Alternatives to CS 1110

CS 1110 and CS 1112 both offer an introduction to computer programming concepts. The courses emphasize techniques of problem analysis and the development of algorithms and programs. CS 1110 uses Python; CS 1112 uses Matlab.

Neither course presumes previous programming experience. CS 1112 requires a firm background in mathematics and at least one semester of calculus.

In the fall semester you may also take CS 1115, which is a faster paced version of the MatLab course that includes graphical user interfaces. This allows it to focus on topics such as scientific visualization that are beyond the scope of CS 1112. This course requires some previous programming experience (in any language).

In the spring semester, you may take CS 1114, a fast-paced introduction to computer science using camera-controlled robots. As with CS 1115, this course requires some previous programming experience (in any language).

Refer to http://www.cs.cornell.edu/ugrad/FirstCSCourse/index.htm for more information about these courses.

Nontraditional Alternatives

If you are shopping around for a "first course" to take in programming or computer science, it is worth examining some of the offering by the Information Science department. INFO 1100 covers many of the same topics as CS 1110, but does it through "Media Programming". Media Programming is a very visual programming style that focuses on manipulating images and creating media. If you are an art or architecture student, this course might be more appealing to you than CS 1110.

INFO 1300 is a course on design and programming for the web. This course does not cover as many computer science concepts as either CS 1110 or INFO 1100. However, it does an excellent job emphasizing program design, and is one of the best courses available for this.

Finally, the computer science department department offers several 5 week, 1-credit courses: CS 1130 (Java), CS 1132 (MatLab), and CS 1133 (Python). These courses are designed for someone who has already mastered one of the CS 111x courses (or INFO 1100) and wishes to learn a new programming language.