Sciences
ZIMSEC A-Level Computer Science
Syllabus topics
68 topics and subtopics in the 2015-2022 syllabus, examined from 1 Jan 2018.
- 1
Data Representation
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.1). Paper 1 weighting 15%.
- 2
Networking
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.2) and Form 6 (8.10). Paper 1 weighting 20%; Paper 2 section (Networking) 30%.
- 3
Computer Architecture
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.3, hardware architecture) and Form 6 (8.13, software architecture). Paper 1 weighting 20%; Paper 2 section (Computer Architecture)…
- 4
Security and Ethics
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.4) and Form 6 (8.15). Paper 1 weighting 10%.
- 4.1 Data privacy and integrity
- 4.2 Common threats and software vulnerabilities
- 4.3 Protection, access control and authentication of data
- 4.4 Keeping data safe in storage and transmission
- 4.5 Legislation on computer security and crimes; laws and computer crime
- 4.6 Risk management, disaster recovery and security policies
- 4.7 Code of ethics and business ethics
- 4.8 Impact of social media; environmental laws and issues
- 5
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.5, software development, waterfall model) and Form 6 (8.14, object-oriented methodology and prototyping). No share of Paper 1 is…
- 6
Algorithm Design and Data Structures
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.6) and Form 6 (8.11). Paper 1 weighting 15%; part of the Paper 2 section Programming, Algorithm design and Databases (40%).
- 6.1 Pseudocode structures: selection and repetition
- 6.2 Analysing algorithms with trace tables
- 6.3 Standard algorithms: sorting (bubble sort, quick sort) and linear search
- 6.4 Standard algorithms: binary search
- 6.5 Data structures: dynamic and static
- 6.6 Binary trees and array operations
- 6.7 Primitive data types
- 6.8 Recursion
- 7
Programming
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.7) and Form 6 (8.12). Part of the Paper 2 section Programming, Algorithm design and Databases (40%); Paper 1 questions on…
- 7.1 Types of high-level languages
- 7.2 Programming language features
- 7.3 Structured programming: iteration, multiple selection and nested loops
- 7.4 Functions and procedures
- 7.5 Arrays
- 7.6 File handling
- 7.7 Interface design: user profiling, input and output design
- 7.8 Object-oriented programming
- 7.9 Advanced programming: mobile applications and gaming
- 8
Databases
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.8). Paper 1 weighting 10%; part of the Paper 2 section Programming, Algorithm design and Databases (40%).
- 9
Enterprising
Form 5 (competency matrix 8.9); the scope-and-sequence chart lists e-commerce, telecommunications and business and enterprise for Form 6 with no matching…
- P
Practical skills and project
Not a topic of the syllabus: our grouping of the practical assessment (Paper 2), coursework (Paper 3) and project (Paper 4) of section 9.
About this syllabus
The ZIMSEC A-Level Computer Science syllabus (Forms 5-6) has nine topics. Form 5 covers data representation (number bases, floating point, arithmetic errors, character sets), networking (OSI and TCP/IP models, IP addressing, DNS, routing protocols), hardware architecture (electronics, Von Neumann and Harvard architectures, buses, logic gates, the fetch-decode-execute cycle, addressing modes), security and ethics, the waterfall SDLC, algorithms and data structures (pseudocode, trace tables, sorting and searching), structured programming with arrays and files, databases (relational modelling, normalisation to second normal form, SQL) and enterprising. Form 6 adds cloud computing, software architecture, prototyping and object-oriented methodology, binary trees, recursion, object-oriented programming, mobile applications and games, security policies, laws and computer crime and environmental issues.
How you are assessed
Continuous assessment carries 30%: coursework of five practical assignments and two theory tests (10%) and a project report (20%). The examination carries 70%: Paper 1 theory with 10 to 12 compulsory questions (3 hours, 100 marks, 30%) and Paper 2 practical with one question from each of three sections (3 hours, 100 marks, 40%).
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