Professional Graduate Diploma in IT

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City School is one of the leading providers of English, IT, Business management and Hospitality Management courses which are recognized / affiliated by International and national universities and professional bodies. These include: Chartered Institute of Management (CIM), Association of Business Executives (ABE), Association for Project Management (APM), British Computer Society (BCS), eDCC, IFA, IAB, IMIS, IAM, CIMA, ACCA, OTHM(Link program with London South Bank University). This organizations are responsible for providing the syllabus and validating exams. City School is known for its quality and innovative teaching methods. It prepares students for a full and productive life by providing the necessary knowledge base for their academic programmes and practical work experience.

City School provides English courses for complete beginners, guiding them to speak and write error free English. We also offer IT and Business Management courses which provide a variety of career opportunities, as well as work experience for a short span of time in some of the leading companies in the UK. This work experience will aid students in getting a sound practical knowledge in what they have learnt in books. These courses and facilities are available to all students irrespective of nationality and race.
City School treats each student individually, and it makes sure their time with us is successful and rewarding. All kinds of assistance are offered regarding academic guidance, career advice, part-time job opportunities and any other help a student wants.

British Computer Society

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. As these are professional examinations, we expect candidates to be aspiring towards a career in IT or already working in this field. 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. All this information is in the Study Guide Handbook.

Structure of Examinations

Professional Graduate Diploma (PGD examination and PGD Project) – examined to the academic standard of a UK university honours degree

Recognition of Academic Standard by UK universities

Many UK universities accept the BCS Professional Graduate Diploma as an acceptable qualification for entry on to their postgraduate courses in IT-related study. In other words they accept the PGD in place of an undergraduate honours degree.

Universities will also accept the Diploma (Examination and Project) as entry in to (normally) the second year of a three year degree course if candidates want to top up the BCS Diploma and exit with an honours degree.

Professional Graduate Diploma in IT

This level is the academic equivalent to Year 3 of a UK university honours degree.
It is recognised by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as Level 6.
By beginning the Professional Graduate Diploma in IT level course BCS assumes knowledge of the Certificate in IT and appropriate Diploma in IT level modules (or exemption) and focuses on the following:

* Advanced Database Management Systems
* Management Information Systems
* Software Engineering 2
* Computer Services Management
* Distributed and Parallel Systems (April only)
* Knowledge Based Systems (April only)
* Network Information Systems (April only)
* Programming Paradigms (April only)
* Realising the User Interface (April only)
* System Design Methods (April only)
* Web Engineering (April only)
* User Interface Design (April only - Last ever exam April 2008)
* World Wide Web - Beyond the Basics (April only - Last ever exam April 2008)

BCS recommends a minimum of 250 hours study per module and the course culminates in a 3 hour written exam focusing on four of the above modules of your choice. Please be aware that practical experience is required to answer some parts of the exam.
Completion of the Professional Graduate Diploma Examinations level means you are eligible to apply for BCS Membership if you have 2 years' experience as an IT professional.

Professional Project

In order to finish the Professional Graduate Diploma in IT level candidates must complete a project, which will be the academic equivalent of a UK university honours degree project and has a recommended minimum study time of 300 hours.

Successful completion of the project and examination enables you to apply for selected postgraduate courses at university and means you are eligible to apply for BCS Professional Membership.