Welcome to CSE 121: Introduction to Computer Programming 🎉

What is this class? What will I learn?

Computing continues to play an ever-increasing role in today’s society. Having an understanding of computing is an essential skill for those in the 21st century; from working in industries more reliant on technology, using computational methods to further scientific understanding, or being an informed citizen in a world with technology all around us.

This course is a first course in computer programming focused on the basics of procedural programming in Java. It assumes students have not taken a previous programming course and do not have substantial other programming experience. (Students with previous experience are encouraged to consider CSE 122.)

Prior Experience and Expectations

Prerequisite Material

To better assess if CSE 121 is the right class for you, the Allen School has developed a Self-Guided Placement to help students assess which intro course is the right one for them to enroll in. Please see this website for more information on who to contact if you have questions about which introductory CSE course is the right course for you.

Programming Language

CSE 121 is taught in the Java programming language. No prior experience in Java is required!

Syllabus

If you want to learn more about the course and its policies, please check out our course syllabus.

Feedback

Feedback is always welcome! You can contact the the course staff or submit anonymous feedback.

Registration

Please do not email the course staff or instructors regarding registration for the course. The course staff do not have access to add codes. Please email ugrad-adviser@cs.washington.edu for assistance.

Announcements

This Week (at a glance)

Monday (06/17)

  • Nothing!

Tuesday (06/18)

  • Section 1: Printing, Code Quality, Debugging
  • C0 - Hello Bugs?! due @ 11:59pm PT.

Wednesday (06/19)

  • Pre-Class Material 2 (Complete before class.)
  • Lesson 2: Variables, Datatypes, Expressions
    A lecture @ 12:00 in PCAR 290
  • P0 - Cornbear Cafe released. Due Tuesday (07/02) @ 11:59pm PT.

Thursday (06/20)

Friday (06/21)

  • Pre-Class Material 3 (Complete before class.)
  • Lesson 3: Strings, for Loops
    A lecture @ 12:00 in PCAR 290

Calendar

Info

This is a rough sketch of the quarter and things are subject to change. We can accurately predict the past, but predicting the future is hard!

Lessons

Anything listed in the “Lesson” materials for a day should be read before attending class that day. The Lessons are a first introduction to the most important terms and concepts for that day of class. It is okay if the Lesson doesn’t make complete sense as we have the rest of the class day to clarify the concepts, but if you don’t do the Lesson the class session won’t make any sense.

Topic Programming / Creative Projects Resubmissions
Week 1
Tue 06/18 [No section today]
Wed 06/19
LES 00 [Optional] Welcome to the course!

Note: In-person lecture cancelled due to Juneteenth holiday. The welcome video will be posted instead!

resources:
Videos
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Thu 06/20
SEC 00 Introductions, Course Policies!
resources: materials
Fri 06/21
LES 01 Printing, Hello World!
pre-class: materials
in-class: pdf pptx materials
resources:
Released
C0
Hello Bugs?!
 I.S. by 11:59pm PT
Week 2
Tue 06/25
SEC 01 Printing, Code Quality, Debugging
resources: materials
Wed 06/26
LES 02 Variables, Datatypes, Expressions
pre-class: materials
in-class: pdf pptx materials
resources:
Released
P0
Cornbear Cafe
 I.S. by 11:59pm PT
Thu 06/27
SEC 02 Variables, Datatypes, Expressions
resources: materials
Released
R0
Resub 0
 C0 Due 11:59pm PT
Fri 06/28
LES 03 Strings, for Loops
pre-class: materials
in-class: pdf pptx materials
resources:
Week 3
Tue 07/02
SEC 03 Strings, for Loops, Turtle
resources: materials
Wed 07/03
LES 04 More for Loops, Nested for Loops
pre-class: materials
in-class: pdf pptx materials
resources: videos
Thu 07/04
SEC 04 No Section today!

Note: In-person sections cancelled due to July 4th holiday. Section videos will be posted instead!

resources: materials
Released
R1
Resub 1
 C0, P0, C1 Due 11:59pm PT
Fri 07/05
LES 05 [Recorded] Java Libraries: Turtle, Random, Math

Note: Lecture will be recorded and asynchronous (not in-person) today. Enjoy your weekend :)

pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Released
C1
Turtle Drawings
 I.S. by 11:59pm PT
Week 4
Tue 07/09
SEC 05 Nested for Loops, Quiz Review
resources: materials
Wed 07/10
LES 06 Methods, Parameters, Returns
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Thu 07/11
QUIZ 00 Quiz 0: Expressions, Strings, (Nested) For loops
Released
R2
Resub 2
 C0, P0, C1, P1 Due 11:59pm PT
Fri 07/12
LES 07 More Methods, Parameters, Returns
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Released
P1
Election Simulator
 I.S. by 11:59pm PT
Week 5
Tue 07/16
SEC 07 Methods, Parameters, Returns
resources: materials
Wed 07/17
LES 08 Conditionals
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Thu 07/18
SEC 08 Conditionals
resources: materials
Released
R3
Resub 3
 P0, C1, P1, C2 Due 11:59pm PT
Fri 07/19
LES 09 while Loops

Note: Today's lecture was shorter because of our mid-quarter feedback session!

pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Week 6
Tue 07/23
SEC 09 while Loops, Quiz Review
resources: materials
Wed 07/24
LES 10 User Input (Scanner)
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Released
P2
Prioritizing Patients
 I.S. by 11:59pm PT
Thu 07/25
QUIZ 01 Quiz 1: Methods, Parameters, Returns, Conditionals, Math and Random
Released
R4
Resub 4
 C1, P1, C2 Due 11:59pm PT
Fri 07/26
LES 11 Putting It All Together

Note: No Pre-Class Material for Today!

in-class: materials
resources: videos
Week 7
Tue 07/30
SEC 11 TA's Choice!
resources: materials
Wed 07/31
LES 12 Arrays
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Released
C2
Dance Dance Arrayvolution
 I.S. by 11:59pm PT
Thu 08/01
SEC 12 Arrays
resources: materials
Released
R5
Resub 5
 P1, C2, P2 Due 11:59pm PT
Fri 08/02
LES 13 More Arrays, Reference Semantics
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Week 8
Tue 08/06
SEC 13 More Arrays, User Input, Quiz Review
resources: materials
Wed 08/07
LES 14 2D Arrays
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Released
P3
2DNArray Sequencing
 I.S. by 11:59pm PT
Thu 08/08
QUIZ 02 Quiz 2: User Input (Scanner), While Loops, Arrays
Released
R6
Resub 6
 C2, P2, C3 Due 11:59pm PT
Fri 08/09
LES 15 Array Patterns
pre-class: materials
in-class: materials
resources: videos
Week 9
Tue 08/13
SEC 15 2D Arrays, Array Patterns
resources: materials
Wed 08/14
LES 16 Wrap Up, Victory Lap!

Note: No Pre-Class Material for Today!

resources: videos
Thu 08/15
SEC 16 Final Exam Review
resources: materials
Fri 08/16
EXAM Final Exam 12:00 - 1:00pm