CS 1301 - Introduction to Computing

CS 1301, formally known as Introduction to Computing, is an introductory 3 credit hour CS class aimed at people with zero or near-zero programming experience, and provides a gentle introduction to Python programming, with the context of using Python in non-computing contexts. CS 1301 is taken by nearly all majors.

Workload

Topics List

As of Spring 2021, the topics covered in the class were:

1. Introduction to Programming
   1. What is Programming?
   2. How Programs are Run
   3. Types of Errors
   4. Methods of Debugging
   5. Styles of Programming
2. Variables and Data Types
   1. Variables
   2. Expressions
   3. Statements
   4. Primitive Data Types
3. Operators
   1. Relational Operators
   2. Mathematical Operators
   3. Logical Operators
4. Conditionals, Loops, and Control Flow
   1. What are Control Structures?
   2. If/Else Statements
   3. For/While Loops
5. Error Handling
   1. Exceptions
   2. Writing Exceptions
6. Functions
   1. What are Functions?
   2. Writing Functions
   3. Built-In Functions
7. Strings, Lists, and Dictionaries
   1. Strings
   2. Lists
   3. Dictionaries
   4. Compound Structures
8. File I/O
   1. File Reading
   2. File Writing
9. Objects
   1. Built-In Objects
   2. Creating Data Types
   3. Objects and Classes
   4. Using Objects
10. Sorting
    1. Linear Search
    2. Binary Search
    3. Bubble Sort
    4. Insertion Sort
    5. Merge Sort
    6. A Brief Introduction to Big-O Notation

Prerequisite Knowledge

Since this class is built for beginners, no prerequisite knowledge, other than basic algebra, is required!

Future Outlook

For CS, CompE, EE, and Math majors with the Discrete Math concentration, CS 1301 is probably the most important class to complete, as it essentially unlocks the rest of the degree. Therefore, it is extremely critical that this class is completed as early as possible. Classes that directly require CS 1301 are: CS 1331 (Introduction to OOP), CS 4400 (Introduction to Databases), and ECE 2020 (Digital System Design).

Registration Info

CS 1301 is not a linked course, but does have an optional recitation section (under the label CS 1301R).

When registering for this course, you must register for a lecture section (the ones marked by a single letter: A, B, C) under CS 1301. If you decide to take a recitation section as well, you must register for a section under CS 1301R that corresponds to the same lecture section letter that you picked. For example, if you registered for Section B lecture, you must register for a recitation section that starts with B (e.g. B01, B04, etc.).

Prerequisites

None

AP/IB Credit

To get AP or IB credit for this class, you must earn at least one of the following:

• A 4 or higher on the AP Computer Science A exam
• A 5 or higher on the IB Computer Science HL exam