The Grainger College of Engineering
Siebel School of Computing and Data Science

CS 101

CS 101 - Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci

Spring 2026

TitleRubricSectionCRNTypeHoursTimesDaysLocationInstructor
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AL131018LEC31500 - 1550 M W  AUD Foellinger Auditorium Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYA31115LBD01600 - 1750 M  432 Armory Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYB31116LBD00900 - 1050 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYC31117LBD01100 - 1250 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYD31118LBD01300 - 1450 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYE58967LBD01500 - 1650 T  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYF31119LBD00900 - 1050 W  432 Armory Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYG31120LBD00900 - 1050 W  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYH31122LBD01100 - 1250 W  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYI31123LBD01600 - 1750 W  131 Animal Sciences Laboratory Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYJ31121LBD00900 - 1050 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYK31124LBD01100 - 1250 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYL31125LBD01300 - 1450 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYM58968LBD01500 - 1650 R  2406 Siebel Center for Comp Sci Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYN31126LBD01400 - 1550 F  1035 Campus Instructional Facility Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYO62100LBD01100 - 1250 F  432 Armory Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYQ62102LBD01300 - 1450 F  432 Armory Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYR62103LBD01500 - 1650 F  432 Armory Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYS31020LBD01000 - 1150 F  1035 Campus Instructional Facility Max Fowler
Intro Computing: Engrg & SciCS101AYT72066LBD01200 - 1350 F  1035 Campus Instructional Facility Max Fowler

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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.

Course Director

Neal E Davis

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

Assessment and Revisions

Course redesign from scratch based on college committee recommendations.

Change programming language(s) to Python and MATLAB

Focus on basic data processing with numerics (rather than array structure and similar C concepts)

 Fall 2015 Changing requirements of College of Enginering, as CS101 is a service course.
Use of Jupyter note books for lab exercises Spring 2016 Increased interactivity of lab exercises and provided access to an autograding system.

Required, Elective, or Selected Elective

Required in most Engineering programs.

Last updated

1/18/2019by Neal E. Davis