Description
This qualification is only available until 31 December 2017.
To claim this qualification, you must complete the required 240 credits by this date.
If you have any questions about your eligibility for this qualification, please contact the Centre for Qualifications and Ceremonies on +44 (0)1908 653003 or by email.
In the twenty-first century technology dominates the way we live, work, socialise and play – and computing and IT skills are increasingly essential in today's workplace. This diploma course gives you an excellent foundation for a wide variety of information technology-related careers. Finance, government, business, commerce, public services such as health and education, and the voluntary or ‘Third Sector’ are all critically dependent on computing and IT systems. Whether you want to be a confident user and manager of information technologies, to grasp the opportunities that such technologies offer, or to develop software solutions, the Diploma of Higher Education in Computing and IT has a pathway to suit you.
If you are aiming to enhance your employability, these pathways provide you with accreditation of your past experience and equip you for a more fulfilled and productive life in the workplace. They are equally applicable if your goal is one of personal interest.
Study this diploma if you:
- want to make sense of the wireless, digital world in which we now live
- work as a manager of computing and IT systems and those who develop them
- want to build applications for flexible websites
- have bought a computer, and you want to know how to write simple programs
- want to understand how a smartphone works, and how to use it more effectively.
Planning your studies
Whether or not you're new to study with the OU, we recommend that you start with a module at Level 1 and that you complete your Level 1 study before going on to Level 2.
Guidance on choosing your Level 2 study
We recommend that you work progressively through the levels to build up your knowledge and skills. You should complete your Level 1 studies before commencing study at Level 2. Some Level 2 modules build on knowledge gained from previous modules. You need to check individual module descriptions to ensure that you are adequately prepared for study.
At Level 2, you must complete at least one – or you can combine two – of the 60-credit specialist options listed below. These build on your Level 1 studies to provide a solid grounding in a particular area of computing and IT.
ICT
This specialist option introduces you to the basic principles of communication and information systems and technologies, including the way digital data is stored, manipulated and transmitted. It will help you also to understand key concepts, issues and technologies associated with online communication and collaboration.
Software development
This specialist option teaches you how to specify and design small computer programs using UML and the Java programming language.
Solutions development
This specialist option teaches you how to specify and design small computer programs using Visual Basic programming language, and to develop flexible websites for everyday applications.
Vendor certification
This specialist option teaches the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Exploration curriculum, which provides the knowledge, understanding, and skills needed to configure a LAN/WAN using Cisco equipment. When you’ve completed the option you should be well prepared for the industry-standard CCNA certification examination.
We advise you to study another complete 60-credit option in addition to this one. By doing this you will be better prepared for Level 3 study and will have a wider choice of modules at Level 3 should you wish to progress to an honours degree.
Work-based learning
You must be working in an IT-rich environment, in either a paid or unpaid capacity, to complete this 60-credit option. We also recommend that you study Career development and employability (T122) as well as My digital life (TU100) (now discontinued) at Level 1.
At Level 2 you must study two 30-credit modules, Change, strategy and projects at work (T227) and either Accreditation of Certificated Practitioners 2 (TM227) (now discontinued) or Project management in virtual teams (M258).
We advise you to study another complete 60-credit option in addition to this one. By doing this you will be better prepared for Level 3 study and will have a wider choice of modules at Level 3 should you wish to progress to an honours degree.
General rules
Computing and IT modules can only count towards this diploma for a maximum of five years after we have stopped presenting them, so this may limit the time you have available to complete your diploma.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 80 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you. Before being awarded any intermediate qualifications, we advise you to check that you’ll have sufficient new credits to qualify for your diploma of higher education.
Career relevance and employability
This diploma course is an ideal starting point for a career in information technology, computing, communication technology and related fields. It’s particularly relevant if you work, or would like to work with computing and IT systems – in hardware-based, software-based or systems-based contexts – and are looking for a qualification that shows you have a sound grasp of the principles of these technologies; that you can apply these principles; and that you’re aware of the surrounding issues. Specialist options provide you with the opportunity to develop your expertise in particular areas such as software engineering communications, networks or web technologies.
Building and deploying information technology systems are not solitary activities: they require teamwork and people management skills. In today’s job market employers look for evidence of transferable skills, by studying this diploma you will be able to show that you have gained skills in:
- communication
- numeracy
- team working
- time management and organisation
- learning independently
- analysing and solving problems.
As well as gaining an understanding of the technical skills required in the sector.
Careers and Employability Services have more information on how OU study can improve your employability.
Modules
For this 240-credit diploma you require:
60 credits from the following modules:
Subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules M150, T175, TU100
And at least 30 credits from the following optional modules:
Level 1 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Career development and employability (T122)
|
30 |
|
- Discovering mathematics (MU123)
|
30 |
|
- Technologies in practice (TM129)
|
30 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules B120, MST121, MT127, T121, TM128
And 60 credits from one of the following Level 2 specialist options:
ICT specialist option |
Credits |
Next start |
- Communication and information technologies (T215)
|
60 |
|
Software development specialist option |
Credits |
Next start |
- Object-oriented Java programming (M250)*
|
30 |
|
- Software development with Java (M256)
|
30 |
|
Solutions development specialist option |
Credits |
Next start |
- Object-oriented Java programming (M250)
|
30 |
|
- Web technologies (TT284)
|
30 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued module MT264
Vendor certification specialist option** |
Credits |
Next start |
- Cisco networking - CCNA (T216)
|
60 |
|
Work-based learning specialist option** |
Credits |
Next start |
- Change, strategy and projects at work (T227)
|
30 |
|
- IT project and service management (M258)
|
30 |
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules T226, TM227 (Work-based learning)
* If you have already studied the discontinued module M255 (30 credits) and M257 (20 credits) you may count these in place of M250 (30 credits) and include the additional 20 credits of study as part of the free-choice element of this diploma. If you have already completed M255, M257 and M253, you may these in place of M250 (30 credits) and 30 credits against the Level 2 optional modules below.
** we recommend that you take a second Level 2 60-credit specialist option in addition to this one to better prepare you for Level 3 study and widen your choice of modules at Level 3 should you wish to progress to an honours degree.
And 60 credits from any of the Level 2 modules listed above or any of the following optional modules:
Level 2 optional modules |
Credits |
Next start |
- Algorithms, data structures and computability (M269)
|
30 |
|
- The discontinued 20-credit module M257*
-
|
- The discontinued 10-credit module M253
-
|
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued Level 2 modules M255*, M263, T209, T224
* You cannot study M255 (now discontinued) and M257 if you are either planning to count them instead of M250 as part of the Software Development option or planning to include M250 as part of the Software Development option.
And 30 credits of free choice from any OU modules including those listed in this diploma.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution we may be able to give you credit for this study that you can count towards an Open University qualification. You can find out more on our Credit Transfer site. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of courses so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
On completion
On successful completion of the required number and type of modules you will be awarded a Diploma of Higher Education in Computing and Information Technology and entitled to use the letters DipHE (Open) after your name.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
How to register
If you want to study for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of
our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the
module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
During the registration procedure you will be asked to declare which qualification you are studying towards.
See a full list of modules available for this qualification