Professional Graduate Diploma in IT: British Computer Society

We started this proposal last week in the hope that the northern governors will seize the opportunities offered by some good schools which are not well known by an average Nigerian but which offer affordable and quality education for post secondary school students. We hope the northern states will take advantage of this fastest route to bridge the educational gap between the north and the south.



As stated here before, most of the courses in this proposal are either degrees or degree equivalents and most of them can be completed within two years. Most importantly, the courses will cost the states next to nothing. Today we are going to discuss the professional examinations of British Computer Society.



Overview



British Computer Society was formed in 1957, the professional examinations were instituted in 1969 and the Society was incorporated by a Royal Charter in 1984. Being the essential qualification for career in IT and computing, BSC has over 60,000 members in over 100 countries.



BOGOF: Buy one get one free



BCS examinations are in three stages; each stage is equivalent to an academic year in UK universities. Thus, at end of the three stages, the student has a certification as a computer professional and an equivalent of Bsc (Honors) in Computer Science.



Levels

There are three stages of BCS professional examinations:

· Certificate in IT

· Diploma in IT and

· Professional Graduate Diploma (PGD) in IT

All the levels are recognized and accredited by Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), UK.



Level I: Certificate in IT



This is the most elementary level of BCS Professional Examinations. Even those who do not know the difference between a computer mouse and a rat can start here. This foundation level is equivalent to year 1 of a UK university honours degree and is recognized by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as level 4.



The certificate in IT concentrates on three compulsory modules.

· Information systems

· Software Development

· Computer & Network Technology



If a student is studying on his own, BCS recommends minimum of 200 hours study per module. That's 600 hours altogether. This track terminates in a 2 hour written examination focusing on all the 3 core modules.



The completion of the Certificate in IT level means that a student is eligible to apply for BCS Associate Membership (AMBCS). This means a student can put AMBCS in front of his name. See? I'm sure it's beginning to look interesting to Nigerians.



Level II: Diploma in IT



Before beginning Diploma in IT, a student must have completed Certificate in IT or have been exempted from it. The Diploma in IT level of BCS Professional Examinations is the academic equivalent to year 2 of a UK university honours degree and is recognized by the Qualification and Curriculum Authority as level 6.



The Diploma in IT focuses on the compulsory Professional Issues in Information Systems Practice and any 3 from the following:

Computer Networks, Database Systems, IT Project Management, Object Oriented Programming, Systems Analysis, Principles of Internet Technologies, IT Service Management, Software Engineering 1, Systems Design, Principles of User Interface Design, The Internet and World Wide Web and Computer Architecture.



The track terminates in 2 hour written examination with the spotlight on the core module and another 2 hour written examination focusing on three optional modules of the student's choice.



If you're counting the examinations as I am, we have 6 hour examination so far; a single 2 hour examination in Certificate in IT and two 2 hour examination in Diploma in IT. Together with PGD 3 hour examination, the student is expected to sit for 9 hour examination all in all.



Project

There's also a project at this level, which BCS recommends 200 hours study time for. But if the student is proceeding to the Level III: Professional Graduate Diploma in IT, there's no need for project at this stage. The project will be done after level III examinations.



The successful completion of the examination and project makes a student eligible to apply for the full BCS Membership if he has 2 years experience in IT. This means the student can start using MBCS after his name.



Level III: Professional Graduate Diploma (PGD) in IT



Before starting Level III, the student must have completed Certificate in IT and Diploma in IT or have been exempted from them.

The professional Graduate Diploma in IT together with PGD project is the academic equivalent to a completed UK university honours degree and is recognized by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as level 6.



There's no core module at this level. The student can choose any four of the following modules: Advanced Database Management Systems, Management Information Systems, Software Engineering 2, Computer Services Management, Distributed and Parallel Systems, Knowledge Based Systems, Network Information Systems, Programming Paradigms, Realising the User Interface, System Design Methods, Web Engineering, User Interface Design and World Wide Web – Beyond the Basics.



The course culminates in a 3 hour written examination focusing on four modules of your choice. Successful completion of the level 3 examination and project enables you to apply for selected postgraduate courses (Msc) with UK universities.



Out of the 48 universities that'll accept you at master level, I'll list 5: University of West London, University of Leeds, University of Aberdeen, University of Kent and University of Birmingham.



How much?



When I calculated the entire examinations cost plus the registration and course fee, I arrived at N253,000. That's if the student takes the self study route.



Benefits of BCS certification to northern states



BSC qualification is a guarantee of excellence. Unlike some students who will finish computer science without knowing where to click the pointing device, the states can be confident that graduates from Society know not only what they are doing but why.



The course outline directly mirrors the requisites of classic IT occupations and puts greater emphasis on business and management issues. This will ensure that the state will be populated with confident entrepreneurs and competent professionals.



Benefits to students

Computer Weekly/SSL salary survey 2007 said an average wage for an IT professional in the UK is 32,965 pounds sterling that's equivalent to N8,241250.

Examinations are internationally recognized giving you highest possible standard of education and employability in the market. I learnt they're employers who have preference for members of British Computer Society.



Please parents and independent student should know that this is proposal for the state government as well as for them. The North is in this sorry state because of the preoccupation of our governors with the projects of their First Ladies and their own pockets rather than the collective development of the North. There's reason to believe that these new ones are different.

For more information please visit www.bcs.org/exams