Natural Sciences Tripos

Programme Specification: Part IA Computer Science

This course is taught by the Computer Laboratory. Undergraduates taking this course will sit Paper 1 of the Computer Science Tripos.

Aims

  1. to provide Natural Science undergraduates with a thorough grounding in computer structure and programming, algorithm design, and the fundamental theories of computer science;
  2. to develop skills in programming and analysis of computational problems;
  3. to provide Natural Science undergraduates with a taste of academic Computer Science.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students should:

  1. have attained a solid foundation in the fundamentals of computer science, including computer structure, algorithm design and analysis, discrete mathematics, and computer programming;
  2. have developed practical programming skills through a range of assessed exercises and practical classes.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Lectures (60), supervisions (ideally one for every 3 to 6 lectures), assessed exercises, and practical programming classes.

Assessment

Assessment for this course is through:

  • unseen written examinations;
  • submission of practical exercises.

Courses of Preparation

Essential:A Level Mathematics or equivalent.
 Computer Science students are assumed to be taking NST Part 1A Mathematics in parallel with NST Part 1A Computer Science.

Recommended: AS- or A Level Further Mathematics and/or a physical science.

Additional Information

The title of this document is: Natural Sciences Tripos: Part IA Computer Science
URL: http://www.cam.ac.uk/about/natscitripos/ps/p1a/compsci.html