Syllabus

Class is taught Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30pm to 7:45pm, Spring semester 2018.

This class is pass/no pass.

The classroom location is currently Miner Hall Room 225, but we’re trying to negotiate a room in Halligan. Keep checking this page for updates.

Grading

Assignments

#DueAssignment
0 Jan 26, 11:59pm Introduce yourself on Piazza
1 Feb 7, 11:59pm Post a PDF of your resume on Piazza for critique before the career fair
2a Feb 21, 6:29pm Bring a paper copy of your project proposal to class for critique
2b Feb 21, 11:59pm Post a revised version of your proposal on Piazza (PDF)
3a Feb 28, 11:59pm Post your first draft specification on Piazza (PDF)
3b Mar 5, 11:59pm Post your final specification on Piazza (PDF)
4 Apr 2, 6:29pm Read this ethics paper (PDF) to prepare for class discussion

Calendar

Please note that this is subject to change. It will also be continually edited to add materials from past lectures.

WeekDateTopic
1 Jan 22 Overview of the class and expectations
slides
1 Jan 24 Overview of "tech" and the computing landscape
Homework 0 out
slides
Jan 26 Homework 0 due at 11:59pm
2 Jan 29 Hot topics in computer science (part 1):
  • Compilers and Programming Languages
  • Web Programming
slides
2 Jan 31 Hot topics in computer science (part 2):
  • Machine Learning
  • Guest speaker Tom Hebb talking about OS & Embedded Systems!
slides
3 Feb 5 Hot topics in computer science (part 3):
Guest speakers Ming Y. Chow and Winnona DeSombre talking about security — get hyped!
slides
3 Feb 7 Overview of the application process, resumes
How to get your resume and conversation game up to speed before the career fair
Cool event at 12PM: Saqi Mehta on how to get an internship/job
Homework 1 out today, due at 11:59pm
slides
Feb 9 Career fair!! Go!!
IDHack!! Go!!
4 Feb 12 Introduce the "personal project" you will be working on for class, version control systems
Other hot topics if we need to
Homework 2a out
Homework 2b out
slides
4 Feb 14 Overview of the application process, pre-interview
How to network like a baller
slides on Piazza because they contain PII
Feb 18-24 E-week is great for networking.
Feb 19 Presidents' Day! No class. Have a nice time.
5 Feb 21 Homework 2a due at 6:29pm — bring a paper copy to class!
Peer proposal critique
Guest speakers Saqi Mehta and Jonathan Sanford talking about how companies evaluate candidates from a recruiter perspective!
Homework 2b due at 11:59pm — post it on Piazza!
5 Feb 22 Overview of the interview
Monday Schedule on Thursday
slides
6 Feb 26 The technical interview
slides
6 Feb 28 The technical interview (cont'd) and post-interview
Homework 3a due at 11:50pm — post it on Piazza (PDF)!
slides (same as above)
7 Mar 5 Article discussion, lifecycle of a project, & how Git works
Bring a laptop!
Homework 3b due at 11:59pm — post it on Piazza (PDF)!
slides (workflow)
slides (git)
7 Mar 7 Project work day! Bring your laptops and ideas.
8 Mar 12 Ethics in computing & case study
Digital Security 101 talk in Tisch 316 at 6:30pm! Be there on time! See the invite.
8 Mar 14 There will be a panel of well-loved alumni in industry talking about what being a working programmer is like!
Please bring questions prepared so you can get the most out of their experience!
Mar 17-25 SPRING BREAK! Take some time off from your computer.
9 Mar 26 CLI basics and project work day
9 Mar 28 Open source software
slides
10 Apr 2 Ethics in computing
Homework 4 due
handout
10 Apr 4 UI/UX guest speaker Bruno Olmedo!
11 Apr 9 Presentation workshop — Bring your computer!
slides
11 Apr 11 Workplace interactions
11 Apr 13 Field trips to Microsoft and TripAdvisor! Check Piazza for details.
12 Apr 16 Patriots' Day! No class. Have a nice time.
12 Apr 18 Final project presentations, Q&A
13 Apr 23 Final project presentations, Q&A
13 Apr 25 Guest speaker Yotam Bentov talking about entrepreneurship and freelancing!
14 Apr 30 Wrap-up and your next steps

Contact information

If you want to ask questions, consider posting in the course Piazza page. That way, your classmates can benefit from the answer.

You are also welcome to make an instructor-only post on Piazza.