24wi ver.
Note: this is for the Winter 2024 iteration of CSE 121. Looking for a different quarter? Please visit https://courses.cs.washington.edu/courses/cse121/.
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 (03/11)
- TA-led Final Review Session (4:30 pm - 6:50 pm in SMI 120)
Tuesday (03/12)
- Final Exam (12:30-2:20 in KNE 110 and 130) - you've got this :)
Thursday (03/14)
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 | ||||
| Wed 01/03 | LES 00 Welcome!; Course Policies Note: Normally you would complete the Pre-class Work before class. There is nothing you need to complete before class today! | |||
| Thu 01/04 | SEC 00 Welcome! resources: materials | |||
| Fri 01/05 | LES 01 Printing; Turtle Basics | |||
| Released C0 I.S. by 11:59pm PT Hello World! | ||||
| Week 2 | ||||
| Tue 01/09 | SEC 01 Printing; Turtle Basics resources: materials | |||
| Wed 01/10 | LES 02 Datatypes; Expressions | |||
| Released P0 I.S. by 11:59pm PT Code Reviews | ||||
| Thu 01/11 | SEC 02 Datatypes; Expressions resources: materials | |||
| Fri 01/12 | LES 03 Variables; Strings; Debugging | |||
| Week 3 | ||||
| Tue 01/16 | SEC 03 Variables; Strings; Debugging resources: materials | |||
| Wed 01/17 | LES 04 for Loops | |||
| Released C1 I.S. by 11:59pm PT Drawing Shapes | ||||
| Thu 01/18 | SEC 04 For Loops resources: materials | |||
| Released R0 C0, P0 Due 11:59pm PT Resub 0 | ||||
| Fri 01/19 | LES 05 Nested for Loops; Random; Math | |||
| Week 4 | ||||
| Tue 01/23 | SEC 05 Nested For Loops; Random; Math resources: materials | |||
| Wed 01/24 | LES 06 Methods; Parameters; Scope | |||
| Released P1 I.S. by 11:59pm PT Election Simulator | ||||
| Thu 01/25 | SEC 06 Methods; Parameters resources: materials | |||
| Released R1 C0, P0, C1 Due 11:59pm PT Resub 1 | ||||
| Fri 01/26 | LES 07 Parameters; Return Values | |||
| Week 5 | ||||
| Tue 01/30 | SEC 07 Returns & Quiz Prep resources: materials | |||
| Wed 01/31 | LES 08 Return Values | |||
| Released C2 I.S. by 11:59pm PT Social Network | ||||
| Thu 02/01 | QUIZ 00 Quiz 0: Printing, Datatypes, Expressions, for Loops, Methods, Parameters, Scope | |||
| Released R2 C0, P0, C1, P1 Due 11:59pm PT Resub 2 | ||||
| Fri 02/02 | LES 09 Conditionals | |||
| Week 6 | ||||
| Tue 02/06 | SEC 09 Conditionals resources: materials | |||
| Wed 02/07 | LES 10 while Loops | |||
| Thu 02/08 | SEC 10 while Loops resources: materials | |||
| Released R3 P0, C1, P1, C2 Due 11:59pm PT Resub 3 | ||||
| Fri 02/09 | LES 11 User Input ( Scanner) | |||
| Released P2 I.S. by 11:59pm PT Prioritizing Patients | ||||
| Week 7 | ||||
| Tue 02/13 | SEC 11 Scanner & Quiz Prep resources: materials | |||
| Wed 02/14 | LES 12 Putting It All Together Note: No Pre-Class Material for Today! | |||
| Thu 02/15 | QUIZ 01 Quiz 1: Nested for Loops, Random, Math, Methods, Parameters, Return Values, Conditionals, While Loops | |||
| Released R4 C1, P1, C2 Due 11:59pm PT Resub 4 | ||||
| Fri 02/16 | LES 13 Putting It All Together Note: No Pre-Class Material for Today! | |||
| Week 8 | ||||
| Tue 02/20 | SEC 13 TA's Choice! | |||
| Wed 02/21 | LES 14 Arrays | |||
| Released C3 I.S. by 11:59pm PT Dance Dance Arrayvolution | ||||
| Thu 02/22 | SEC 14 Arrays resources: materials | |||
| Released R5 P1, C2, P2 Due 11:59pm PT Resub 5 | ||||
| Fri 02/23 | LES 15 Reference Semantics | |||
| Week 9 | ||||
| Tue 02/27 | SEC 15 Reference Semantics resources: materials | |||
| Wed 02/28 | LES 16 2D Arrays | |||
| Released P3 I.S. by 11:59pm PT 2DNArray Sequencing | ||||
| Thu 02/29 | QUIZ 02 Quiz 2: Conditionals, while Loops, User Input (Scanner), Arrays | |||
| Released R6 C2, P2, C3 Due 11:59pm PT Resub 6 | ||||
| Fri 03/01 | LES 17 Array Patterns | |||
| Week 10 | ||||
| Tue 03/05 | SEC 17 2D Arrays & Array Patterns resources: materials | |||
| Wed 03/06 | LES 18 Final Exam Review Note: No Pre-Class Material for Today! | |||
| Thu 03/07 | SEC 18 Final Exam Review; Wrap-Up resources: materials | |||
| Released R7 All Eligible! Due 11:59pm PT Resub 7 | ||||
| Fri 03/08 | LES 19 Wrap-Up; Victory Lap! Note: No Pre-Class Material for Today! | |||
| Week 11 | ||||
| Tue 03/12 | EXAM Final Exam 12:30pm - 2:20pm | |||
| Wed 03/13 | Finals Week | |||
| Thu 03/14 | Finals Week | |||