CALDERDALE COLLEgE 2012/13

SPORT & PUBLIC SERVICES CALDERDALE COLLEGE 2012/13
Why not study GCSE English and Maths in addition to your course…
BTEC EXTENDED DIPLOMA IT – SYSTEMS SUPPORT
Qualifi cation
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma IT – Systems Support
What will I study?
On this two year course you will develop a vast range of in-depth skills in computing that
will give you the opportunity to gain a university place or a job in the It fi eld, in particular the
course will train you for a position in IT consultancy. In the fi rst year you will explore the IT
Industry, fi nding out about what jobs are available and what skills you will need to get these
positions.
On the course you will also discover how your computer works both in terms of the hardware
that makes the computer run and the software that controls it and allows you to reach your
goals in IT. You will use this to develop digital graphics and your own website, design your
own computer interfaces and use robots to investigate control systems and technologies.
In year 2 you will get to go down 2 separate routes to study programming and software
development, or focus more on developing your skills in computer technical support and
Human Computer Interactions. You will also learn how to connect PCs into small networks
through to communication with the rest of the world. At the end of the second year you will
complete a major project to demonstrate your skills, which will culminate in a showcase event
with members of the industry visiting. Previous successful projects include; creating a mobile
network of computer to run computer games competitions and creating a smart card for NHS
patients to allow for automatic appointments and record retrieval.
Moving on
There are several routes to go on upon completion of the course, the most popular being
university, passing the course will prepare you for an academic degree in the It fi eld, with the
course being the equivalent of three A-Levels (up to 420 UCAS points, prestigious universities
requiring 360 points).
Alternatively completion of the course would give you a fi rm place on the Higher National
Diploma in Computing at Calderdale College.
The BTEC Extended Diploma is the national standard for level 3 IT qualifi cations, alongside
suitable experience in the IT fi eld a graduate can gain a job in IT consultancy and technical
work.
The course makes a strong focus on identifying potential routes that will ensure that the
student goes forward into the best possible route for them.
BTEC EXTENDED DIPLOMA IT – COMPUTER GAMES DEVELOPMENT
Qualifi cation
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma IT – Computer Games Development
What will I study?
The computer games industry continues to get bigger; it has become a £2 billion market.
Some computer games being as big as Hollywood movies, sales of Call of Duty: Black Ops
reached £648 million in the fi rst six weeks of its release.
The course makes a heavy emphasis on the skills required to go into the games design and
development fi eld. The fi rst year will give a heavy focus to developing skills in event driven
and procedural programming alongside software development.
In the second year the skills built up in the fi rst year will be utilised in Games Design and
Development, and will culminate in a major project where the students will utilise their skills
to develop a full game with a showcase event with members of the industry visiting to see
the products (and their potential future employees!). Skills will be developed outside of the
games fi eld in subjects including graphics design, website development, computer systems
and control technologies to give you a well-rounded, yet focused, 2 year IT course.
Moving on
The most popular route upon completion of this course is university, with several local
universities housing games development companies to help students continue their
development in the fi eld. Students are able to go into other fi elds of IT with the strong fi eld
they have studied with the college.
A sound knowledge of programming languages means that a career as an IT engineer is
possible. With further part time studies (including the HND computing at Calderdale College).
STUDENT PROFILE: Ross Murdie
Course:BTEC National Diploma in IT
I came to Calderdale College as I had heard good things from people who had been here before.
The College is welcoming and everyone goes out of their way to make sure you are ok and they are
happy to help. Every time I needed help there was a tutor to help or point me in the direction of
someone who could. The best bit has been meeting new people and getting to work in the different
departments. I became a student champion and got to attend lots of College events, meet people
and get them interested in the College. I would defi nitely recommend the course as it is a good
thing to help you get into the IT industry which has good job prospects. The best part of my course
was the games development unit which was fun as we had to think of a game and develop it. Two
of us worked together my friend on the programming and I worked on the design of the game. I am
aiming to get a job in the IT industry preferably the gaming industry.
Summarise your experience! …A fun confi dence growing life experience!
93 For further information: www.calderdale.ac.uk » Tel:01422 399399 Calderdale College: Inspiring Learners To Succeed In Life & In Work
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