IB DP Computer Science DP
SL & HL  ·  2027 first-exam curriculum

Theme A: Concepts of computer science

All knowledge base resources related to Theme A: Concepts of computer science.

Theme A: Concepts of computer science
A1.1.1 Describe the functions and interactions of the main CPU components.
A1.1.2 Describe the role of a GPU.
A1.1.3 Explain the differences between the CPU and the GPU. (HL only) HL
A1.1.4 Explain the purposes of different types of primary memory.
A1.1.5 Describe the fetch, decode and execute cycle.
A1.1.6 Describe the process of pipelining in multi-core architectures. (HL only). HL
A1.1.7 Describe internal and external types of secondary memory storage.
A1.1.8 Describe the concept of compression.
A1.1.9 Describe the different types of services in cloud computing.
A1.2.1 Describe the principal methods of representing data.
A1.2.2 Explain how binary is used to store data.
A1.2.3 Describe the purpose and use of logic gates.
A1.2.4 Construct and analyse truth tables.
A1.2.5 Construct logic diagrams.
A1.3.1 Describe the role of operating systems.
A1.3.2 Describe the functions of an operating system.
A1.3.3 Compare different approaches to scheduling.
A1.3.4 Evaluate the use of polling and interrupt handling.
A1.3.5 Explain the role of the operating system in managing multitasking and resource allocation. (HL only) . HL
A1.3.6 Describe the use of the control system components. (HL only). HL
A1.3.7 Explain the use of control systems in a range of real-world applications. (HL only). HL
A1.4.1 Evaluate the translation processes of interpreters and compilers. (HL only). HL
A2.1.1 Describe the purpose and characteristics of networks.
A2.1.2 Describe the purpose, benefits and limitations of modern digital infrastructures.
A2.1.3 Describe the function of network devices.
A2.1.4 Describe the network protocols used for transport and application.
A2.1.5 Describe the function of the TCP/IP model. (HL only) . HL
A2.2.1 Describe the functions and practical applications of network topologies.
A2.2.2 Describe the function of servers. (HL only). HL
A2.2.3 Compare and contrast networking models.
A2.2.4 Explain the concepts and applications of network segmentation.
A2.3.1 Describe different types of IP addressing. 
A2.3.2 Compare types of media for data transmission.
A2.3.3 Explain how packet switching is used to send data across a network.
A2.3.4 Explain how static routing and dynamic routing move data across local area networks. (HL only) HL
A2.4.1 Discuss the effectiveness of firewalls at protecting a network.
A2.4.2 Describe common network vulnerabilities. (HL only) HL
A2.4.3 Describe common network countermeasures. (HL only) HL
A2.4.4 Describe the process of encryption and digital certificates.
A3.1.1 Explain the features, benefits and limitations of a relational database.
A3.2.1 Describe database schemas.
A3.2.2 Construct ERDs.
A3.2.3 Outline the different data types used in relational databases.
A3.2.4 Construct tables for relational databases.
A3.2.5 Explain the difference between normal forms.
A3.2.6 Construct a database normalized to 3NF for a range of real-world scenarios.
A3.2.7 Evaluate the need for denormalizing databases.
A3.3.1 Outline the differences between data language types within SQL.
A3.3.2 Construct queries between two tables in SQL.
A3.3.3 Explain how SQL can be used to update data in a database.
A3.3.4 Construct calculations within a database using SQL’s aggregate functions. (HL only) HL
A3.3.5 Describe different database views. (HL only) HL
A3.3.6 Describe how transactions maintain data integrity in a database. (HL only) HL
A3.4.1 Outline the different types of databases as approaches to storing data. (HL only) HL
A3.4.2 Explain the primary objectives of data warehouses in data management and business intelligence. (HL only) HL
A3.4.3 Explain the role of online analytical processing (OLAP) and data mining for business intelligence. (HL only) HL
A3.4.4 Describe the features of distributed databases. (HL only) HL
A4.1.1 Describe the types of machine learning and their applications in the real world.
A4.1.2 Describe the hardware requirements for various scenarios where machine learning is deployed.
A4.2.1 Describe the significance of data cleaning. (HL only) HL
A4.2.2 Describe the role of feature selection. (HL only) HL
A4.2.3 Describe the importance of dimensionality reduction. (HL only) HL
A4.3.1 Explain how linear regression is used to predict continuous outcomes. (HL only) HL
A4.3.2 Explain how classifications techniques in supervised learning are used to predict discrete categorical outcomes. (HL only) HL
A4.3.3 Explain the role of hyperparameter tuning when evaluating supervised learning algorithms. (HL only) HL
A4.3.4 Describe how clustering techniques in unsupervised learning are used to group data based on similarities in features.  (HL only) HL
A4.3.5 Describe how learning techniques using the association rule are used to uncover relations between different attributes in large data sets. (HL only) HL
A4.3.6 Describe how an agent learns to make decisions by interacting with its environment in reinforcement learning. (HL only) HL
A4.3.7 Describe the application of genetic algorithms in various real-world situations. (HL only) HL
A4.3.8 Outline the structure and function of ANNs and how multi-layer networks are used to model complex patterns in data sets. (HL only) HL
A4.3.9 Describe how CNNs are designed to adaptively learn spatial hierarchies of features in images. (HL only) HL
A4.3.10 Explain the importance of model selection and comparison in machine learning. (HL only) HL
A4.4.1 Discuss the ethical implications of machine learning in real-world scenarios.
A4.4.2 Discuss ethical aspects of the increasing integration of computer technologies into daily life.