Course description and requirements
This proposed course develops practical knowledge of advanced networking through guided instruction, supervised technical exercises, troubleshooting and documented projects.
Course code: NET-201 | Duration: 12 weeks | Workload: approximately 8–10 hours/week | Total: approximately 96–120 hours
Prerequisites: NET-101 or equivalent
Delivery: Planned online lessons, virtual laboratories, graded assessments and instructor feedback.
Status: In development; not open for enrollment.
Learning outcomes
- Explain the technical principles covered in the course
- Configure and troubleshoot relevant systems in an authorized lab
- Apply safe operational practices and document results
- Evaluate a working implementation against defined requirements
- Communicate findings in a professional technical report
Detailed 12-week teaching plan
Week 1: Network architecture
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 2: Subnet design
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 3: VLANs
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 4: Layer 2 switching
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 5: Static routing
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 6: Dynamic routing concepts
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 7: DNS and DHCP
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 8: NAT
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 9: IPv6
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 10: Network diagnostics
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 11: Network documentation
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Week 12: Network design project
Lesson: Study the concepts, terminology, configuration steps, common failure modes and operational considerations for this topic.
Practical lab: Build or configure a relevant component in an isolated test environment; capture configuration details and verify the result.
Evidence: Submit a lab record containing the objective, steps, results, troubleshooting notes and a short reflection.
Five graded practical assignments
Assignment 1 — Week 2: Subnet design
Task: Complete a practical implementation or investigation related to subnet design. Document the requirements, approach, evidence of operation, test results and any problems encountered.
Submission: Technical report, configuration evidence and supporting files where applicable.
Marking: Technical accuracy 40%, verification 25%, documentation 25%, safe practice 10%.
Assignment 2 — Week 4: Layer 2 switching
Task: Complete a practical implementation or investigation related to layer 2 switching. Document the requirements, approach, evidence of operation, test results and any problems encountered.
Submission: Technical report, configuration evidence and supporting files where applicable.
Marking: Technical accuracy 40%, verification 25%, documentation 25%, safe practice 10%.
Assignment 3 — Week 5: Static routing
Task: Complete a practical implementation or investigation related to static routing. Document the requirements, approach, evidence of operation, test results and any problems encountered.
Submission: Technical report, configuration evidence and supporting files where applicable.
Marking: Technical accuracy 40%, verification 25%, documentation 25%, safe practice 10%.
Assignment 4 — Week 8: NAT
Task: Complete a practical implementation or investigation related to nat. Document the requirements, approach, evidence of operation, test results and any problems encountered.
Submission: Technical report, configuration evidence and supporting files where applicable.
Marking: Technical accuracy 40%, verification 25%, documentation 25%, safe practice 10%.
Assignment 5 — Week 10: Network diagnostics
Task: Complete a practical implementation or investigation related to network diagnostics. Document the requirements, approach, evidence of operation, test results and any problems encountered.
Submission: Technical report, configuration evidence and supporting files where applicable.
Marking: Technical accuracy 40%, verification 25%, documentation 25%, safe practice 10%.
Midterm examination — Week 6
Proposed format: 90 minutes; multiple-choice, short-answer and scenario questions based on Weeks 1–5.
Skills assessed: Technical terminology, configuration decisions, troubleshooting and safe practice.
Actual exam questions, answer keys and marking guidance will be prepared in the instructor-only Moodle question bank.
Final examination — Week 12
Proposed format: 120 minutes; cumulative knowledge questions, troubleshooting scenarios and technical interpretation covering the full course.
Exam delivery, identity verification, accessibility accommodations and academic integrity procedures must be finalized before student assessment begins.
Capstone project
Project brief: Design and test a multi-subnet virtual network with documented routing and troubleshooting.
Deliverables: Design plan, implementation evidence, testing checklist, results, troubleshooting record and final technical report.
Rubric: Design 20%, implementation 35%, testing 25%, documentation 20%.
Proposed grading
- Weekly quizzes — 10%
- Five practical assignments and labs — 25%
- Midterm examination — 20%
- Final examination — 20%
- Capstone project — 25%
Student preparation
A computer capable of running virtual machines or accessing an approved remote lab is recommended. Some courses may require additional RAM, storage, networking equipment or licensed software. Course-specific minimum requirements and accessible alternatives will be published before delivery.
All security testing must be limited to systems owned by the student or explicitly authorized for testing.
Academic status
This page describes a proposed curriculum. Instructors, tuition, assessment dates, enrollment and any required regulatory approvals are not yet established. No academic credit or professional certification is promised.