Course Websites

CS 101 - Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci

Last offered Spring 2026

Official Description

Fundamental principles, concepts, and methods of computing, with emphasis on applications in the physical sciences and engineering. Basic problem solving and programming techniques; fundamental algorithms and data structures; use of computers in solving engineering and scientific problems. Intended for engineering and science majors. Course Information: Prerequisite: One of MATH 220 or MATH 221 or MATH 231 or MATH 241. Class Schedule Information: Students must register for one lab-discussion and one lecture section. Engineering students must obtain a dean's approval to drop this course after the second week of instruction.

Related Faculty

Course Director

Text(s)

(Required) A Primer on Scientific Programming with Python, 5th edition, Hans Petter Langtangen, ISBN: 978-3-662-49886-6

Learning Goals

Goal 1 Students should be able to solve problems algorithmically.

Goal 2 Students should be proficient in “computational thinking”, meaning that students should be able to conduct major- appropriate abstraction, modeling, representations of information, and algorithmic thinking related to solving engineering problems.

Goal 3 Students should be confident about using computation as a standard tool, on the same level as math and physics.

Goal 4 Students should be able to program in a high-level language (e.g., Python or MATLAB).

Goal 5 Students should access data sources, process data, and create outputs including various, plots.

Goal 6 Students should use MATLAB proficiently.

Topic List

Functions and scripts
Variables
Statements
Libraries
File I/O
Plotting
Symbolic Algebra & Calculus
Numerical Algebra & Calculus
Numerical Optimization
Curve Fitting & Regression

Required, Elective, or Selected Elective

Required in most Engineering programs.

TitleSectionCRNTypeHoursTimesDaysLocationInstructor
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAL131018LEC31500 - 1550 M W  AUD Foellinger Auditorium Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYA31115LBD01600 - 1750 M  432 Armory sachidanand Vishnukumar Sarmini
Yucheng Zhang
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYB31116LBD00900 - 1050 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Fred Choi
dakarai Crowder
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYC31117LBD01100 - 1250 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Fred Choi
dakarai Crowder
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYD31118LBD01300 - 1450 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Sudhanshu Agarwal
Zhanghan Ni
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYE58967LBD01500 - 1650 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Ruize Gao
Jinyoung Hur
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYF31119LBD00900 - 1050 W  432 Armory Yikang Yue
Victor Maurer Murta
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYG31120LBD00900 - 1050 W  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Sudhanshu Agarwal
Yucheng Zhang
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYH31122LBD01100 - 1250 W  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Sudhanshu Agarwal
Fred Choi
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYI31123LBD01600 - 1750 W  131 Animal Sciences Laboratory Yikang Yue
James Allen Eschrich
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYJ31121LBD00900 - 1050 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Ruize Gao
dakarai Crowder
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYK31124LBD01100 - 1250 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Ruize Gao
dakarai Crowder
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYL31125LBD01300 - 1450 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Jinyoung Hur
Zhanghan Ni
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYM58968LBD01500 - 1650 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Jinyoung Hur
Zhanghan Ni
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYN31126LBD01400 - 1550 F  1035 Campus Instructional Facility Yikang Yue
James Allen Eschrich
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYO62100LBD01100 - 1250 F  432 Armory Hanning Zhang
James Allen Eschrich
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYQ62102LBD01300 - 1450 F  432 Armory Victor Maurer Murta
Hanning Zhang
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYR62103LBD01500 - 1650 F  432 Armory Hanning Zhang
Victor Maurer Murta
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYS31020LBD01000 - 1150 F  1035 Campus Instructional Facility sachidanand Vishnukumar Sarmini
Yucheng Zhang
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciAYT72066LBD01200 - 1350 F  1035 Campus Instructional Facility sachidanand Vishnukumar Sarmini
Jinyoung Hur