The academic contact time will be composed of a mixture of distance learning materials and exercises, face to face delivery, formative reviews and ad-hoc support. The following gives an idea of how the learning may take place and the minimum requirements. A plan of how best to utilise the 30 hours of academic time will be drawn up by the lecturing team and agreed with the module leader.

The face to face delivery will amount to at least 12 hours and will be used to introduce underpinning academic concepts.
There will be at least four 30 minute formative reviews which will be used to check on how students are coping with the formative work and to provide feedback and further guidance. Where necessary, reviews will be conducted virtually using appropriate tools. Employer Feedback Forms will be completed by the work-based mentor and Self-assessment forms will be completed by the student. These will inform the reviews.
Academic support for individual student learning or study groups will be provided on an ad-hoc basis via the VLE, telephone and other agreed mechanisms.

Independent Academic Research
Students will be expected to undertake independent academic study during the course of the module. This will be guided by a series of formative tasks and exercises, working through case studies etc. and will require access to appropriate resources.

Work-based Component
Students will be expectedto contextualise their learning within their work environment. This will include investigation of how aspects of the academic learning apply to the workplace and development of new skills. Students will usually have access to a workplace based mentor.

Written Test 2 hours (50%) Learning outcomes (1 and 2). Final assessment.

Case Study (50%) 3000 words - Learning outcomes (2,3,4) - This case study will examine networking requirements and design of a solution.

This module will look at aspects of the technology which underlies an enterprise grade network.

The course will look at:

- OSI/TCP network model
- Ethernet Technology
- IP addressing
- TCP/UDP based communications
- Network design and documentation
- Switching and LAN technology
- Introduction to WANs and routing technology and configuration
- Routing in WANs
- 802.11 technology
- Network Management and Troubleshooting
- IP Addressing Services
- Global Communications and its consideration within remote/group working and security regarding these

Network Fundamentals, Dye et al, 2011 Cisco Press, ISBN-10: 1587133482

Routing Protocols and Concepts: CCNA Exploration Companion Guide, Graziana, 2011, Cisco Press, ISBN-10: 1587132729

LAN Switching and Wireless: CCNA Exploration Companion Guide, Lewis, Cisco Press 2012, ISBN-10: 1587132737

Accessing the WAN, Vachon, 2011, Cisco Press, ISBN-10: 1587133490

CCNA: Cisco Certified Network Associate Study Guide, Lammle, 2011, Wiley & Sons, ISBN-10: 0470901071

Specialist networking laboratories with Cisco equipment.

For those students who wish to, access to the Cisco Academy portal where further material and learning resources are available. The Academy access part of the course is entirely optional but is highly recommended for working in the networking industry.

None.