This ICM Professional Computing & Information Processing programme is designed for those who either wish to make a career in the field of computing or who need a sound all round knowledge of the subject area.

Course Structure

The Certificate in Professional Computing & Information Processing - Part 1

1. Information Processing
2. Programming
3. General Purpose Software
   
4. Numeracy & Statistics
      
   (The ICM Certificate in Professional Computing & Information Processing is awarded on completion of all Part 1 subjects)
   

The Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing - Part 2

1. Number & Logic
   
2. Systems Analysis
3. Applications
   
4. Programming Project
     
   (The ICM Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing is awarded on completion of all Part 1 & 2 subjects)

The Advanced Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing - Part 3

1. Managing Computer Systems
   
2. Hardware & Operating Systems
3. Networks
4. Feasibility Study
     
   (The ICM Advanced Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing is awarded on completion of all Part 1, 2 & 3 subjects)

Programme Objectives
Part 1 provides an introduction to the subject, and is structured for those with no previous knowledge or experience of computing. Successful candidates will have attained a standard of computer literacy and numeracy which will enable them to either proceed to more advanced studies or take up careers as data entry clerks, trainee operators or junior trainee programmers.

Part 2 is structured for those with sound data entry and applications experience, providing they also have numeracy and accounting skills. Successful candidates will have a firm basis for seeking positions as computer operators or trainee programmers. Candidates who do not wish to make computing a career will have attained a high level of computer literacy and awareness which will enhance their job prospects in other areas.

The final examinations, in Part 3 take the student to an HND level and provide an opportunity for entry onto computing degree or post graduate programmes. Successful candidates should expect to be able to enter a professional computing environment with an academic and vocational background of sufficient strength to enable them to quickly move up the career ladder from programmer to analyst to manager. Alternatively the qualification can be offered as an entry qualification for post-graduate studies.

Recommended Course Duration
Nine months of full-time study for each.

Examination Grades

Status of Qualifications
Professional Vocational Diploma.

Examinations
Externally set and marked by the Institute. Examinations are held in March, June, September and December each year. Candidates must be registered and paid-up Student Members of the Institute at the time they undertake the examinations.

Examination Closing Dates
Candidates entering for examinations must ensure that their completed examination entry forms and fees reach the Institute at least eight weeks before the date of the examinations. Examination timetables indicate the closing date for receipt of entries for each sitting.

Examination Results
These are normally distributed twelve weeks after each examination date.

Subject Exemptions
Students holding relevant recognised qualifications from other professional bodies may apply for exemptions on a subject-for-subject basis.

Entry Requirements

The Institute operates an ‘Open Entry’ policy in respect of many of its vocational programmes but prospective students should note that the following entrance qualifications are recommended for those wishing to undertake this programme:

1. The ICM Business Studies Group Certificate
2. One GCE A-level plus Three GCSEs (or equivalents)
3. Any qualification equivalent to one of the above

Applicants over the age of 18 who do not hold one of the recommended entrance qualifications may also register for the programme providing they have been in full-time employment for a minimum of one year.

Certification
On successful completion of Level 1 examinations students are awarded the ICM Certificate in Professional Computing & Information Processing. On successful completion of Level 2 examinations students are awarded the ICM Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing. On successful completion of Level 3 examinations students are awarded the ICM Advanced Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing and may apply for Associate Membership of the Institute

Continuing Education
The Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Professional Computing & Information Processing is recognised by other professional examining bodies for subject and level exemption purposes. It may also be offered as an entrance qualification for degree studies (subject to examination grades obtained).

Study Methods
Your Teaching Centre has been provided with a detailed syllabus and reading list for each subject area. Each subject syllabus clearly defines the areas that you will be required to cover for each subject and your examination questions will be based on the areas and topics detailed for each subject. It is important to ensure that you obtain a copy of each subject syllabus from your Teaching Centre.

Notes:

1. Duplication of material across several modules will be minimised.
   Some topics inevitably must be introduced at one level and studied and assessed in more detail at a higher level. Also, some topics naturally belong in more than one module but the emphasis is different in each and would be assessed differently. For instance:
   Networking
   - Introduction in Information Processing
   - Data sharing implications in Database Theory
   - Systems considerations in Systems Analysis & Design
   - Management considerations in Management & Computer Systems
   - Hardware considerations in Hardware & Computer Architecture.
2. Institutions will need to continue providing introductory instruction to candidates in certain topics which are not assessed until a later module. For instance - binary arithmetic is assessed in detail within Computer Arithmetic & Logic but an appreciation will be needed to understand the concept of REAL number in computer programming.
3. The mark allocation is a guide to both depth of answer required AND time that should be spent on it. Students need to take more notice of this. This practice will vary from question to question and paper to paper dependent upon the material being assessed. In general one valid point scores one mark.
4. Most papers require candidates to answer five questions from a choice of eight. This will change to suit the level and type of paper. For instance, candidates cannot be expected to write a logically correct program in the same time that they might answer a question with a high learning content.
   In Certificate papers, some aspects of the papers will be assessed by short answer questions. The exact shape of each paper is given with each module.
5. Candidates will be expected to APPLY their knowledge rather than quote from a book. For instance:
   - it is more likely that candidates will be given specific data and asked to identify the checks that could be applied to it rather than be asked to “Define validation of data, giving examples”.
   - candidates will be asked to identify the most appropriate method of data capture for a given application rather than write in general terms. Hence a sound background of a wide range of methods together with advantages and disadvantages of each will be necessary.
   At Diploma level, candidates will be expected to apply their knowledge more than at Certificate level.
6. Questions will NOT be set on topics at the leading edge of computing but a general awareness of the latest facilities is expected. Institutions should therefore encourage candidates to be up-to-date with computer developments. This can be achieved by teachers and candidates having access to the computer press.
   In a small number of cases, the syllabus will be open-ended to allow for these developments. For instance, at the present time, 386 microcomputers with 4Mb RAM are still being used but are very limiting systems. Many will have been withdrawn by the time candidates sit the first new papers. ORGANISATIONS SHOULD PREPARE CANDIDATES FOR THE WORLD OF COMPUTERS IN GENERAL RATHER THAN FOR JUST THE STAND-ALONE MICROCOMPUTER.
7. Candidates should ideally devise their own projects which should all be different. The organisation should check each project as being appropriate and to verify that the work is entirely that of the candidate. A strict upper limit to the size of the submitted projects will be imposed. A breakdown of the marking scheme is included later in this documentation.
8. Candidates will be awarded Certificate, Diploma or Advanced Diploma once all four modules have been passed. These need not be at one sitting.
9. Centres entering candidates for the Programming Project (Level 2) or the Feasibility Study (Level 3) must obtain prior approval before candidates begin their work to ensure that the intended study is of an appropriate level.
   Centres will already have been circularised with advice for candidates sitting examinations. A section has been included particularly relating to computing papers. Centres are advised to duplicate these notes for tutors and candidates. It would be beneficial to the candidates if they could be taken, step by step, through these notes and the problems highlighted. Too often, candidates lose many marks through a failure to answer the question as it is set.
   It may help to understand how examination papers are marked. The paper set provides examiners with a marking scheme showing expected answers together with alternatives. Candidates who interpret questions in their own way are therefore unlikely to provide answers which are on the mark scheme and will thus score few marks. Good answers to the wrong question are not awarded marks. If the candidate’s answer does not conform with this marking scheme, allowing for variations in style, then he or she will not be awarded marks. It would therefore help if the tutor is able to point out the problems highlighted in the advice to candidates.
   Common examples of lack of knowledge and bad examination technique are:
   a) “Describe 4 INPUT devices…” - Answer: discusses printer and screen.
   b) “Discuss the tasks that a programmer performs…” - Answer: assumes he is a data clerk.
   c) “Discuss benefits of…. [10 marks]” - Answer: given in one sentence and therefore likely to earn one mark at the most.
   d) “Explain types of file organisation …” - Answer: failure to recognise that this means how records are organised within a file and describes organisation of files on a disc.
   e) “Discuss a suitable application package for …” - Answer: discusses a printer.
   f) “State a particular SMALL business known to you and …” - Answer: describes National Bank of a country or describes an application without identifying the business.
   g) “Design test data…” on a programming paper - Answer: candidate writes a program.
   h) “List 4 fields on a stock file giving data type and likely size for each…” - Answer: lists fields but fails to identify data types and sizes.

Study Material

Computing notes are avaliable to download from the ICM website course materials section.

Course Handbook

Click here to download the Professional Computing And Information Processing handbook.