CS2013-final-report

Add:
• Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science – this course would introduce topics
from Discrete Mathematics in a more CS-focused manner. Basic computability topics
could be integrated into this course.
• Introduction to Software Design – this could be a third course following our traditional
introductory sequence. It would introduce basic topics from software engineering and
HCI, preparing students even better for our project electives. This would also have the
side effect of freeing up time in those electives that is currently spent on basic project
management and design issues.
• Topics in Security and Parallel Processing to existing courses/electives as appropriate.
Though a number of the Information Management learning outcomes fit well within a liberal arts
context, quite a few seem less appropriate. Similarly, the topics we would introduce in our
Software Design course would not literally follow the CS2013 Software Engineering core.
Appendix: Information on Individual Courses
A note on tutorial format courses: Modeled on Oxford-style tutorials, these courses offer
students the opportunity to take a heightened responsibility for their own intellectual
development. Tutorials are typically limited to an enrollment of 10. Each week the professor
sets the agenda, but the students are responsible for working through the material. Once each
week, students meet in pairs with the instructor to present their work and together delve even
more deeply into the material.
CSCI 134 – Introduction to Computer Science
This course introduces fundamental ideas in computer science and builds skills in the design,
implementation, and testing of computer programs. Students implement algorithms in the Java
programming language with a strong focus on constructing correct, understandable, and efficient
programs. Students explore the material through the application area of computer networks.
Topics covered include object-oriented programming, control structures, arrays, recursion, and
event-driven programming.
Format: lecture/laboratory
http://dept.cs.williams.edu/~cs134/
CSCI 136 – Data Structures and Advanced Programming
This course builds on the programming skills acquired in Computer Science 134. It couples work
on program design, analysis, and verification with an introduction to the study of data structures.
Students are introduced to: lists, stacks, queues, trees, hash tables, and graphs. Students are
expected to write several programs, ranging from very short programs to more elaborate systems.
Emphasis is placed on the development of clear, modular programs that are easy to read, debug,
verify, analyze, and modify.
Format: lecture/laboratory
http://dept.cs.williams.edu/~jeannie/cs136/index.html
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