Level 3 Diploma in Information Technology and Digital Systems

This course offers you the opportunity to progress to higher education (including the Level 4 HTQ in Software Development at DCG or programmes at any university of your choice), a higher apprenticeship or employment. The course equips you to become work-ready by engaging with various employers as part of your work experience activities. You will also engage in research activities that prepare you for academic studies at Level 4 or above. Therefore, if you are passionate about a career in the digital technologies sector, then this course is designed for you. 

We expect you to have five GCSEs including English Language and Maths at grade 4 or above. However, if you have a grade 3 in either Maths or English, you may be accepted – ideally to retake that subject in a November resit, depending on your circumstances. A relevant Level 2 qualification could be an added advantage in addition to GCSE English Language and Maths.

You will study a total of eight units in two years. There are six mandatory units and two optional units. This means that you have to pass all the six mandatory units to achieve this Diploma over two years. 

You will learn about information technology systems and how these relate to business and society as technology continuously changes. You will also learn about the backend systems that store data for platforms that are used for business transactions or social media, ensuring that you design these systems to be scalable and resilient over time. Thus, you will learn how to design, model and implement these systems to avoid data redundancy. 

You will also be challenged to learn programming systems, and how to design and implement secure codes. Thus, cyber security is embedded in most modules you will be studying. You will then learn in-depth about cybersecurity including forensics, risk assessments, security plans, threats modelling and mitigation strategies. Lastly, you will learn about different project management techniques and the implications for digital technologies industries. 

Overall, this course provides you with the theoretical and practical grounding which you can use to pursue a variety of careers within digital technologies, creative industries or business management. 

We offer engaging and personalised teaching and learning that is tailored to your strengths. Teaching and learning activities are on-site and face-to-face, involving individual work, peer assessment, pair work, group work and whole-class discussions to consolidate your understanding. You will be involved in working on live employer briefs, enrichment activities and educational trips that contextualise and link what you are learning to industry or higher education. Working and completing team projects is common in most units so that you gain employability skills. 

All resources are provided for teaching and learning on site. We expect you to have a laptop or desktop to use when completing assessments from home. 

You will be assessed internally and externally as follows:

Internally assessed units: you will be assessed by the assignments that provide the final summative assessment of each unit. You will be expected to meet deadlines and stretch yourself to achieve the highest grade possible.

Externally assessed units: 

• examinations – all learners take the same assessment at the same time nationally. You will be prepared for these exams by a variety of formative mock exams that resemble the final exam.
• set tasks – these assessments are taken during a defined window and demonstrate understanding through completion of industry-related tasks.

Upon successful completion of your Diploma, you should ideally consider enrolling on our Level 4 HTQ Software Development Foundation Degree. This Level 4 course will give you the opportunity to continue your studies at the East Midlands Institute of Technology at the Roundhouse campus. 

You may also consider higher apprenticeships, going into employment directly or applying to attend any university of your choice.