Computing Science · Higher
Higher Computing Science goes deeper into the machine and into program design. You look at how a processor actually executes instructions, how data is encoded with precision, how networks carry traffic, and how larger programs and databases are structured.
What it offers you
Computing Science builds the logical and technical thinking behind software, data and networks — a direct route into computing, cyber security, software engineering and data science study and careers.
What Higher actually asks of you
Question paper
Computer systems and software design & development in one paper. Structured questions ask you to explain, compare and justify, alongside code-tracing, algorithm design and SQL tasks.
Assignment — a larger solution designed, built, tested and evaluated in class, submitted with a report.
Exact timings and mark allocations are printed on the front cover of each paper below.
Topics that come up
Papers & marking schemes
SQA publishes the most recent five years of papers. Older papers and specimen papers live on their site — open Computing Science Higher on sqa.org.uk.