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COS 140: Foundations of Computer Science

Why Computer Science Majors should take COS 140

COS 140 was designed to help computer science majors in two ways:

  • It allows students to get a taste of what the major will entail, before they complete a year of programming courses.
  • It helps students to think like computer scientists by showing them how to identify problems in the field and by teaching them how other computer scientists have successfully addressed these problems.

Although COS 140 is required of all our majors, it will be especially good for:

  • Students with little or no programming experience - especially those who are not sure what computer science is.

    Before COS 140 was developed, students with little or no programming experience were placed in COS 120, an introductory programming course which does not count toward the major. Starting in Fall 2005, all students will take COS 140, possibly with the new introductory programming course (COS 125). COS 140 does not teach programming, but gives students a sophistication about computers that will help prepare the student to begin programming and help them in more advanced courses in the major. COS 140 will be especially good for students who are not sure what computer science is or if it is for them.

  • Students who love to program, but who do not know what else is entailed in a computer science major.

    Students often choose computer science as a major because they like to program. In many cases, this is a good choice. Programming is a necessary skill for computer science majors. And, because it is a skill shared by most computer scientists, many of the metaphors and models used to understand computer science are built on a knowledge of programming. However, computer science and computer programming are two distinct enterprises requiring distinct knowledge, skill and talent. So, in some cases, students who love to program do not enjoy the computer science major. These students then feel frustrated in their upper-level courses because they are no longer expected to focus on the programming that brought them into the major.

    COS 140 will help these students decide if computer science will be as interesting to them as computer programming.