Higher Education Qualifi cations For a rewarding career in IT

Higher Education Qualifications
For a rewarding career in IT
Education for a rewarding career
As the global IT skills shortage grows, there has never been a better time to
consider a rewarding career in technology, whether you are starting out in your
career, already have experience or are looking to change your profession. Higher
Education Qualifications from BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, will give you the
skills and knowledge you need to succeed.
The global IT industry is growing at
an unparalleled rate. As technology
continues to show its potential in all
aspects of our lives, the demand for
qualified IT professionals increases
every day. Organisations worldwide
need individuals with the knowledge
and capabilities to deliver real results
within their business.
Choosing which qualification to study is
an important, and sometimes difficult,
decision. It’s a big commitment and you
need to be sure your chosen course will
give you the skills to go far in today’s
fast-paced industry.
• A flexible, modular programme;
allows you to tailor your study to
your chosen career path and you
can progress at your own pace, with
the opportunity to achieve a degreeequivalent accredited qualification.
• BCS membership; supports you
on your learning journey – you can
upgrade your membership status as
you complete the levels of study.
• Approved centres located around
the world; there’s a global network of
places for you to study.
British qualifications are recognised
around the world as representing the
highest standards in education. IT
qualifications from BCS, The Chartered
Institute for IT, are no exception.
• Developed by leading UK university
academics; in collaboration with
industry, our qualifications deliver
core knowledge about IT and its many
disciplines, together with practical,
relevant skills.
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Why you should choose qualifications from BCS
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, sets
the standards of education and best
practice in the global IT industry. We have
over 75,000 members worldwide. People
come to us to validate their knowledge,
develop their capability and progress
their careers.
Thousands of students across the world
have benefited from these benchmark
qualifications. Many are now IT leaders
and continue to inform, influence and
professionalise the industry.
They are built on a track record of British
academic excellence and, at their highest
level, offer you a route to postgraduate
study at selected universities – with
the Professional Graduate Diploma in
IT being the academic equivalent of a
university Honours degree in England.
At a glance we offer:
We will support you throughout your
lifelong journey as an IT professional. Our
Higher Education Qualifications have
qualifications, professional membership
been taught through BCS since 1969 and and career development tools will help
are established as one of the leading sets you to succeed at every level and be the
of technical qualifications in their class.
best that you can be.
Our prestigious qualifications are
reviewed annually to ensure the validity
of the subject matter, the delivery
of core skills and knowledge of new
technologies. They emphasise practical
application and theory equally, equipping
you for the world of work.
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• Flexible and affordable study options
• Internationally recognised UK degree
equivalent qualifications
• Pathway to Chartered Status, the
global benchmark for IT excellence
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Our qualifications
Certificate in IT (UK RQF level 4)
Diploma in IT (UK RQF level 5)
BCS Level 4/100/6190/2
BCS Level 5/100/6190/3
Our Certificate in IT delivers essential
learning across core subjects. It is made
up of three mandatory modules and is
the academic equivalent to year one of
a university Honours degree in England.
A minimum of 200 hours of study is
recommended for each module. The
course culminates in three two-hour
written exams covering each of the
three modules.
Core modules
• Information systems
• Software development
• Computer and network technology
Completion of the Certificate in IT means
you are eligible to upgrade free of charge
under your current student subscription
to BCS Associate (AMBCS) membership.
The Diploma in IT comprises a core
module and three modules selected by
you to suit your chosen career path. The
Diploma in IT is the academic equivalent
to year two of a university Honours
degree in England.
Core module
• Professional issues in information
systems practice
Select three modules
• Computer networks
• Database systems
• IT project management
• Object oriented programming
• Systems analysis and design
• Principles of internet technologies
• IT service management
• Software engineering 1
• Principles of user interface design
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A minimum of 225 hours of study is
recommended for each module. The
course culminates in four two-hour
written exams covering the core module
and each of your three chosen modules.
Professional IT project
If you are not going on to study the
Professional Graduate Diploma in IT, you
will also need to complete a 5,000-word
professional IT project as part of your
Diploma in IT. A minimum 200 hours of
study is recommended for the project.
Completion of the Diploma in IT and
Professional IT Project means you are
eligible to upgrade free of charge under
your current membership subscription,
to BCS Professional (MBCS) membership
if you have two years’ work experience
as an IT professional.
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Professional Graduate Diploma in IT (UK RQF level 6)
BCS Level 6/100/6191/5
The Professional Graduate Diploma in
IT (PGD) comprises four modules and
professional project. The PGD is the
academic equivalent to year three of a
university Honours degree in England.
Select four modules*
• Management information systems
• Software engineering 2
• Computer services management
• Knowledge-based systems
• Network information systems
• Programming paradigms
• Realising the user interface
• System design methods
• Web engineering
• IT and the environment
• Advanced database
management systems
*Not all modules are offered by all centres
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A minimum of 250 hours of study is
recommended for each module. The
course culminates in four three-hour
written exams covering each of your
chosen modules. Practical experience is
required to answer parts of the exam.
Professional IT project
To complete the Professional Graduate
Diploma in IT, you will also need to
complete a 10,000-word professional
IT project. The project is the academic
equivalent of a university Honours
degree project in England and has a
recommended minimum study time of
300 hours.
Completion of the Professional Graduate
Diploma in IT and Professional Project
in IT means you are eligible to upgrade
free of charge, under your current
membership subscription for full
Professional (MBCS) membership,
no work experience required.
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BCS qualifications equivalencies
Our IT qualifications are reviewed, recognised and monitored by Ofqual, the regulator
of qualifications in England and Wales – providing you with a guarantee that they
meet the highest quality standards.
Ofqual-accredited qualifications are on the Regulated Qualifications Framework
(RQF). Our diagram shows you where our qualifications fit within the RQF.
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Certificate in IT
ification Levels
Qual
For the most up-to-date information on qualification comparison i.e. (HNC, HND, NVQ, Diploma, Degree) please visit :
www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/compare-different-qualification-levels
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How to study
There are many ways to study our IT
qualifications, with full-time, part-time
and distance learning options available.
We have BCS approved centres situated
around the world. All work to a strict
code of practice to ensure they provide a
rewarding, hands-on learning experience
for their students and the best possible
chance of exam success.
Self-study is available, but we strongly
recommend studying with an approved
centre to support your exam success.
Recognised qualifications
We maintain a list of qualifications that
are approved for exemption from our
qualifications. If you hold one of these,
you may apply for exemption.
Individual exemption
Your existing qualifications can be
considered for an exemption from our
qualifications on an individual basis if
they are at the appropriate level and
cover at least 80% of our syllabus.
Exemption
If you already hold qualifications that
cover elements of the syllabus, you may
qualify for exemption from a particular
module(s) or an entire qualification. This
means you won’t have to sit exams for
those subjects. There are two routes
to exemption:
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Your route to a BCS qualification
Taking your exam
Decide on the qualification
level that’s right for you
Sign up
for BCS
student
membership
Download
the BCS
study guide
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Apply for
exemption
where relevant
Register with a
BCS approved centre
Once you have completed your studies
you will need to register for your
examinations during the designated
registration period. You can register
online, download an application
form from the BCS website, or email
[email protected] to request
a form.
Examination venues
UK venues
• London
• Manchester
International venues
• Reduit (Mauritius)
• Colombo (Sri Lanka)
• Jaffna (Sri Lanka)
Some Approved Centres will collect
• Kandy (Sri Lanka)
registration forms and payment on
• Lagos (Nigeria)
behalf of their students.
• Abuja (Nigeria)
• Enugu (Nigeria)
We have a number of exam venues
• Port Harcourt (Nigeria)
around the world. Depending on demand, • Kano (Nigeria)
we can also set up venues on an
• Lahore (Pakistan)
individual basis, for an additional fee.
• Karachi (Pakistan)
• Accra (Ghana)
• Kumasi (Ghana)
Complete your
studies and
register for
your exams
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BCS membership
Belonging to your professional body gives
a clear sign to employers, colleagues and
clients that you are serious about your
career in IT.
BCS membership underlines your status
as an IT practitioner of the highest
integrity, setting you on the path to
Chartered IT Professional (CITP) status.
BCS Student membership
Membership is essential for students
taking our IT qualifications. As a BCS
student member, you can access the
resources, tools and opportunities you
need to support your studies and prepare
you for the workplace. These include our
online library of over 300 IT and business
books, and more than 9000 IT research
journals and databases.
When you’re starting out in your career,
the right contacts can be invaluable. BCS
membership connects you with a global
community of over 75,000 like-minded
IT professionals and students.
We recommend you apply for BCS
Student membership as soon as you
enrol for your course, to maximise the
learning opportunities available. You
must be a BCS member to sit the exam.
Chartered professional recognition
BCS Higher Education Qualifications provide a route to the Chartered IT
Professional standard (CITP). CITP is developed in consultation with public and
private sector employers and the academic community, and demonstrates integrity,
professionalism and commitment.
CITP requires a minimum of 8-10 years’ IT work experience. Holding a BCS Higher
Education Qualification can reduce this requirement by up to 5 years
CITP applicants must have spent 3 of the last 5 years working in an IT role using
skills equivalent to *SFIA level 5.
For more information please visit www.bcs.org/citp
BCS Higher Education Qualifications
Qualification work
experience equivalence
PGD in IT
4 passed modules
and Project
5 years
PGD Examinations
4 passed modules
3 years
Diploma in IT
3 passed modules, core
module and Project
3 years
Diploma Examinations
3 passed modules and
core module
2 years
Cerificate in IT
3 passed modules
1 year
* The Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA).
SFIA is the industry international skills and competency framework,
BCS Higher Education Qualifications are mapped to SFIAplus v.6
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BCS awards and graduation
You’ve graduated – what now?
Your graduation day is an important
milestone in your career. It is the
culmination of all your hard work
and hours of study, and the most
important date in our academic
calendar. BCS staff and
distinguished guests join you
to celebrate your achievement.
There are many IT qualifications in the market, but when you choose to study with
the Chartered Institute for IT you form a relationship with your professional body
that will support you throughout your career.
BCS organises graduation
ceremonies in Mauritius and
Sri Lanka. We also recognise
and reward top candidates
for outstanding performance.
Postgraduate study
Our IT qualifications offer an affordable
alternative to a university course.
Employment
As you enter the job market, support
from BCS will strengthen your career
prospects. Our IT qualifications prepare
Successful completion of our
you for the workplace by developing
Professional Graduate Diploma in IT (with practical, relevant skills.
project) offers you entry to postgraduate
study in selected universities.
BCS professional membership enhances
your status and puts you in touch with
To be accepted onto a university course,
a global community of IT practitioners.
you will need to satisfy the university’s
Build your network with other BCS
own entry requirements.
members by getting involved and
attending local events.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
You can use our CPD tools to record your academic achievements and position
yourself for interview success. www.bcs.org/cpdrolebook
As an IT professional it is your responsibility to keep your IT skills and knowledge
up-to-date with the pace of technology. BCS will continue to support your IT
progression throughout your career, providing you access to the latest expertise,
professional IT certification and industry tools such as SFIAplus and CPD.
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About BCS
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT is committed to make IT good for society by
giving IT professionals a voice on the important issues and empowering them to
drive a positive change in the industry. BCS are a trusted, powerful and positive
reference point for the IT sector within wider society. We will do this by promoting
Excellence, Leadership and Communities.
Excellence – We equip IT practitioners for success through qualifications,
certifications, CPD tools and so on – to drive excellence in the IT sector;
Leadership – We debate IT and the impact it has on society – tackling difficult
issues, giving informed points of view, and being a truly independent voice in
the field of IT;
Community – We galvanise our communities to create a positive impact in IT
and the wider world.
For more information about BCS IT qualifications, visit bcs.org/heq or contact
your local approved centre or BCS office.
UK and worldwide headquarters
First Floor, Block D
North Star House
North Star Avenue, Swindon
Wiltshire, SN2 1FA
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 1793 417 424
bcs.org/contactus
Sri Lanka
3 Maitland Crescent
Colombo 7
Sri Lanka
Tel: (+94) 11 2698 566,
(+94) 11 4891081,
Fax: (+94) 11 2691503
[email protected]
Mauritius
14A, Ganachaud Lane
Castel, Eau Coulée, 74109
Mauritius
BCS The Chartered Institute for IT
First Floor Block D North Star House North Star Avenue Swindon SN2 1FA
T +44 (0) 1793 417 417 bcs.org/heq
© BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT is the business name of The British Computer Society (Registered charity no. 292786) 2015
If you require this document in accessible format please call +44 (0) 1793 417 600
L&D/0050/LEAF/1115
Tel: (+230) 686 7427
(+230) 5252 5070
[email protected]