Diploma in Computer Science and Visual Basic Programming via Online Distance Learning

Computer Systems

Computer Architecture; Machine Language; Program Execution; Arithmetic/Logic Instructions; Communicating with Other Devices; Other Architectures; Network Fundamentals; the Internet; the World Wide Web; Internet Protocols; Security; The History of a Computing Hardware; The History of a Computing Software;

Communication and Information

Managing Information; Thinking Machines; the Turing Test; Aspects of AI; Knowledge Representation; Semantic Networks; Search Trees; Expert Systems; Networking; Types of Networks; Internet Connections; Packet Switching; Open systems and protocols; TCP/IP; High- Level Protocols; MIME types; Firewalls; Information Retrieval; Organisation;

Microprocessor Systems

CPU Scheduling; Memory Process and CPU management; Batch Processing; Multiprocessor Operating Systems; Computers and Electricity; Gates 94; Gate 96; XOR gate 96; NAND and NOR gates 97; Transistors; Combinational Circuits; Adders; Multiplexers; Circuits as Memory; Integrated Circuits; CPU Chips; Individual Computer Components; Stored-program Concept; von Neumann Architecture; The Fetch-Execute Cycle; RAM and ROM; Secondary Storage Devices; Touch Screens; Embedded Systems; Parallel Computing; Parallel Hardware;

Operating Systems

The History of Operating Systems; Operating System Architecture; Coordinating the Machine’s Activities; Handling Competition among Processes; Security Roles of an Operating system; Memory Management; Process Management; Capabilities of the Hardware; Single User OS – Network OS; Real-time Operating Systems; Embedded Systems; Management of Input and Output; Processes and Scheduling; Threads; Synchronization; Semaphores; Monitors; Deadlock; Scheduling; Memory Management;

Mathematics for Computing

Numbers and Computing; Positional Notation; Binary; Octal and Hexadecimal; Arithmetic in other Bases; Power-of-2 Number Systems; Converting from Base 10 to other Bases; Binary Values and Computers;

Algorithms, Data Structures and Computability

The Definition of an Algorithm; The Role of Algorithms; The Science of Algorithms; The Concept of an Algorithm; Algorithm Representation; Unsolvable Problems; Analyzing Algorithms; Algorithms with Simple Variables; Composite Variables; Algorithm Discovery; Iterative Structures Recursive Structures; Efficiency and Correctness;

Databases

Spreadsheets; Spreadsheet Formulas; Circular References; Spreadsheets Analysis; Database Management Systems; the Relational Model; Relationships; Structured Query Language; Database Design; E-Commerce; The Ubiquitous Database; Database types; Advantages of Using a Database; Modelling the Data Domain; Building a relational Database from the Data Model; Normalisation; SQL; DDL; DML; Storied Procedures; Triggers; Data Integrity; Transaction Isolation Levels; Accessing the Database Programmatically;

Introduction to Computers and the Internet

Organization; Machine Languages; Assembly Languages and High-Level Languages; History of the Internet and World Wide Web; World Wide Web Consortium (W3C); Web; Personal; Distributed and Client/Server Computing; Hardware Trends; Object Technology; JavaScript: Object-Based Scripting for the Web; Browser Portability; C; C++ and Java; BASIC; Visual Basic; Visual C++; C# and ;NET; Software Technologies;

Web Browser Basics: Google Chrome

Introduction to the Google Chrome Web Browser; Connecting to the Internet; Features; Customizing Browser Settings; Searching the Internet; Keeping Track of Your Favorite Sites; File Transfer Protocol (FTP); Online Help; Other Web Browsers;

Understanding Web 2.0

What Is Web? Search; Content Networks; User-Generated Content; Blogging; Social Networking; Social Media; Tagging; Social Bookmarking; Software Development; Rich Internet Applications (RIAs); Web Services; Mashups; Widgets and Gadgets; Location-Based Services; XML; RSS; Atom; JSON and VoIP; Web Monetization Models; Web Business Models; Future of the Web; Where to Go for More Web; Information; Web Bibliography; Web Glossary;

Introduction to XHTML

Editing XHTML; First XHTML Example; W3C XHTML Validation Service; Headings; Linking; Images; Special Characters and Horizontal Rules; Lists; Tables; Forms; Internal Linking; meta Elements;

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)

Inline Styles; Embedded Style Sheets; Conflicting Styles; Linking External Style Sheets; Positioning; Elements; Backgrounds; Element Dimensions; Box Model and Text Flow; Media Types; Building a CSS Drop-Down Menu;User Style Sheets; CSS 3;

JavaScript: Introduction to Scripting

Simple Program: Displaying a Line of Text in a Web Page; Modifying Our First Program; Obtaining User Input with prompt Dialogs; Dynamic Web Page; Adding Integers; Memory Concepts; Arithmetic; Decision Making: Equality and Relational Operators;

JavaScript: Control Statements

Algorithms; Pseudocode; Control Structures; if Selection Statement; while Repetition Statement; Formulating Algorithms: Counter-Controlled Repetition; Formulating Algorithms: Sentinel-Controlled Repetition; Formulating Algorithms: Nested Control Statements; Assignment Operators; Increment and Decrement Operators; Essentials of Counter-Controlled Repetition; for Repetition Statement; Examples Using the for Statement switch Multiple-Selection Statement; break and continue Statements; Labeled break and continue Statements; Logical Operators; Summary of Structured Programming;

Human Computer Interaction

Modularity; Tools of the Trade; Quality assurance; Documentation; The Human- Machine Interface; Neural Networks – Biological/Artificial Neural Networks; Natural Language Processing; Voice Synthesis; Voice Recognition; Natural Language Comprehension; Robotics; The Sense-Plan-Act Paradigm; Physical Components;

Fundamentals of Programming and Program Design

Computer Operations; Machine Language; Assembly Language; Expressing Algorithms; Generations of Languages; Compilers and Interpreters; Virtual Machines; Procedural Programming; Object- Orientated Programming; Scripting Languages; Functional Languages; Language Design; Language Syntax and Semantics;

Creating Java Applications

Introduction to Java Applications; Using the javac command to compile Java applications; Using the java command to run Java applications; Displaying Text with printf; Variables and Introducing Arithmetic Operators; Equality and Relational Operators;

Using Classes and Objects

Classes; Objects; Methods and Instance Variables; Declaring Class and Methods; Instantiating an Object of a Class; Declaring a Method with a Parameter; Instance Variables; set Methods and get Methods; Primitive Types vs; Reference Types; Initializing Objects with Constructors; Floating-Point Numbers and Type double;

Control Statements and Methods

"if" Single-Selection Statement; "if" ;;; else Double-Selection Statement; while Repetition Statement; Counter-Controlled Repetition; Sentinel-Controlled Repetition; Nested Control Statements; Compound Assignment Operators; Increment and Decrement Operators; Primitive Types; Essentials of Counter-Controlled Repetition; break and continue Statements; Logical Operators; Static Methods; static Fields and Class Math; Notes on Declaring and Using Methods; Method-Call Stack and Activation Records;

Arrays

Declaring and Creating Arrays; Examples Using Arrays; Enhanced for Statement; Passing Arrays to Methods; Multidimensional Arrays;

Classes and Objects and Inheritance

Classes and Objects; Inheritance: Constructors and Subclasses;

Polymorphism and Exception Handling

Polymorphism Overview; Creating Interfaces and Drawing with Polymorphism; Exception Handling;

Database and JDBC

Databases: SQL, MySQL, JDBC and Java DB;

GUI Programming

Computer Graphics and Modelling; Computer Rendering and Animation;

Software Engineering

The Software Lifecycle; Methodologies, Ownership and Liability; Reading a Software License; Software Disasters;

Computer Security 

Ethics Theories; Intellectual Property; Privacy; Encryption; Viruses; Worms and Trojan Horses; Hackers; Can Computers kill?; Information Security; Preventing unauthorized Access; Malicious Code; Antivirus Software; Security attacks; Passwords; CAPTCHA; Fingerprint Analysis; Cryptography; Security and Portable Devices; WikiLeaks;

Visual Basic Programming

Overview of Microsoft Visual Basic.Net Programming; Overview of the Visual Studio tools for building VB.NET applications;

Introduction to Visual Basic

Basic Concepts of Programming; Visual Basic Timeline; An Overview of Visual Basic; Computer Programming; Generations of Computer Programming Languages; Procedural and Object Oriented Programming; IDE; Test Driving a Visual Basic Application; Object Technology & UML;

Visual Basic IDE

Visual Studio Express; Starting with Visual Studio; Menu Bar & Toolbar; Menu Bar Descriptions; Solution Explorer; Creating a Simple Program;

Introduction to Visual Basic Programming

Console Applications; Projects & Procedures; Creating a Visual Basic Express Program; Using the Text Editor; The Parameter Info Window; Debugging; Visual Basic Keywords; Contextual Keywords; Console; Writeline; Command Prompts; Using the Command Prompt to Run the Program; Mistyping Code; Variables; Procedure Level Variables; Module Level Variables; Global Variables; Declaring Variables; Implicit & Explicit Declaration; Integers; Memory; Arithmetic; Arithmetic Operator Precendence; Equality and Relational Operators; The Message Box; Using a Message Dialog to Display a Message

Introduction to Classes and Objects

What is a Class; Classes and Objects; Declaring a Class with a Method; Instantiating an Object of a Class; Fields and Properties; Methods and Events; Encapsulation; Inheritance; Polymorphism; Object Oriented Programming; Instantiation; UML Classes; Value Types and Reference Types; Constructors and Destructors; Validating Data with Set Accessors.

Control Statements

Defining Algorithms; Pseudocode; UML Activity Diagrams; UML Activities & Actions; Action Constraints; Control Flow; Start & Final Nodes; Object & Object Flows; Control Structures; If...Then Selection Structures; If...Then...Else Selection Structures; Nested Statements; Select...Case Selection Structure; Loop Structures; Do While Loop; Do Loop; Counter Controlled Repetition; Sentinel Controlled Repetition; Counter Controlled Repetition; For...Next Header; Type Inference; Method MessageBox; Messageboxicon Constants; Messageboxbutton Constants; Calculating Compound Interest - Visual Basic Example; Controlling Expressions; Case else; With Statment Block; Do...Loop while Statements; Do...Loop Until Statements; Exit Do; Exit For; Exit While; Continue Statement; Continue Do Statement; Continue For Statement; Continue While Statement; Truth Tables; The And Operator; The Or Operator; AndAlso; OrElse; Xor; Not Operator; Logical Operators; State Machine Diagrams;

Methods

Methods & Subroutines; Public & Private Methods; Methods That Return a Value; The Return Statement; Declaring and Using Methods; Calling a Method; Sub Statement; End Sub Statement; Const Statement; Dim Statement; Declaration Statement; Executable Statement; Shared Methods; Method Call Stack and Activation Methods; LIFO; Arguments; Pass by Value; Pass by Reference; Basic Scopes; Argument Conversions; Option Strict & Data Type Conversions; Value & Reference Types; Framework Class Library Namespaces; Overloading; Identifying Class Operations;

Arrays

Collections & Arrays; Declaring & Allocating Arrays; Creating an Array; Creating two 10-Element Integer Arrays; Using Arrays to Analyse Survey Results; Passing an Array to a Method; Using For Each.. Next with an Array; Sorting an Array with a Method; Methods for Performing Linear Search; Linear Search of an Array; Binary Search of an Array; Rectangular Arrays; Mested Loops and Arrays; Creating Variable Length Paramter Lists; Initializing a Jagged Array; ReDim Statements; Passing an Array Reference with ByVal & ByRef;

LINQ

Structured Query Language; Language Integrated Query; LINQ to Objects using an Integer Array; Writing a LINQ Query; 3 Stages of a Query Operation; Querying an Array Using LINQ; Using LINQ to Query an Array of Objects; LINQ Select Clause; Collections; Resizing a List Object Dynamically;

Classes and Objects

Class Scope; Demonstrating Object Initializers; Class Default; and Paramterless Constructors; Overloaded Constructors and Optional Arguments; Overloading Constructors; Partial Classes; Composition; Using the Me Reference; Garbage Collection; Shared Class Members; Const and ReadOnly Members; Object Browser; Creating Class Libraries; Extension Methods; Using Delegates to Pass Functions as Arguments; Delegates; Lambda Expressions; Using Anonymous Types.

Inheritance

Inheritance; Base Classes; Derived Classes; Class Hierarchy; Inheritance Hierarchy; Uniheritable Classes; Limitations with Inheritance; Object Class; Protected Class;  Access Modifiers; Access Levels; Declaration Context; Overriding; Subtyping; Relationship between Base Classes & Derived Classes; Constructors in Derived Classes; Software Engineering with Inheritance; Friend Members.

Polymorphism

Polymorphism; Static Polymorphism; Dynamic Polymorphism; Abstract Classes and Methods; Class Hierarchy Using Polymorphism; Polymorphic Variations; Notoverridable Methods and NotInheritable Classes; Interfaces; Creating and Using Interfaces; Common Interfaces of the .NET Framework Class Library; Inheritance Based Polymorphism; Abstract Classes;

Exception Handling

Exceptions; Exception Handling; Try...Catch; Unstructured & Structured Handling; Catch Clause; Catch...As; Catch...When; The Exception Object; Creating Exceptions for Structured Exception Handling; Unstructured Exception Handling; On Eror Statement; Resume Statement; Error Statement; Integer Division without Exception Handling; Dividing by Zero without Exception Handling; Enclosing Code in a Try Block; Catching Excpetions; Uncaught Exceptions; The Exception Assistant; Termination Model of Exception Handling; .NET Exception Hierarchy; Finally Block; The Using Statement; Exception Propoerties; Stack Unwinding;

Graphical User Interfaces with Windows Forms

Graphical User Interface; GUI Controls; Control Basic; Common Controls; Properties of Visual Basic.NET Controls; Events of Visual Basic.Net Controls; Buttons; Text Boxes; Labels; Prefixes; Windows Forms; Components and Controls for Windows Forms; Common Form Properties; Event Handling; Delegates and the Event Handling Mechanism; Locating Event Information; Anchoring; Control Layout Properties; Snaplines; GroupBoxes and Panels; Creating Panels with Scrollbars; Checkboxes and Radio Buttons; Using Checkboxes to Change Font Style; ToolTips; Mouse-Event Handling; Keyboard Event Handling; LinkLabel Control; ListBox Control; CheckedListBox Control; ComboBox Control; TreeView Control; TabControl; Multiple Document Interface Windows; Visual Inheritance; User Defined Controls.

Windows Presentation

Windows Presentation Foundation; Advantages of WPF; Introduction to XML; XML Basics; Structuring Data; XML Namespaces; Uniform Resource Identifier; Uniform Resource Name; Uniform Resource Locator; Default Namespaces; Declarative GUI Programming using XAML; Layout Containers; Creating a WPF Application in VB Express; Canvas Control Routed Events; Commands and common Application Tasks; WPF GUI Customization; Using Styles to Change the Appearance of Controls; Using Timers; Customizin Windows; Data Driven GUIs with Data Binding;