• Communication
• Office Hours
• Grading
  • Letter Grade Scale
• Programming Assignments
  • Individual Work
  • Deadlines and Late Submissions
  • Academic Integrity
• Exams
  • Format
  • Content
  • Grading
  • Makeup Exams
• Course Policies
  • Academic Integrity
  • Attendance and Participation
  • Services for Students with Disabilities
  • Sharing of Course Materials
  • Syllabus Changes

Communication

We will use Ed for all course announcements, general questions, assignment clarifications, student discussions, and course-related communication.

Office Hours

The instructor and TA will hold regular office hours to assist with course material, projects, and any related concerns. To ensure office hours are productive and fair for all students, please follow these guidelines:

• Come Prepared: Make a genuine effort to solve problems on your own before attending office hours. For project-related questions, thoroughly read the assignment description and attempt an implementation first. Note that instructors will guide you toward solutions but will not write code for you.

• Respect the Queue: Office hours operate on a queue system with a 10-minute limit per student. You are welcome to rejoin the queue if you need additional help.

These policies ensure that all students have equal opportunity to receive support.

Grading

Your final grade will be based on the following components:

• Exams (40%): One midterm exam and one final exam.
• Programming Assignments (60%): Six programming assignments to reinforce key concepts.
• Class Participation (2% bonus): Active participation in class, including asking questions and engaging in discussions.
• Course Evaluation (1% bonus): Completing the end-of-semester course evaluation.

Grades will be posted on Canvas.

Important Notes:

• There will be no extra credit opportunities offered at the end of the semester.
• Grades will not be curved or adjusted based on individual circumstances.

Plan your work accordingly to meet course expectations.

Letter Grade Scale

Programming Assignments

This course includes six hands-on programming assignments designed to reinforce key concepts. The following policies apply:

Individual Work

All programming assignments must be completed individually. Collaboration with other students on assignment code is not permitted.

Deadlines and Late Submissions

Each assignment will be due approximately 2-3 weeks after it is released. Starting early significantly improves your chances of success.

Late submissions will incur a 10% penalty per day (including weekends).

Exception requests for late submissions must follow these strict guidelines:

• Planned absences or conflicts: Contact the instructor at least two weeks in advance.
• Emergencies (medical, family, etc.): Contact the instructor immediately when the emergency occurs.
• Requests made after the deadline or after the event has occurred will NOT be accepted.

This policy ensures fairness and allows the instructor to make appropriate arrangements in advance. If you anticipate any conflicts with assignment deadlines, reach out proactively.

Academic Integrity

All submitted code and results must be your original work. Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and will be handled according to the University of Texas policies and procedures.

Exams

There will be one midterm exam and one final exam, both conducted on Canvas. Bring your laptop to class on exam days.

Format

• Exams are closed-book and closed-notes.
• Questions will include multiple-choice and short-answer formats.

Content

• Midterm: Covers all material from the beginning of the course up to the midterm date.
• Final: Cumulative, covering all course material.

Grading

Both exams contribute equally to your overall exam grade (20% each).

Makeup Exams

If you anticipate a conflict with an exam date, you must notify the instructor at least two weeks in advance.

Makeup exams will only be offered for valid, documented excuses (e.g., medical emergencies, family emergencies). For emergencies, contact the instructor immediately and provide appropriate documentation as soon as possible.

Requests made after the exam date will NOT be accepted.

Course Policies

Academic Integrity

All submitted course materials must be your original work. When using external sources, provide proper citations and clearly indicate which parts are your own work. If you have any doubts about whether something violates this policy, consult the instructor before submission.

Violations of academic integrity will be handled according to the University of Texas policies and procedures.

Attendance and Participation

Regular class attendance is expected and contributes to your learning and participation grade. If you must miss class for planned reasons, notify the instructor in advance. For emergency absences, contact the instructor as soon as possible.

Services for Students with Disabilities

The university is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive learning environment. If you encounter any barriers to learning, please inform the instructor so we can work together to ensure you have equal opportunities to participate fully in this course.

If you have a disability or need accommodations, please contact Disability and Access (D&A). If you are already registered with D&A, provide your Accommodation Letter as early as possible so we can discuss your needs.

Sharing of Course Materials

Course materials may not be shared outside the class without written permission from the instructor. This includes lecture materials, assignments, and any student work. Unauthorized sharing facilitates cheating and violates university policy.

The university monitors websites for shared materials. Any materials associated with you will be reported to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, which may result in academic misconduct charges and sanctions.

Syllabus Changes

The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and updated on the course website.