Electronics A Level

Electronics is fundamental to modern life and forms the basis of most modern technology. This course provides a thorough grounding in the subject, which can help you to make sense of complex and diverse electronic systems such as computers and mobile phones. The course contains both practical and theoretical elements that will help you to develop your analytical skills, which can be useful for many degree subjects, including Computer Science, Physics and Electronic Engineering.

In the first year you will study both digital and analogue systems, as well as basic Electronics from the ground up. Digital systems include fundamental logic gates and D-flip-flops. Analogue systems involve various applications of the operational amplifier, timing and transistor circuits. The first-year coursework consists of a microcontroller programming project using Assembly Language.

In the second year you will study Communication Systems and Systems Applications, including radio, audio and instrumentation, as well as more advanced digital logic, including shift registers and finite-state machines. The second-year project is to design and build a complex electronic system.

Good mathematical skills are essential to the course as it requires algebraic manipulation, logarithms and use of different base number systems.

The A Level is assessed through two written exams at the end of the second year and two pieces of coursework.

The course can lead on to a variety of sciencerelated degrees, including Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering and Robotics/AI.