Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science 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

Computer Threats; Preventing Computer Threats;

Introduction to Cloud Computing

Defining a Cloud; History of Cloud Computing; The Value of Cloud Computing; Cloud Glossary of Terms; The Value of Cloud Computing;

Cloud Computing Architecture

Architectural Layers; Design Patterns;

Virtualization

Introduction to Virtualisation; Virtualisation Uses; Cloud Computing and Virtualisation;

Best Practices and Standards

Practices and Standards; Cloud Checklist; Cloud Contracts; Data Processing and Storage; Example Contract Clauses; Vendor Relationships; Standards Groups; The Distributed Management Task Force;

Cloud Computing Life Cycle

Computer Life Cycles; Cloud Life Cycle differences; Implementing a Cloud Computing Life Cycle; Life Cycle Issues; Lifecycles and Security; Cloud Service Lifecycle; Cloud Lifecycle Management; Adoption Lifecycle; Data Security Lifecycle; Systems Development Lifecycle; Virtualization Lifecycle; Application Lifecycle;

Developing a Cloud Strategy

Strategic Analysis; Questioning Your Strategy; Maturity Models; Cloud Maturity Model; 6 Levels of Maturity; External Analysis; PEST; Porter's Five Forces; Porter's Diamond; Internal Analysis; Growth Share Matrix; Strategic Re-Alignment; SWOT Analysis;

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;