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  1. Home
  2. Subjects
  3. Computer Science
  4. AS Computer Science

AS Computer Science7516

SpecificationPlanning resourcesTeaching resourcesAssessment resourcesKey dates
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Specification at a glance
3.0 Subject content – AS
3.1 Fundamentals of programming
3.2 Fundamentals of data structures
3.3 Systematic approach to problem solving
3.4 Theory of computation
3.5 Fundamentals of data representation
3.6 Fundamentals of computer systems
3.7 Fundamentals of computer organisation and architecture
3.8 Consequences of uses of computing
3.9 Fundamentals of communication and networking
5.0 Scheme of assessment
6.0 Non-exam assessment administration
7.0 General administration
AS and A-level Computer Science Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015

AS and A-level Computer Science Specification Specifications for first teaching in 2015

21 Jan 2019

PDF | 1.31 MB

2.0 Specification at a glance

2.1 AS

Subject content

  • 1 Fundamentals of programming
  • 2 Fundamentals of data structures
  • 3 Systematic approach to problem solving
  • 4 Theory of computation
  • 5 Fundamentals of data representation
  • 6 Fundamentals of computer systems
  • 7 Fundamentals of computer organisation and architecture
  • 8 Consequences of uses of computing
  • 9 Fundamentals of communication and networking

Assessments

Paper 1

What's assessed:

this paper tests a student's ability to program, as well as their theoretical knowledge of computer science from subject content 1-4 above.

Assessed

  • On-screen exam: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • 50% of AS

Questions

Students answer a series of short questions and write/adapt/extend programs in an Electronic Answer Document provided by us.

We will issue preliminary material, a skeleton program (available in each of the programming languages) and, where appropriate, test data, for use in the exam.

Paper 2

What's assessed:

this paper tests a student's ability to answer questions from subject content 5-9 above.

Assessed

  • Written exam: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • 50% of AS

Questions

A series of short-answer and extended-answer questions.

2.2 A-level

Subject content

  • 10 Fundamentals of programming
  • 11 Fundamentals of data structures
  • 12 Fundamentals of algorithms
  • 13 Theory of computation
  • 14 Fundamentals of data representation
  • 15 Fundamentals of computer systems
  • 16 Fundamentals of computer organisation and architecture
  • 17 Consequences of uses of computing
  • 18 Fundamentals of communication and networking
  • 19 Fundamentals of databases
  • 20 Big Data
  • 21 Fundamentals of functional programming
  • 22 Systematic approach to problem solving
  • 23 Non-exam assessment - the computing practical project

Assessments

Paper 1

What's assessed: this paper tests a student's ability to program, as well as their theoretical knowledge of Computer Science from subject content 10-13 above and the skills required from section 22 above.

Assessed

  • On-screen exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • 40% of A-level

Questions

Students answer a series of short questions and write/adapt/extend programs in an Electronic Answer Document provided by us.

We will issue Preliminary Material, a Skeleton Program (available in each of the Programming Languages) and, where appropriate, test data, for use in the exam.

Paper 2

What's assessed: this paper tests a student's ability to answer questions from subject content 14-21 above.

Assessed

  • Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • 40% of A-level

Questions

Compulsory short-answer and extended-answer questions.

Non-exam assessment

What's assessed: the non-exam assessment assesses student's ability to use the knowledge and skills gained through the course to solve or investigate a practical problem. Students will be expected to follow a systematic approach to problem solving, as shown in section 22 above.

Assessed

  • 75 marks
  • 20% of A-level

1.0 Introduction
3.0 Subject content – AS
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