Course description

The chief objective of this module is to deliver a lecture and structured laboratory series that enables students to understand the principal components of a high-level program, laying the foundation for subsequent modules that require structured programming ability. Introduction to Programming expects no prior programming expertise. It develops the student's experience of high-level programming concepts for the development of simple software systems. By the end of the module, students should have sufficient mastery of a high-level programming language that they should feel comfortable designing, writing and debugging simple programs. The module will, through careful use of relevant laboratory sessions and exercises, emphasise the tenets of good programming practice and introduce the techniques deployed to develop robust and efficient software systems.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the principal components of a high-level program.
2. Understand how to apply the facilities of a high-level language to design, write and debug simple programs.
3. Apply simple review and test techniques to specifications, designs and code.
4. Recognise the benefits to be gained by the adoption of suitable standards for design and coding and use a given set of standards.
5. Develop simple programs in a high-level programming language.