04-330 Fundamentals of Software Development and Problem Solving
Location: Africa
Units: 12
Semester Offered: Fall
Course description
This course lays the foundations for approaching problem-solving in a logical, well-designed approach and implementing solutions to a range of technical problems with well-written, high-quality, and extensible software using the basic “best practices” used in the field of software engineering.
Topics include algorithm development, problem-solving (decomposition and synthesis), program design, data representation, arithmetic and logical expressions, input/output operations, basic user interfaces, and object-oriented programming and design, with an emphasis on developing good programming habits. Intensive programming assignments are required.
Learning objectives
The programming will involve understanding and analyzing a set of requirements for a problem, formulating a solution, and implementing that solution on the computer along with tests that show that the program achieves its goals.
Outcomes
The successful student will be able to:
- Understand a basic Computer-Science approach to problem-solving, including algorithm development and proper testing.
- Demonstrate proficiency in programming using a modern programming language.
- Apply these problem-solving techniques and programming skills to develop software solutions to solve a wide range of technical problems.
Content details
- Classes, objects, methods, strings
- Control Statements
- Arrays, array lists
- Inheritance, polymorphism
- GUIs, graphics
- Files, streams
- Recursion
Prerequisites
None. It is expected that students will enroll only if they have no programming background whatsoever or have been recommended because they are unable to code in a programming language at an acceptable level. Prospective students who have already taken a programming course or are unsure of their abilities should consult the instructor prior to enrollment.