I'm not planning to be a CS major, or even an engineer. Is CS102 for me?
Yes! Although we require students to have some programming background (CS106A or equivalent), and there will be programming assignments, the course is designed for non-majors.

I'm definitely majoring in CS. Is CS102 for me?
No -- you're likely to cover most of the material at a deeper level in other courses. But if you're very early in the program it won't hurt, and it may give you insights into your areas of interest. We require CS and MCS majors to file a petition to stay in the course.

How many units is the course?
It is a 4-unit course except for graduate students who are permitted to enroll in 3 units. There is no difference in workload or expectations between 3 and 4 units.

Does CS102 fulfill any WAYS requirements?
Yes, it fulfills Applied Quantitative Reasoning (WAY-AQR).

How will the different components of the course be weighted in the final grade? Will the class be graded on a curve?
The final grade is an equal weighting on composite scores for assignments, projects, and exams, i.e., 33.3% each for the the 5 homework assignments (weighted equally), the 2 projects (weighted equally) and the 2 exams (weighted equally). In spring quarter 2020, all courses are graded on an S/NC basis. We will compute a letter grade for each student -- all students who receive a C- or better will be assigned a grade of S, while D+ and below will be assigned a grade of NC. The class is not graded on a curve, but typically the final course grades do span a spectrum.

Will it be a difficult or time-consuming course?
Our sense is that it may be challenging and time-consuming for some students. There will be five assignments, two projects, and two exams. That said, we very much hope it will be worth the effort!