| Course: | Information: |
| Computer Programming 1 -- Visual Basic -- C++ |
(UC) This one-semester course is the first in the sequence of computer programming courses and is open to
students in all grade levels. This project-based course, which is taught in one of our high-end
Windows computer labs, provides students with hands-on programming experience. The class teaches logic
and problem-solving skills that are transferable to all programming languages, as well as to other
situations. For much of the semester students will study the computer language Microsoft Visual Basic. While working both individually and in small groups on a variety of projects, students will learn the syntax of Visual Basic, as well as good programming techniques and coding styles. Having students start their programming sequence with a visual language allows them to begin designing their own computer programs quickly. For the remainder of the semester students will study and write programs using the C++ programming language. All students who are considering pursuing a computer-related career should strongly consider taking this class. In addition, many colleges and universities want engineering and science-oriented freshmen to have computer programming experience. Prerequisite: None |
| Computer Programming 2 -- Java -- Python -- [Other Languages for Projects] |
(UC) This one-semester course is the second in the sequence of computer programming courses. This higher-level
course provides students with hands-on programming experience, and it is designed for students who have
successfully completed a semester of Computer Programming 1 and wish to continue further in the programming
sequence with more advanced work. The course will include larger, more extensive projects (some of which
will be student-designed) which students will be expected to complete while working with other students as
part of teams. The first few months of the semester will be devoted to learning and working with Java. For the next month students will learn some basic Python. Then, for (roughly) the last month of the semester students will work on group projects using languages of their choosing. Students will be expected to learn and use more advanced programming techniques and concepts; good programming style is continually stressed in the lab. In addition to Python and Java, students may choose to use other programming languages for their longer-term projects. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Computer Programming 1 and/or consent of the instructor |
| Computer Programming 3, 4, 5, and 6 -- Visual Basic -- C++ -- Python -- Java -- OpenGL -- DirectX -- PHP -- MySQL -- [Other Languages] |
(UC) These one-semester courses are a continuation of the coding concepts, techniques, and ideas from
programming courses earlier in the sequence. They are advanced classes which provide students with hands-on
programming experiences. They are project-based courses, which are designed for students who have
successfully completed the previous semesters of computer programming and who are strongly considering
pursuing a career in computer programming or a related field. In these classes students will work
much more independently (from the instructor) with other students on long-term team projects as they
improve their coding skills and learn additional languages and concepts. For the most part, students
are expected to come up with the ideas for their own projects and then design and create them. In
these courses students may choose from a variety of programming languages available to them. These
include, but are not limited to, Visual Basic, C++, Python, Java, OpenGL, DirectX, PHP, and MySQL. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Computer Programming 2 and/or consent of the instructor |
| Advanced Placement Computer Programming -- Java -- [Other Languages for Projects] |
(UC) Advanced Placement Computer Programming is a year-long course intended for students who want a challenging,
in-depth, introductory college-level course in computer programming while still in high school. AP Computer
Programming is a nationally developed, standardized curriculum that helps prepare students to take the
College Board AP Computer Science Exam and receive college credit (subject to the individual restrictions
and requirements of universities). This course, which is taught in our high-end Windows computer lab, is intended for students who are interested in a career or further studies in computer science or who have a serious interest in computer programming. Students will gain extensive experience developing and analyzing algorithms and data structures and creating computer programs to solve given problems. The computer language currently being used by the College Board for the Advanced Placement Exam is Java. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Computer Programming 1-2 and/or consent of the instructor |