$ cat README.md

Syllabus

CMPSC 100.00: Computational Expression, Fall 2026, Allegheny College. See the Schedule page for the week-by-week course calendar.

Instructor & Meetings

Course
CMPSC 100.00
Instructor
Dr. Janyl Jumadinova
Office
Alden Hall 110
Phone
814-332-2881
Email
jjumadinova@allegheny.edu
Discord
@jjumadinova
Class Sessions
MWF 9:00–9:50am, Alden 101
Lab Sessions
Fri 2:30–4:00pm, Alden 101

Office Hours

Please book a time through my website so that everyone gets time. You are also welcome to stop by during any of these hours without an appointment, though students who booked are seen first.

Course Description

An introduction to the principles of computer science with an emphasis on creative expression through the medium of a programming language. Participating in hands-on activities that often require teamwork, students learn the computational structures needed to solve problems and produce computational artifacts which address these problems in real-world contexts. Students also learn how to organize and document a program's source code so that it effectively communicates with the intended users and maintainers. Additionally, the introduction includes an overview of the discipline of computer science and computational thinking. During a weekly laboratory session students use industry-grade technology to complete projects, reporting on their results through both written documents and oral presentations.

Prerequisite: none. Distribution Requirements: ME, SP.

Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply Python programming fundamentals to execute and explain computer code that implements interactive, novel solutions to a variety of computable problems.
  2. Implement code consistent with industry-standard practices using professional-grade integrated development environments (IDEs), command-line tools, and version control systems.
  3. Analyze and suggest revisions to existing Python language code to add functionality or repair defects.
  4. Evaluate the practical and ethical implications of writing computer code and discuss the contexts, perceived effects, and impacts exerted on and by computer code as a cultural force or artifact.
  5. Design, describe, and implement original projects incorporating industry-standard practices and Python language fundamentals.

Distribution Learning Outcomes

Modes of Expression (ME)

Explores individual and/or collective modes of expression, focusing on the ways these modes create meaning and communicate thoughts, emotions, or beliefs to others, through active engagement with language, visual arts, and/or performance. Course outcomes 1, 2, 4, and 5 satisfy this requirement.

Scientific Process & Knowledge (SP)

Conveys an understanding of what is known or can be known about the natural world, applies scientific reasoning toward the analysis and synthesis of information, and builds scientifically literate citizens who can engage productively in problem solving. Course outcomes 1, 2, 3, and 5 satisfy this requirement.

Program & Institutional Learning Outcomes

Beyond its own course outcomes, CMPSC 100 also contributes to program-level (PLO) and institutional-level (ILO) learning outcomes tracked by the CIS department, across the programs its outcomes feed into. Not every course outcome develops every program's outcomes. Expand a program below to see which course outcomes connect to which program outcomes, and which institutional outcomes those in turn connect to.

Computer Science
Course OutcomeProgram Outcome(s) Developed
CLO1 PLO1 · IntroducedPLO2 · IntroducedPLO4 · Introduced
CLO2 PLO2 · Introduced
CLO3 PLO2 · Introduced
CLO4 PLO2 · IntroducedPLO4 · Introduced
CLO5 PLO1 · IntroducedPLO4 · Introduced

Connects to Institutional Learning Outcomes: ILO1, ILO2, ILO3, ILO4

  • PLO1: Demonstrate and be able to communicate the knowledge of data types, algorithms, and mathematical principles behind discrete objects.
  • PLO2: Use scientific and theoretical methods to design, implement, evaluate, deploy, improve, maintain, and document software and hardware systems.
  • PLO3: Apply and articulate key concepts from a specialization area where the interconnection between software and hardware is important and evident.
  • PLO4: Able to communicate technical details of the produced software and hardware artifacts both in writing and orally.
Data Science
Course OutcomeProgram Outcome(s) Developed
CLO1 PLO1 · IntroducedPLO4 · Introduced
CLO3 PLO1 · IntroducedPLO2 · Introduced
CLO4 PLO4 · Introduced
CLO5 PLO4 · Introduced

Connects to Institutional Learning Outcomes: ILO1, ILO2, ILO3, ILO4

  • PLO1: Effectively collects, organizes, analyzes and interprets both structured and unstructured datasets from diverse sources.
  • PLO2: Can effectively and ethically use statistical data analysis techniques, modern machine learning algorithms, and state-of-the-art software tools and programming environments to design, build, evaluate, and deploy new predictive models.
  • PLO3: Develop competency in the theories, methods, and practices of domains that apply data science techniques.
  • PLO4: Can clearly and persuasively communicate the results of data analysis including critical examination and reflection on the ethical implications of such analysis.
Informatics
Course OutcomeProgram Outcome(s) Developed
CLO1 PLO2 · Introduced
CLO4 PLO1 · Introduced
CLO5 PLO2 · IntroducedPLO4 · Introduced

Connects to Institutional Learning Outcomes: ILO1, ILO2, ILO3, ILO4

  • PLO1: Demonstrates and articulates the distinct concerns of computational approaches to understanding information as cultural, political, and economic material.
  • PLO2: Produce and present disciplinary findings in digital, artistic, oral, and/or written format.
  • PLO3: Develop competency in the theories, methods, and practices of informatics techniques and apply them to a given knowledge domain.
  • PLO4: Able to design scholarly projects and clearly and persuasively articulate their outcomes.
Software Engineering
Course OutcomeProgram Outcome(s) Developed
CLO1 PLO1 · Introduced
CLO2 PLO1 · Introduced
CLO3 PLO1 · Introduced
CLO5 PLO1 · IntroducedPLO4 · Introduced

Connects to Institutional Learning Outcomes: ILO1, ILO2, ILO3, ILO4

  • PLO1: Effectively design, implement, evaluate, improve, and document a solution to a problem delivered as a maintainable software system.
  • PLO2: Demonstrate competency in the theories, models, and practices of project domains that require the engineering of software.
  • PLO3: Can effectively manage and predict the cost, scope, and deadline of a software engineering project.
  • PLO4: Use effective oral and written communication methods to explain both the technical and product-use details of a software artifact.

ILO1: Think critically and creatively · ILO2: Communicate clearly and persuasively as speakers and writers · ILO3: Invoke multiple ways of understanding to organize and evaluate evidence, and to interpret and make sense of their experiences and the experiences of others · ILO4: Apply knowledge and learning to engage in informed debate, and to analyze and solve problems

Required Materials

Laptop

A department-approved laptop, with an adequate charge, is required in every class session. See the laptop requirements. If yours does not meet spec, you can request a loaner via this form. The department has a limited supply, so request early.

Textbook(s)

There are no physical textbooks for this course. Any texts or articles used will be available online or distributed in class.

Grading

CategoryPointsDetail
Labs 36 8 labs × 4.5 pts
In-Class Activities 10 averaged across the semester
Code Reviews 24 ongoing, GitHub-issue-template based
Concept Checkpoints 12 4 checkpoints × 3 pts
Final Project 18 pitch, dev, code review, demo fair, portfolio
Total 100
Labs (36 points)

Eight hands-on programming assignments where you write Python code for a specific application (Lab 2 runs across two weeks and covers both your hardware introduction and your first program built on decisions). After the first lab, you will work on the Pico 2W, with each subsequent lab building on previous work and developing skills toward your final IoT project. Points are based on correct functionality, code clarity, and a short reflection explaining your approach.

In-Class Activities (10 points)

Engaging exercises done during class, including mini coding challenges, debugging tasks, and short ethical or design discussions. These activities help you practice new concepts, collaborate with classmates, and get immediate feedback.

Code Reviews (24 points)

During lab sessions, you will verbally explain your own code or a peer’s code, guided by a structured GitHub issue template specific to each lab. In addition to describing what the code does and how it works, you will answer conceptual questions related to your code to demonstrate understanding of underlying programming concepts. Each code review must be completed during the lab session on the day the assignment is due. If you know in advance that you cannot attend that lab, make arrangements to complete your review beforehand at TL or instructor office hours. If you submitted the lab on time but missed the code review, you can make it up at TL or instructor office hours within one week of the due date. Some labs (e.g. team-based hardware labs) require code review as a structural part of the git workflow itself: you cannot merge your work without it.

Concept Checkpoints (12 points)

Four short, low-stakes in-class checks spread across the semester (roughly every three to four weeks), each covering the material since the previous checkpoint.

Final Project (18 points)

A culminating IoT system using the Pico 2 W (or a software-only project by arrangement). You will pitch your project idea to a small group of classmates and gather structured feedback, submit a working prototype with documentation, complete a comprehensive final code review (including a whiteboard walkthrough), and present your project at the demo fair on Monday, December 7 at 9:00 am (Exam Code A), where you will demonstrate your work at a station while classmates and instructors circulate. An accompanying portfolio is due at the end of the exam period.

Gatorgrade

Gatorgrade is a tool developed by the Allegheny College CIS department to automatically grade assignments and give you immediate feedback. Gatorgrade results are preliminary; your final grade for these assignments is determined by the professor. If you suspect Gatorgrade made a mistake, let the professor know.

Grade Scale

A 95–100
A- 90–94.9
B+ 87–89.9
B 83–86.9
B- 80–82.9
C+ 77–79.9
C 73–76.9
C- 70–72.9
D+ 67–69.9
D 63–66.9
D- 60–62.9
F ≤59.9

Policies

Communication

GitHub and Discord are the main digital channels used in this course for communication. You are responsible for regularly checking both so important messages are not missed.

Attendance

This course follows the CIS department's attendance policy: as a general guideline, you cannot miss more than two weeks of class in total during the semester without a letter-grade reduction. For this course specifically, that means no more than 8 sessions (counting both lecture and lab meetings, since this course meets four times a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday lecture, and Friday lab). Being marked late to class three times counts as one absence.

Late Assignments

Late assignments are not accepted unless a token is applied, ideally before the deadline. Apply one via this form. Tokens are no-questions-asked, meant to cover emergencies, illness, or athletic events. You get 4 tokens for the semester, and a token may be applied to any assignment in this course except the final project. Each one either extends an assignment's deadline by two weeks, or allows resubmission of one project two weeks after grading (only if an on-time attempt was made, meaning you started the assignment and tried at least half the objectives). A token applied to a lab covers both parts of that lab: the repository submission and the code review.

Extra Credit

No extra credit is offered in this course. If you want to improve a grade on an eligible assignment, use one of your late tokens to redo it (see Late Assignments above).

Artificial Intelligence in Class

Because this is a 100-level class where practice is critical, using AI to generate code is not permitted unless an assignment explicitly says otherwise. You will be asked to supply verbal explanations of your code to supplement it. In Week 13, the course includes a dedicated, guided unit on generating and testing code with LLMs. Use of AI tools before that point, outside of an assignment that explicitly permits it, is not part of building the foundational skills this course is designed to teach.

Department & College Policies

This course follows the CIS department's policies, with the course-specific applications described above, and the College's Academic Policies. It is also guided by the department's shared values: that we are technical, inclusive, ethical, and responsible.

Our community values. In the first week, this class described what the department's shared values mean in CMPSC 100:

Allegheny College Policy and Awareness Statements

Expand any statement below for the full text.

Statement of Community
Allegheny students and employees are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe residential learning community that will actively confront and challenge racism, sexism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, and other forms of harassment and discrimination. We encourage individual growth by promoting a free exchange of ideas in a setting that values diversity, trust and equality. So that the right of all to participate in a shared learning experience is upheld, Allegheny affirms its commitment to the principles of freedom of speech and inquiry, while at the same time fostering responsibility and accountability in the exercise of these freedoms.
Academic Integrity

Allegheny College has a student-run Honor Code designed to promote individual responsibility and integrity in academic affairs. Each student pledges: "I hereby recognize and pledge to fulfill my responsibilities, as defined in the Honor Code, and to maintain the integrity of both myself and the College community as a whole." Your professor will educate you about what academic integrity means in this course specifically. See here for more details.

Midterm Grades

Midterm grades will be submitted for all students in this course by Monday, October 19, 2026, but will not appear on academic transcripts. They offer an early indication of your performance so you can make adjustments if needed before the end of the term.

Assistance with Course Concepts

If you are struggling with the material, meet with the instructor during office hours (above), or see the Technical Leaders' office hours calendar.

Academic Accommodations

Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations should contact Student Accessibility and Support Services (SASS) at (814) 332-2898, located in Pelletier Library, as early as possible. See here for more details.

Religious Observance

Students whose religious observances conflict with scheduled class meetings or final examinations are responsible for notifying the instructor in advance to arrange a reasonable accommodation. Such requests should be submitted with sufficient notice to allow for appropriate planning. Students may also contact the Office of Spiritual, Religious, and Personal Wellbeing (srpw@allegheny.edu) for guidance and support in coordinating accommodations related to religious observance. See here for more details.

Academic Alerts

Allegheny College uses an Academic Alert system to send progress notices to faculty advisors, coaches, cohort advisors, and class deans. The progress notices are not punitive. They are an opportunity to connect you with professionals who can offer additional support and suggest resources if you need assistance.

Mental Health and Wellness

Course deadlines, absences, and accommodations for mental health are subject to this syllabus's policies. Communicate with the professor as soon as possible if your mental health is affecting your work.

Allegheny has partnered with ECPS (Edinboro Counseling and Psychological Services) for in-person therapy on campus. Call (814) 734-3975 to schedule, or email the Manager of Student Wellness Services at wellness@allegheny.edu. All students also have free access to the TimelyCare Telehealth platform (up to 6 therapy sessions/year plus 24/7 TalkNow phone support). Register at timelycare.com/allegheny with your Allegheny email.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Public Safety (814-332-3357), or 911, all available 24/7/365.

Gator Success Grants

The Gator Success Grant program is designed to provide students with additional financial assistance to offset the total cost of college attendance and to encourage successful on-time degree completion. Currently enrolled students who have an unanticipated need are invited to apply. Grants are usually from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the request and the student's need. Direct questions to academicsuccess@allegheny.edu.

Writing and Speaking Consultants

Experienced peer writing and speaking consultants help writers and speakers make academically responsible choices and determine strategies for effective communication at any stage in the writing or speaking process, for assignments in any discipline, or for writing and speaking situations unrelated to coursework (e.g., personal statements, cover letters, interviews, conference presentations). Both appointments and drop-in sessions are available in the Tutoring Center on the main floor of Pelletier. To view hours and make an appointment, see here.

Gator Day, Declaration Day, and Scholar Symposium

In each semester, we have at least one day set aside for programming, with no classes. Fall Gator Day is held on the first Tuesday in November; for Fall 2026 this is the All-College Programming Day, Tuesday November 3. Spring Declaration Day is held on a Monday in early April. Additionally, in the Spring, during the Richard J Cook – Teresa M Lahti Scholars Symposium (the day immediately after classes end and before exams begin), we gather to celebrate student research, scholarship, and creative activities on campus. All students are encouraged to participate.

Class Deans

The Office of Class Deans in Pelletier Library serves as a place for students to begin seeking assistance and answers to their questions related to college life. If you have a question and do not know who to ask – ask a class dean. If you want advice – talk to a class dean. Aacha Brown-Gregg is the First Year Class Dean, Amy Stearns is the Second Year Class Dean / Director of Transfer Advising, and Carene Shipley is the Third/Fourth Year Class Dean. Please contact them individually or through academicsuccess@allegheny.edu.

The Well

The Center for Wellbeing, Life Design, and Community Engagement (The Well) empowers students to live meaningful, connected, and balanced lives at Allegheny College. The Well brings together Life Design, Spiritual, Religious, and Personal Well-Being, Bonner, RISE, Community Engagement, and Sustained Dialogue to support students as they explore purpose, build community, care for their wellbeing, develop as leaders, and connect their Allegheny experience to the world around them.

The Well provides multiple ways for students to connect and engage. Students are encouraged to visit The Well in the Campus Center and Pelletier Library to learn more about these opportunities and meet the people who are here to support them. For more information, contact thewell@allegheny.edu.

Recording Policy

Audio, video, or cell phone recording of any class is prohibited unless prior written permission of the instructor has been obtained and all students and guest speakers have been informed recording may occur (or the recording is an approved educational accommodation). Recordings may not be reproduced, uploaded publicly, or distributed for any purpose beyond individual or group study without express written permission. See Section 9.8 of the Faculty Handbook for the full policy.

Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct Reporting

Allegheny College prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, and disability, and prohibits sex-based harassment, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking, as required by Title IX.

Trae Yeckley, Dean for Student Life and Title IX Coordinator, 814-332-3085 (direct line), titleix@allegheny.edu, Student Life Suite, Campus Center. You can access support and resources even if you do not want to take further action.

Faculty are Responsible Employees with Mandatory Reporting Obligations: unless otherwise identified by policy, all Allegheny faculty, staff, and administrators are mandated reporters and must notify the Title IX Coordinator of any incident of discrimination or harassment disclosed to or known to them. If you need confidential support instead, the options below are exempt from mandatory reporting:

On Campus:

  • Meadville Medical Center @ Winslow, (814) 332-4355. Walk-ins welcome, M–F 10am–3pm (last check-in 2:30pm) while classes are in session
  • ECPS (Edinboro Counseling and Psychological Services) partnership, (814) 734-3975. Call to schedule
  • Wellness in Student Life, wellness@allegheny.edu, (814) 332-2782

Off Campus:

This syllabus is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.