LFU:online

Upon successful completion of the course, students are able to solve algorithmic problems of intermediate difficulty in a systematic way and provide maintainable solutions. Students are able to programmatically solve problems given in other courses (outside the computer science major). Moreover, students are able to deepen and extend their programming skills with self-study.

Detailed learning outcomes:

1) Students understand procedural programming concepts.

2) Students are able to read and write short programs in Python, where short means tens of logical lines of code.

3) Additionally, students understand and are able to use selected software development techniques, while writing programs.

This basic level course offers a gentle introduction to programming in Python. It is dedicated to non-computer science students without any prior experience in programming.

Students will learn and practice basic control flows (branches and loops) and data structures (numbers and collections). Students will be guided from novice to intermediate level in programming by learning concepts [1] and doing practical examples/exercises of progressive difficulty [2].

In parallel, students will learn basic techniques of systematic software development, such as version management, code-based documentation, debugging, testing and refactoring. Those techniques will be successively introduced and practiced while learning programming in Python, but their fundamentals are independent of any programming language [3].

The course consists of lecture and hands-on exercises. After a topic has been presented by the lecturer, students work alone or in pairs to apply their new skills to practice examples under the supervision of the lecturer.

Course assessment is based on regular written and/or oral contribution by participants. The final grade is based on two practical (online) examinations (80%) and ten quizzes (20%).

Charles R. Severance: Python for Everybody, Exploring Data Using Python 3

Students from programmes without coverage (or with minimal coverage only) of topics related to mathematics, logic, and statistics are recommended to take 198.812 "Computer Programming Prerequisites" (VU1) as a supportive course blocked at the beginning of the semester (5 weeks).

Courses from the "Introduction to Programming"  module are exclusive alternatives, which means one may either register to 198801 (Python) or to 198803 (R). 

This course is for all bachelor students and master students excluding Computer Science students and master students in Information Systems. For the latest, there are dedicated programming courses (course numbers starting with prefix 703 and 437, respectively).

The acceptance procedure is based on prioritised randomisation. Students advanced in completion of the Digital Science minor get precedence.