This is an archived syllabus from 2013-2014

• View 2022-2023 syllabus.

COMP16121 Object Oriented Programming with Java 1

Level 1
Credits: 20
Enrolled students: 241

Course leader: John Latham

Additional staff: view all staff

Assessment methods

• 50% Written exam
• 50% Practical skills assessment

Timetable

Semester	Event	Location	Day	Time	Group
Sem 1	Lecture	1.1	Wed	11:00 - 11:00	-
Sem 1	Lecture	1.1	Fri	11:00 - 11:00	-
Sem 1	Lecture	1.1	Mon	14:00 - 14:00	-
Sem 1 w2+	Lab	G23	Thu	13:00 - 13:00	M+W
Sem 1 w2+	Lab	LF31	Fri	13:00 - 13:00	A+Z
Sem 1 w2+	Lab	G23	Thu	15:00 - 15:00	B+X
Sem 1 w2+	Lab	LF31	Fri	15:00 - 15:00	Y
Sem 1 A w3+	Lab	LF31	Wed	09:00 - 09:00	A+Z
Sem 1 A w3+	Lab	G23	Mon	10:00 - 10:00	M+W
Sem 1 A w3+	Lab	LF31	Tue	10:00 - 10:00	Y
Sem 1 A w3+	Lab	G23	Tue	13:00 - 13:00	B+X

Overview

The course assumes no previous experience of programming, and is based on the book 'Java Just in Time', which was written by the course leader, and was deliberately published by a not-for-profit publisher so the retail price is low.

• Using neither the confusing 'objects first' approach, nor the confidence destroying 'objects late' ordering, students are instead taken gently from their natural 'task oriented' view of problem solving, through the basics of programming and then soon onto objects.

• Every programming and Java concept is introduced, Just in Time, in the context of one of more than a hundred program examples, so motivation is never lacking. Even when objects are introduced, readers immediately see their benefit, and thus happily augment their 'task oriented' view with the 'object oriented' one.

• Programming skill, being at least 51% confidence, is built in manageable layers by undertaking over one hundred pieces of coursework.

• Other learning enhancing aspects include coffee time questions, end of chapter collected concepts, no use of non-standard library code, and independence of any confidence-entrapping learning environment.

Aims

This course unit provides the first exposure to programming in the School's degree programmes and, for many students, their first encounter with programming at all. Its main aim, therefore, is to introduce the principles of design and programming, using objects as a basis. This course unit will use Java and provide an 'Objects-Soon' introduction to the Object-Oriented paradigm. Together with COMP16212, the emphasis is on acquiring best practice incrementally from the bottom-up, including use of modern development and documentation tools, approaches to testing programs for correctness and evaluating designs against typical non-functional characteristics, such as efficiency, maintainability and readability.

Syllabus

Introduction (2) Essential basics: sequential execution and programming (2) types, variable and expressions (2) execution flow control (6) separate methods (2) separate classes (4) Object oriented design (2) Introduction to graphical user interfaces using SWING (4) Arrays (4) Files and Exceptions (4) In Conclusion (2)

Teaching methods

Lectures

34 in total (alternately 4 then 2 per week)

Laboratories

5 (1 per fortnight)

Feedback methods

Study hours

• Assessment written exam (2 hours)
• Lectures (33 hours)
• Practical classes & workshops (34 hours)

Employability skills

• Analytical skills
• Innovation/creativity
• Problem solving

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, a student will be able to:

Learning outcomes are detailed on the COMP16121 course unit syllabus page on the School of Computer Science's website for current students.

Reading list

No reading list found for COMP16121.

Additional notes

Course unit materials

Links to course unit teaching materials can be found on the School of Computer Science website for current students.

Links related to COMP16121

• Java: Just in Time - core text.