 Ethics and ownership, Ethics, Ownership
    1.8 Database and data modelling, Database Management Systems (DBMS), Relational database modelling, Data Definition Language (DDL) and Data Manipulation Language (DML)

2. Section 2 Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming
2.1 Algorithm design and problem-solving, Algorithms, Structure chart, Corrective maintenance, Adaptive maintenance
2.2 Data representation, Data types, Arrays, Files
2.3 Programming, Programming basics, Transferable skills, Selection, Iteration, Built-in functions, Structured programming
2.4 Software development, Programming, Program testing, Testing strategies

3. Section 3 Advanced Theory
3.1 Data representation, User-defined data types, File organisation and access, Real numbers and normalised floating-point representation
3.2 Communication and Internet technologies, Protocols, Circuit switching, packet switching and routers, Local Area Networks (LAN)
3.3 Hardware, Logic gates and circuit design, Boolean algebra, Karnaugh Maps, Flip-flops, RISC processors, Parallel processing
3.4 System software, Purposes of an operating system (OS), Virtual machine, Translation software
3.5 Security, Asymmetric keys and encryption methods, Digital signatures and digital certificates, Encryption protocols, Malware
3.6 Monitoring and control systems, Overview of monitoring and control systems, Bit manipulation to monitor and control devices.

4. Section 4 Further Problem-solving and Programming Skills
4.1 Computational thinking and problem-solving, Abstraction, Algorithms, Abstract Data Types (ADT), Recursion
4.2 Algorithm design methods, Decision tables, Jackson Structured Programming (JSP), State-transition diagrams
4.3 Further programming, Programming paradigms(Low-level programming, Imperative programming, Object-oriented programming, Declarative programming), File processing, Exception handling, Use of development tools / programming environments
4.4 Software development, Stages of software development, Testing, Project management.

Objectives of the Assessment

1. Knowledge with understanding
• Show understanding of the characteristics and methods of operation of component parts of computer systems (hardware, software, communication) and their subsystems
• Describe, explain and use various different methods of representing data for use in computer systems
• Comment critically on ethical issues arising from the use of computer solutions.

2. Skills
• Apply knowledge with understanding to computational problems
• Select, justify and apply appropriate techniques and principles to develop data structures and algorithms for the solutions of computational problems
• Design, implement, document and evaluate an effective solution using appropriate hardware, software and programming languages.

Assessment

For Cambridge International AS and A Level Computer Science, candidates may choose-
• To take Papers 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the same examination series, leading to the full Cambridge International A Level
• To follow a staged assessment route by taking Papers 1 and 2 (for the AS Level qualification) in one series, then Papers 3 and 4 (for the full Cambridge International A Level) in a later series
• To take Papers 1 and 2 only (for the AS Level qualification).

COMPONENTS-

1. Paper 1 Theory Fundamentals
This written paper contains short-answer and structured questions. There is no choice of questions. Externally assessed
75 marks
1 hour 30 minutes
AS Level- 50%
A Level- 25%

2. Paper 2 Fundamental Problem-solving and Programming Skills
This written paper contains short-answer and structured questions. There is no choice of questions. Externally assessed.
75 marks
2 hours
AS Level- 50%
A Level- 25%

3. Paper 3 Advanced Theory
This written paper contains short-answer and structured questions. There is no choice of questions. Externally assessed.
75 marks
1 hour 30 minutes
A Level– 25%

4. Paper 4 Further Problem-solving and Programming Skills
This written paper contains short-answer and structured questions. There is no choice of questions. Externally assessed.
75 marks
2 hours
A Level– 25%

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