🧠 Algorithms and Programming

YMT112 - Spring Semester 2025

📚 About the Course

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to computer science and programming using Python. Designed for students with little to no prior programming experience, it offers a supportive environment to build fundamental computational skills at a thoughtful pace. The course emphasizes hands-on practice and problem-solving to develop confidence in writing useful programs.

Course Philosophy

We believe that computational thinking is an essential skill in today’s world, regardless of your academic major or career path. This course is structured to provide ample time for practicing concepts, building intuition, and developing sound programming habits. By focusing on practical applications and clear explanations, we create an inclusive learning environment where all students can succeed.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand computational thinking and how algorithms solve real-world problems
• Design and implement programs in Python to accomplish practical tasks
• Apply fundamental programming concepts including variables, data types, conditionals, loops, functions, and basic data structures
• Develop problem-solving strategies using decomposition, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking
• Debug and test programs systematically
• Analyze algorithm efficiency and make improvements to code
• Build confidence in programming abilities for future coursework and projects

Course Content

The course covers Python 3 programming fundamentals including:

• Variables, expressions, and statements
• Control flow (conditionals and loops)