Jim's Fall 2008 courses

-------------------------------------------------------------
title:       Introduction to Programming with Python
number:      NSC552
area:        computer science
faculty:     Jim Mahoney
credits:     4
time:        Tues/Thu 10am - 11:20am
place:       Sci 217
level:       introductory
repeat:      no, cannot be repeated for credit
prereq:      none
blurb:
	     This is a first class in computer programming, and
	     as such a foundation class for further work in computer
	     science. Much as a competency with English grammar is
	     required for writing, an understanding of programming is
	     required for nearly all intermediate and advanced work in
	     computer science. A similar course is offered every fall,
	     though the language chosen varies from year to
	     year. Python is a modern, elegant, high level scripting
	     language, popular at Google among other places. In
	     addition to learning about "object oriented programming",
	     loops, input/output and all that, expect to also learn a
	     variety of basic computer skills.

-------------------------------------------------------------
title:       Algorithms
number:      NSC469
area:        computer science
faculty:     Jim Mahoney
credits:     4
time:        Tue/Thu 11:30am - 12:50pm
place:       Sci 217
level:       intermediate
repeat:      no, cannot be repeated for credit
prereq:      some programming and discrete math
blurb:
             A close look at a number of classic computational recipes
             and the ideas behind them. Topics may include problems in
             sorting, searching, compression, randomness, parsing, and
             cryptography. This is an intermediate level foundation
             course, strongly recommended for folks considering
             further work in computer science.  We'll use the
             C programming language for looking at data structures,
             and perhaps others depending on student skills 
             and interests.

-------------------------------------------------------------
title:       Digital Multimedia
number:      NSC551
area:        computer science
see also:    Visual Arts, Music, Film
faculty:     Jim Mahoney
credits:     2
time:        Thu 3:30 - 5pm
place:       Sci 117
level:       introductory
repeat:      yes, may be repeated for credit
prereq:      none
blurb:
	     A workshop in manipulating images, music, animation, and
	     video with a computer, including some background topics
	     in optics, acoustics, and the internet.  The software
	     will be primarily open source, such as the Gimp (images),
	     Audacity (sound), and Blender (animation).
             
-------------------------------------------------------------
title:	     Group Theory & Rubik's Cube
number:	     NSC203
area:	     mathematics
faculty:     Jim Mahoney
credits:     2
time:	     Tue 3:30 - 5pm
place:	     Sci 217
level:	     introductory
repeat:	     no, cannot be repeated for credit
prereq:	     none
blurb:
	     Want to play with puzzles and get credit for it?  This
	     course will help you develop an understanding of and
	     intuition for group theory, which is the algebra of
	     symmetry and transformations, by mucking about with
	     Rubik's Cube, Top Spin, and several other particularly
	     cool puzzles.  You'll even learn a bit of campanology.