BCS Professional Examinations Graduate Diploma

Introduction

Academic Level of the BCS Professional Examinations

The BCS Professional Examinations are Higher Education qualifications. Our examinations are "open-entry". This means that we do not lay down mandatory entry requirements but make recommendations about the qualifications that candidates are expected to have at entry. We recommend that candidates are aged at least 19 and have education to A-level standard, or equivalent, before they attempt our examinations.

At the Professional Graduate Diploma stage, candidates will find it difficult to pass these examinations, or take longer, unless they have working experience in IT. In addition, each syllabus details the "Prior Knowledge Expected" to help candidates gauge whether they have the right background to pass the module.

Structure of Examinations

There are 3 stages

• Certificate - examined to the academic standard of the first year of a Higher National Diploma (HND)
• Diploma (Diploma Examination and Diploma Project) - examined to the academic standard of a Higher National Diploma
• Professional Graduate Diploma (PGD examination and PGD Project) - examined to the academic standard of a UK university honours degree

Inclusion on the National Qualifications Framework

BCS expects to have the Diploma rated as Level 5 on the new NQF i.e. the same level as the Higher National Diploma, and the Professional Graduate Diploma rated as level 6 - the same level as the honours degree.

Professional Graduate

Candidates must choose FOUR modules from the following :

• Advanced Database Management Systems
• Computer Services Management
• Distributed and Parallel Systems
• Knowledge-based Systems
• Management Information Systems
• Network Information Systems
• Programming Paradigms
• Software Engineering
• Systems Design Methods
• User Interface Design
• World Wide Web - beyond the basics

Examinations

Examinations are conducted twice a year in October and April.