Broad introduction to the nature, capabilities, and limitations of computing. Topics range from the way data is represented and stored, to the way today’s computers work, to the general ideas of algorithms and computational efficiency, to the future of computing. Covers “Great Ideas” across various areas of the field, including, for example, cryptography and internet security, problem solving, modeling and simulation, and artificial intelligence.
Undergraduate Credit: 4 hours
Note: Offered in the Spring only. Same as CS 102.
Course Department: Informatics
Updated: April 4, 2026