Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Fundamentals of Programming (Face-to-Face)

CS 1400-02

Course: CS 1400-02
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: CSIS
CRN: 10522

Course Description

An introduction to computer programming. Topics to be covered include program design, program implementation techniques, programming constructs, console output, class design, and basic familiarity with the API. Emphasis is placed on modifying and developing simple applications. (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): CS 1030 or CSCY 1200 or Math 1190 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C-

Required Texts


The Free E-Book which can be downloaded from our Canvas resources:
How To Think Like a Computer Scientist: Learning With Python 3
Peter Wentworth, Jeffrey Elkner, Allen B. Downey, and Chris Meyers
We will make extensive use of computers and software related to programming.  You will use your campus username and password to log in to the network, and Canvas to access course material.  Likely, to even be signed into the course you are already setup, but if you do not yet have a campus computer username and password, please visit SUU’s student help desk and claim your account.
The Microsoft Office Suite, and other standard computer software.
A good internet connection for downloading and uploading course content.
You may use a USB memory device if you want to access your files at home; otherwise, you may save your work to your network drive.
Items needed if we happen to go remote during the semester, or if you are in an online section: A computer with a webcam and microphone.  SUU’s IT department keeps a listing of computers they recommend that meet the minimum specifications.  Please check SUU’s website or check in with SUU’s IT Help Desk if you want advice.  We haven’t currently put together minimum specifications for a computer student’s need to take our courses, but there are courses where having a more powerful computer would be helpful.



Learning Outcomes

  • Understand basic programming principles: Grasp the fundamental concepts of algorithms, program design, syntax, and semantics that apply to modern programming languages.
  • Write functional code in Python: Design and write simple, correct, and efficient programs to solve problems.
  • Utilize basic language structures: Effectively use variables, expressions, input/output statements, and built-in data types (integers, floats, strings, booleans).
  • Implement control flow: Apply conditional statements (if, elif, else) and looping structures (for and while loops) to control program flow.
  • Work with data structures: Store and manipulate data using core built-in data structures, including lists, tuples, sets, and dictionaries.
  • Create and use functions: Develop and call user-defined functions to make code modular and reusable, passing arguments and returning values.
  • Handle basic file operations: Read from and write to text files for data persistence.
  • Debug and test programs: Identify, prevent, and handle common errors (syntax, runtime, and logic errors) using basic debugging techniques and exception handling (try-except).
  • Document code: Learn and apply standard conventions for commenting and documenting code to ensure readability and maintainability for other programmers. 

Course Requirements


This course is designed as an introduction to the fundamental concepts of programming in python. Topics include:

  • Basic Python syntax
  • Variables, expressions, and statements
  • Input / Output and arithmetic operators
  • Boolean logic
  • Conditionals
  • Iteration
  • Functions


 
ABET OBJECTIVES:

  • Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.


LATE WORK:
Late work is docked 10% each day it is late.  Late work will not be accepted after 3 days.  Assessments (tests or quizzes) are due on the date specified.
Check Canvas for the specifics, but during the first week or so, I waive the late penalty as students get settled into class. I also tend to drop your lowest written score and your lowest programming score.
GRADING PLAN:
Grades will depend upon attendance and classroom participation, the programming exercises and homework, the examinations and the final project.  The percentages will be tentatively distributed as follows, but check the Canvas webpage for exact percentages and for your specific assignments:

  • 4% Personal notes from lecture and reading the chapters
  • 23% Written Assignments
  • 23% Programming Assignments
  • 50% Exams (points split between midterm/final


 
Course and assignment grades will be assigned as follows:

Score | Grade 
94 - 100 |   A
90 - 93 |   A-
87 - 89 |   B+
84 - 86 |   B
80 - 83 |   B-
77 - 79 |   C+
74 - 76 |   C
70 - 73 |   C-
67 - 69 |   D+
64 - 66 |   D
60 - 63 |   D-
Below 60 |   F
Students will need to make prior arrangements with the instructor before a test if the student will be absent.  If you cannot locate the instructor, leave a message with the Computer Science and Information Systems Department secretary, 586-5405.

Course Outline

  • 1/7 -- Introduction, Syllabus, Chapter 1
  • 1/12 -- Chapter 2a
  • 1/14 -- Chapter 2b
  • 1/19 -- No Class
  • 1/21 -- Chapter 3a
  • 1/26 -- Chapter 3b
  • 1/28 -- Lab Day
  • 2/2 -- Chapter 4
  • 2/4 -- Chapter 5a
  • 2/9 -- Chapter 5b
  • 2/11 -- Review
  • 2/16 -- No Class 
  • 2/18 -- Midterm
  • 2/23 -- Chapter 6
  • 2/25 -- Chapter 7a
  • 3/2 -- Chapter 7b
  • 3/4 -- Lab Day
  • 3/9 -- Chapter 8a
  • 3/11 -- Chapter 8b
  • 3/16 -- Chapter 9
  • 3/18 -- Lab Day
  • 3/23 -- No Class
  • 3/25 -- No Class
  • 3/30 -- Chapter 10
  • 4/1 -- Lab Day
  • 4/6 -- Chapter 11a
  • 4/8 -- Chapter 11b
  • 4/13 -- Lab Day
  • 4/15 -- Final Review

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work


Late work is docked 10% each day it is late.  Late work will not be accepted after 3 days.  Assessments (tests or quizzes) are due on the date specified.
Check Canvas for the specifics, but during the first week or so, I waive the late penalty as students get settled into class. I also tend to drop your lowest written score and your lowest programming score.



Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is required at all class meetings and adjustments cannot be granted to allow non-attendance. However, if you need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy due to a disability, please contact the Disability Resource Center. DRC will work with us to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.  It is expected that all students will spend classroom time exclusively on course related activities. Surfing the web during lectures or during lab periods is strongly discouraged, and doing so could negatively impact one's grade.

Course Fees


All CSCY classes have a per credit hour student fee.  These fees go toward funding mediated classes, computer labs, software upgrades and licenses, printer paper and toner, and other student-related costs. These total $11 per credit hour.



ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.