Course overview

Welcome to Computer Science I! This is an intermediate course in computer science, with an emphasis on advanced problem solving strategies in Java. We will cover test-driven development using the JUint framework, and become familiar with basic vesion control. We will explore how Java affords code reuse through polymorphism and inheritance. We will develop a framework to measure the efficiency of an algorithm/subroutine. The main focus of the course will be on exploring ways for structuring data to afford efficient computation.

Note: this course contributes to the data analytics minor.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will be expected to be able to do the following:
  • Design comprehensive unit tests
  • Use big-O notation to classify the efficiency of an algorithm/subroutine, and justify this classification
  • Use structural and generative recursion to solve problems of a self-referential nature
  • Implement, compare, and contrast classic searching and sorting algorithms
  • Understand how to design, implement, and utilize the following data structures:
    • Stacks
    • Queues
    • Linked lists
    • Deques
    • Dictionaries
    • Binary search trees
    • Sets
    • Graphs
    • Heaps
  • Implement traversal algorithms on lists, trees, and graphs
  • Explain the concept of inheritance and polymorphism
This list is neither exhaustive nor set in stone.

Instructor

Name: Arjun Chandrasekhar (he/him/his)
Lecture: Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
Email: chandrasa@southwestern.edu
Student Hours: All student hours will take place in FJS 310 (the Math/CS common room).
  • Mondays from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
  • Tuesdays from 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
  • Wednesdays from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
  • Thursdays from 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
  • I help organize Computer Science Lunch every other Friday from 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm in Mabee Commons. If you come to CS lunch I am happy to help you out.
  • If these times do not work for you AND you cannot make tutoring hours, then email me to set up student hours by appointment.

Tutors

CS 2 Tutoring for Spring 2025 will take place at the Tutoring center in the Smith library starting TBD. The tutors for Spring/2025 will be Camille James and Arden Neff. You can register for tutoring here, or you can drop in for without registering. Tutors will be available at the following times:
  • Camille: Mondays from 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Tuesdays from 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
  • Arden: Tuesdays from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, Wednesdays from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

Course Links

Here is a tentative calendar for the course.