GCSE Computer Science/CIE IGCSE Computer Science 0478

This section is aimed at students and teachers of the CIE IGCSE Computer Science 0478 course but it is not endorsed by CIE. It should be read together with the most recent course syllabus for this course.

Course Structure

There are two sections to this course.

• Section 1: Theory of Computer Science
• Section 2: Practical Problem-solving and Programming

There is no coursework in this course. There are two exams of 1 hour and 45 minutes each at the end of the two year course. The section 1 exam is worth 60% of the final grade and the section 2 exam is worth the final 40%. Calculators are not permitted for either exam.

Course Content

Section 1: Theory of Computer Science

• 1.1 Data Representation

• 1.1.1 Binary systems
• 1.1.2 Hexadecimal
• 1.1.3 Data storage

• 1.2 Communication and Internet technologies

• 1.2.1 Serial and parallel data transmission
• 1.2.2 Security aspects
• 1.2.3 Internet principles of operation

• 1.3 Hardware and Software

• 1.3.1 Logic gates
• 1.3.2 Computer architecture and the fetchexecute cycle
• 1.3.3 Input devices
• 1.3.4 Output devices
• 1.3.5 Memory, storage devices and media

• Memory
• Storage

• 1.3.6 Operating systems
• 1.3.7 High- and low-level languages and their translators

• 1.4 Security
• 1.5 Ethics

Section 2: Practical Problem-solving and Programming

• 2.1 Algorithm design and problem-solving

• 2.1.1 Problem-solving and design
• 2.1.2 Pseudocode

• 2.2 Programming

• 2.2.1 Programming concepts
• 2.2.2 Data structures; arrays

• 2.3 Databases