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Calculus Placement Test and the Discrete Mathematics Exam. ... The courses are listed under the “Carnegie Mellon University Studies” section of the Sample ...
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Contents
I. Introduction and Overview of the Process 3 II. Dictionary of Acronyms and Terms 3 III. Overall Strategy for Building a Schedule 5 IV. The Freshman Immigration Course (IC) 5 V. Computing Skills Workshop (CSW) 6 VI. The Discrete Mathematics Course 6 VII. The First-Semester Programming Course 6
VIII. Choosing a Math Course 7 IX. Choosing a Science/Engineering Course 8 X. Choosing a Humanities Course 9 XI. Taking Other Courses 9 XII. Advanced Placement and Other Exam Credit 10 XIII. Transfer Credit Procedures 11 XIV. Sample Fall Schedules 12 XV. Hints for Reading the Schedule of Classes 13 XVI. Course Checklist 14 XVII. Final Thoughts 15
(^1) The format of this document has been adapted from the Mellon College of Science Freshman Packet prepared by Eric
Grotzinger, Freshman Advisor and Associate Dean, MCS and his assistant, Katya Malkin. Jim Roberts, the original SCS Freshman Advisor, added the material that is specific to SCS.
Thanks to the members of the freshmen class of 2001, 2002, and 2003 for reviewing this material and suggesting changes.
HUB The “one-stop” place for all registration and enrollment concerns located in the basement of Warner Hall, which serves as your interface to the university. Online, see http://www.cmu.edu/hub
IB International Baccalaureate (program or exam; like AP, but primarily for foreign students)
IC The Freshman Immigration Course (a course that SCS requires our freshmen to take in the fall; do not confuse it with the Immigration Course for 1st^ year Graduate students)
ID Number, Student ID Number, Student Number: All of these refer to what is usually your Social Security Number; some some students (such as those with no SS number) may have special CMU issued ID numbers.
Mini-course A course that lasts for only half a semester. CSW is a mini-course.
OC Orientation Counselor: your leader during freshman Orientation Week
OLR On-Line Registration: a system you will use to register four courses during Orientation Week
R On a Schedule: Thursday (Tuesday is abbreviated by T). On a report card: It is a letter indicating a failing grade (originally R stood for “repeat”)
RA Resident Assistant: an upper classman who helps supervise a dorm floor
The university is divided into various academic colleges and research units. The following are the 6 colleges within CMU:
CFA College of Fine Arts (Architecture, Art, Design, Drama, and Music degrees)
CIT Carnegie Institute of Technology (Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical engineering degrees)
H&SS Humanities and Social Sciences (Economics, English, History, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Social and Decision Sciences, and Statistics degrees)
MCS Mellon College of Science (Biology, Chemistry, Math, and Physics degrees)
SCS School of Computer Science (CS degree only)
SIA The Tepper School of Business, formerly the School of Industrial Administration (Business Administration)
Within SCS, the only department that offers an undergraduate degree is the Computer Science Department (CSD). I use SCS, CS, and CSD interchangeably when I am talking about undergraduate courses or students.
The first two digits in a course number are its department identifier: e.g., 15 is computer science; 21 is math; 33 is physics. The last three digits are the course identifier. While there is no absolute rule, 100 level courses are generally for freshman, 200 level courses are generally for sophomores, etc. I advise freshman not to take a course that is numbered at or above the middle 200s without first talking to me and the faculty member who is teaching the course. Here are some course numbers:
Department Course Number Course Name Art 60-011 Art Elective
Biology 03-121 Modern Biology Chemistry 09-105 Introduction to Modern Chemistry 1
Computer Science 15-200 Advanced Programming/Practicum
Economics 73-100 Principles of Economics English 76-101 Interpretation and Argument
History 79-104 World History
Math 21-127 Concepts of Mathematics Modern Languages 82-201 Intermediate French 1
Music 57-012 Music Elective
Physics 33-111 Physics for Science Students 1 Psychology 85-100 Introduction to Intelligence, in Humans, Animals, and Machines
Statistics 36-217 Probability Theory and Random Processes
Each course that you take carries a certain number of “units”. You must pass courses worth at least 360 units to graduate (your AP/IB and transfer credits will count toward this total). What is a unit? Units are a measure of the amount of work that is required by a course each week, in and out of class. Most courses are 9 or 12 unit. For example, a 9 unit course will require about 9 hours of work each week. To be a full time student at CMU, you must carry a minimum of 36 units each semester. If a schedule contains more than 57 units, it is considered to be “overloaded”. First semester freshman may not overload their schedules. I recommended a load of 49 – 56 units for a first semester CS freshmen.
If you earn a GPA of 3.00 or higher in a semester, you may overload your schedule (up to 69 units) during the following semester. If you earn a GPA lower than 3.00 in a semester, you may not overload your schedule during the following
semester. Note that the limit for a subsequent semester does not change until after the prior semester grades are posted. Thus, you cannot register for a course that overloads your schedule until after your grades for the prior semester are posted.
Courses that meet both in Lecture and Recitation have a Lecture number and Section letter. For such courses, the lectures correspond to one large group meeting and the sections correspond to recitations that are much smaller. Please note that you are required to attend all course meetings –it is not a case of pick and choose between Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday. Some courses meet just in Sections (again, specified by a letter); there is no lecture for these courses. See section XV Hints for Reading the Schedule of Classes , for more pragmatic information on this topic.
Mini-courses run for half a semester –about 7 weeks. All of you will take at least one mini-course, CSW. The university has four mini-course terms, numbered 1 through 4:
The sections of most full semester courses are identified by a single letter of the alphabet: 15-111 A Mini courses are different. They use a letter followed by a number. The letter is similar to a section letter, while the number (always last) identifies the mini-term in which the course is taught. So, 99-101 A1 is a mini-course that meets during the first half of the fall semester 99-102 A2 is a mini-course that meets during the last half of the fall semester. 15-113 B3 is a mini-course that meets during the first half of the spring semester 15-113 C4 is a mini course that meets during the last half of the spring semester. I always recommend taking mini-courses during the first half of the semester, when other courses are not near their finals.
III. Overall Strategy for Building a Schedule
You want to satisfy the following requirements in your first four semesters, or sooner:
More information about some of these requirements appears later in this booklet. The strategy to follow in planning your schedule is to satisfy these requirements a soon as possible, and preferably in your first four semesters. If you have already satisfied some of these requirements, by Advanced Placement exams, or transfer credit, or some other approved means, you should work on finishing another part of these rquirements.
There are several reasons for using this strategy. These courses are requirements, and the sooner you have them finished, the more flexibility you will have in your schedule. That flexibility in your junior and senior years may allow you to more easily satisfy the requirements for a double major, or take extra electives in an area that interests you. Because these courses are normally taken by freshmen and sophomores, you can get into these courses easily now. Avoiding these courses until your last four semesters can create a scheduling nightmare for you.
IV. The Freshman Immigration Course (IC)
You are a member of the twelfth Computer Science freshman class in this degree program. Every entering CS freshman in the previous years has taken 15-128, the Freshman Immigration Course, and you will too. There have been no exceptions. Sophomores who transfer into CS after their freshman year still must take this course during their first year here. The Dean has mandated that you will take this course and take it as a first semester freshman. The course meets on Tuesday afternoons from 3:00 to 4:20 in Wean Hall 7500. Attendance is mandatory and missing more than three sessions can result in failure for the course. You are not allowed to schedule overlapping courses or conflicts with the Freshman Immigration Course. I will check your schedule and drop you from any course that overlaps or conflicts with the IC.
At each meeting of the IC two events will occur:
If you have scored 5 on the AP AB CS Exam (7 on the IB exam), have programmed in Java, and feel confident of your abilities in Discrete Math (after taking the Discrete Math Exam), schedule 15-211 (and 21-127) concurrently. About 20 students typically follow this route.
After receiving all your materials (including the test on the First Semester Programming Course Selection document), I will also advise you as to which course I feel is appropriate for you. We have scheduled 15-100 and the 15-200 lecture to meet on the same day, at the same time. So, it will be easy to transfer between these courses during the first few weeks of the semester, if your find it necessary.
VIII. Choosing a Math Course
This section discusses the information about your mathematics requirements (outside of Discrete Mathematics). In addition, you must take the On-Line Calculus Placement Test; the documentation needed for this exam is included in this packet.
You are required to take two semesters of Calculus (typically, 21-120 and 21-122) and one semester of Matrix Algebra (21- 241). You are also advised to take Calculus in Three Dimensions (21-259), because it is a prerequisite for some of the more popular CS electives (mostly graphics courses). If you have AP credit for Calculus 1 and 2, and do well on the Calculus Placement Test, you should consider taking either 21-241 or 21-259 this fall.
Calculus 1 (21-120) is named “Differential and Integral Calculus” at CMU. Calculus 2 (21-122) is named “Integration, Differential Equations, and Approximation” at CMU
There is another variation of these two course, for students with some Calculus: Integration and Differential Equations (21-
By scoring very well on the On-Line Calculus Placement Test, you might be offered the chance to take 21-121, 21-122 or 21-123 even if you did not take the Advanced Placement exam. It is also possible that you will be required to take 21-120, 21-121, 21-122, or 21-123 even if you did take the Advanced Placement exam if your score poorly on the On-Line Calculus Placement Test. So,
The objective of this version of calculus is to offer exceptionally well prepared students a more rigorous treatment of the single variable calculus than is possible in a course that attempts to meet the needs of students of a wide range of backgrounds. The content and level of this two semester course goes well beyond that of the usual calculus sequence. Thus, the motivation to master the construction of mathematical proofs is a key pre-requisite. Finally, these courses serve as prerequisites for the Mathematical Studies program. I will be glad to talk to you about this option on campus. 21-131 Analysis I Fall only: 10 units An enriched, first course in calculus which includes a greater concentration on the foundations of the subject. Recommended for students with some prior background in calculus and who seek a deeper calculus course. Functions, limits, continuity; the Intermediate Value Theorem; the Riemann integral; the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus; integrability of continuous functions; the derivative and its significance; product rule, quotient rule, chain rule; Mean Value Theorem; inverse functions. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours recitation. 21-132 Analysis II Spring only: 10 units A continuation of Analysis I. L’Hopital’s rule; trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential functions; techniques of integration; approximation by polynomials, Taylor’s theorem; sequences, series, power series; introduction to differential equations. 3 hours lecture, 2 hours recitation. Prerequisite: 21-131, or consent of the instructor.
IX. Choosing a Science/Engineering Course
You are required to complete four science/engineering courses for graduation. Two courses must be from the same department. One of the four must be a laboratory course. Physics Lab (33-104) is a full 9 unit course all by itself and it satisfies the lab requirement. Chemistry Lab (09-101) is only a 3 unit course and must be coupled with Modern Chemistry I (09-105) to satisfy the lab requirement. If you have no AP credit, you should schedule one science or engineering course each semester for your first two years at CMU. The typical fall semester choice for a student with no AP credit is one of the following: Modern Biology (03-121), Introduction to Modern Chemistry (09-105), Physics for Science Students I (33-111), or Matter and Interaction I (33-131).
Information about Physics from the Dean of the Mellon College of Science: “When you are completing your Schedule Planning Form, you will see that you have a choice between two introductory physics courses: Physics for Science Students I (33-111), and a more advanced version, Matter and Interactions I (33-131). If you have a strong interest in physics and a good high school preparation in physics, you may wish to register for the more advanced course (33-131), which is more challenging and requires substantially more work, including a significant amount of programming. Both courses stress the atomic structure of matter, and the connections between microscopic and macroscopic views of phenomena. In addition to treating classical (Newtonian) physics, important themes are the limitations of classical physics and the need for quantum mechanics and relativity. An important emphasis is physical modeling: the prediction and explanation of physical phenomena starting from fundamental principles, making appropriate simplifying assumptions and approximations. Who should take 33-131 Matter and Interactions I: If you score a 4 on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam, or 700 or greater on the Physics SAT II exam, we encourage you to take Matter and Interactions I. In addition, if you intend to minor or double major in physics and have a 5 on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam, we encourage you to take Matter and Interactions I since it will be substantially different than the physics you took in high school. If you receive a 5 on the AP Physics C: Mechanics exam and elect to take Matter and Interactions I, you will forfeit your AP credit.
If you have AP credit for Physics 1 and do not want to take Physics 2 this semester, you may want to consider taking 33-224 Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe – a nine unit course. I wouldn’t wait too long, though, before taking Physics 2.
If you have Advanced Placement credit for a particular science course, you can take a course in a different department or the next course in the sequence. Here a list of the sequences based on prerequisites and the minor requirement in each area.
Area AP Next Course to Take
Biology Exam score of 4 Credit for 03-011 Biology Elective 03-121 Modern Biology
Exam score of 5 Credit for 03-110 General Biology
03-121 Modern Biology
Chemistry
Exam score of 4 Credit for 09-101 Chemistry Lab and 09-105 Modern Chemistry I
09-106 Modern Chemistry II
Exam score of 5 Credit for 09-101 Chemistry Lab and 09-105 Modern Chemistry I and 09-106 Modern Chemistry II
09-217 Organic Chemistry
Physics Exam score of 5 on Physics C: Mechanics exam Credit for 33-111 Physics I
33-112 Physics II or 33-224 Stars, Galaxies, Universe Exam score of 5 on Physics C: E&M exam Credit for 33-112 Physics II 33-111 Physics I Exam score of 5 on both Physics C exams Credit for 33-111 Physics 1 and 33-112 Physics II
33-211 Physics III or 33-224 Stars, Galaxies, Universe
XII. Partial Listing of Advanced Placement and Other Exam Credit
AP Exams
The following table explains CMU's Advanced Placement Policy. At this time, neither of us have received the results of any AP exams you have taken this spring. I will receive these scores in July, but the reports from ETS are sometimes incomplete. So, you should examine this table after your AP scores arrive, please bring them with you when you come to CMU. A complete version of this table is available at: http://ww.csd.cs.cmu.edu/education/bscs/ap_policyt.html
Subject Score Credit Awarded Art History 5 60-
Biology 4 03-
5 03-110 *
Calculus AB 4/5 21-120 ** Calculus BC 4/5 21-120 & 21-122 **
Chemistry 4 09-101 & 09- 5 09-101, 105 & 106
Computer Science A 4/5 15-
Computer Science AB 4 15- 5 15-100 & 15-
Economics: Macro 4/4 73-
Economics: Micro 4/5 73- English Lang/Lit & Comp 5 76-011 ***
Environmental Science 4/5 66-
European History 5 79- French Lang; French Lit 4 82-
5 82-201 & 82-
German 4 82- 5 82-221 & 82-
Govt. & Politics: Comp 4/5 88-
Govt. & Politics: US 4/5 88- Human Geography 4/6 66-
Latin Lit; Latin Virgil 4 82- 5 82-011 & 82-
Music Theory 4/5 57-
Physics B no credit (for any score) Physics C: Mechanics 5 33-111 +
Physics C: E & M 5 33-112 +
Psychology 4/5 85- Spanish Lang; Spanish Lit 4 82-
5 82-241 & 82-
Statistics 4 36- 5 36-
Studio Art: 2-D Design 4/5 51-
Studio Art: 3-D Design 4/5 51- Studio Art: Drawing 5 60-
U.S. History 5 79-
World History 5 79-
At CMU, only students scoring above 3 on an AP exam receive any kind of credit. In fact, for some exams, only students scoring a 5 will receive credit. See the details on the left for individual classes.
** Credit and placement for Calculus depend on the results of a Carnegie Mellon placement test as well as AP exam scores. In addition, credit for Calculus courses is conditional upon successful completion of a subsequent Mathematics course.
*** 76-011 cannot be used to satisfy the Writing requirement. However, students who receive credit for 76-011 have the option of taking 76-101 (the freshman writing course) or one of a published set of upper-level writing courses to satisfy the Writing requirement.
Conditional AP Credit for Calculus Calculus and Computer Science AP credit are awarded as conditional credit: you won’t receive final AP credit for these courses until you have passed the next course in the sequence. For example, if you have AP Calculus AB credit, you should sign up for 21-122 in the fall. When you pass 21-122, your credit for 21-120 will be finalized. If you have credit for AP Calculus BC (4 or 5), you will receive final credit when you pass a 200 level equivalent math course (21-141 or 21-259). Finally, recall that you must also score well enough on the On-Line Calculus Placement Test to receive AP credit.
Conditional AP Credit for English English AP credit is also conditional upon passing a designated writing course at Carnegie Mellon. So, if you receive a 5 on the Language and Composition AP exam and/or the Literature and Composition AP exam, you must choose one of the following two options:
Whichever option you choose, you should complete a writing course during your freshman year.
International Baccalaureate and A Levels For most International Baccalaureate exams, credit is awarded for grades of 6 or 7 on exams in most subject areas. If you have IB credit, plan your schedule with the next course in the sequence. A similar policy exists for A Level exams. If possible, you should mail me a copy of your IB or A Level scores with your registration materials. Do not send the originals , but please bring the originals with you in August.
Exam Credit Awarded Biology 03-011 or 03- Calculus 21-120/122* Chemistry 09-101/105/ Computer Science 15-100/ Economics 73- English 76- Physics 33-111/ Stats 36-
You must score a passing grade on the On-Line Calculus Placement Test to receive credit. As with AP exams, this credit is provisional until you pass the “next” Mathematics course.
Other Certificates Certificates for examinations other than the A Level and the IB exams are not honored by Carnegie Mellon.
XIII. Transfer Credit Procedures
You may have taken college courses prior to coming to CMU. To receive transfer credit you need to provide me with a copy of the following:
Do not send URLs for documentation. I have to work with 130+ sets of incoming student records and simply do not have the resources to verify the URL and print it for you. Likewise, do not send more information than is necessary: copy just the pertinent sections and send them. The clearer and more organized your information is, the easier it is for me to present your case to Mark clearly. If I have any questions or doubts, or if materials are missing or insufficient, I must wait until I see you in August to finish up your transfer credit requests.
If your high school offered a college level course, you may receive transfer credit. You need to provide me with:
The transcripts that you sent to CMU are not sent to me. I do need a copy for your records here in CS. So please send me a copy. Do not send the originals , but please bring them with you in August.
Not all high schools teach college level courses. The depth and rigor of the course must be established to be college level for credit to be awarded. This proof is your responsibility. High school courses that are very similar to college courses do
XV. Hints for Reading the Schedule of Classes
Like everything new, reading the Schedule of Classes can seem daunting, but you will soon master it. Persevere.
Recall that courses that meet both in Lecture and Recitation have a Lecture number and Section letter. For such courses, the lectures correspond to one large group meeting and the sections correspond to recitations that are much smaller. Typically one will meet Monday/Wednesday/Friday and the other Tuesday/Thursday. Please note that you are required to attend all course meetings –it is not a case of pick and choose between Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Tuesday/Thursday. Some courses meet just in Sections (again, specified by a letter); there is no lecture for these courses. Below is an illustration of a course that meets in two lectures and 11 recitations. So, you will be in class 5 days/week.
Number Title/Units Lec/Sec Day Begin End Room Instructor 21-120 Differential & Integral Calculus 10 Lec 1 MWF 08:30AM 09:20AM PH 100 Walker A TR 08:30AM 09:20AM WEH 8427 Instructor TBA B TR 08:30AM 09:20AM OSC 200 Instructor TBA C TR 09:30AM 10:20AM DH 2122 Instructor TBA D TR 09:30AM 10:20AM PH 226B Instructor TBA E TR 12:30PM 01:20PM DH 1217 Instructor TBA F TR 03:30PM 04:20PM WEH 6423 Instructor TBA Lec 2 MWF 09:30AM 10:20PM PH 100 Walker G TR 11:30AM 12:20PM SH 220 Instructor TBA H TR 11:30AM 12:20PM TBD Instructor TBA I TR 12:30PM 01:20PM PH A29 Instructor TBA J TR 01:30PM 02:20PM WEH 8427 Instructor TBA K TR 04:30PM 05:20PM SH220 Instructor TBA
Number/Title/Units : The course number and title appear on the top line, with the number of units appearing beneath the title. This 10 unit course meets in both lecture and recitations/sections.
Lec/Sec : There are two lectures (1-2) and eleven recitations (A-K). Note that recitations are automatically associated with the lecture above them: sections A-F are associated with lecture 1 and sections G-K are associated with lecture 2. You register just for a recitation; when you do so, the OLR system automatically registers you in the correct lecture. It is important to attend the lecture that corresponds to your section, as different teachers may sequence the material they teach differently. Even the same instructor teaching two different lectures might move at a different pace.
Day : The pattern of M/W/F for lecture and T/R for recitation is very common in Mathematics and Science courses.
Being/End : Most (3-day) lectures and recitations meet for 50 minutes; you then have 10 minutes to get to your next class.
Room : PH 100 is Porter Hall 100; WEH 8427 is Wean Hall 8427. You’ll soon learn these abbreviations and find favorite buildings/rooms. TBD means To Be Determined.
Instructor : Often the lecture is taught by a faculty member and the recitation by a graduate student (although sometimes the lecturer will also lead one recitation). TBA means To Be Arranged.
Below is an illustration of a course that meets in sections only. So, you will be in class three days per week.
Number Title/Units Lec/Sec Day Begin End Room Instructor 03-121 Modern Biology 9 A MWF 01:30PM 02:20PM DH 2315 Brown, Burkett B MWF 02:30PM 03:20PM DH 2315 Brown, Burkett
Here you register either for section A or B. The only difference between these sections is they meet at different times. The same faculty members are responsible for each lecture (or, they just haven’t decided who will teach which yet).
XVI. Course Checklist: among all the courses you take, these are requirements
Number Category and/or Course Name Units
xx-xxx Science/Engineering: _________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Science/Engineering: _________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Science/Engineering: _________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Sci/Eng Lab: _________________________________________________ _______
99-10x Computer Skills Workshop _______
15-100 Introductory/Intermediate Programming _______
15-200 Advanced Programming/Practicum _______
15-113 System Skills in C (mini course) _______
15-128 Freshman Immigration Course _______
15-211 Fundamental Data Structures and Algorithms _______
15-212 Principles of Programming _______
15-213 Introduction to Computer Systems _______
15-251 Great Theoretical Ideas in CS (2nd Discrete Math course) _______
15-451 Algorithm Design and Analysis _______
15-xxx Applications _______
15-xxx Fundamentals of Algorithms _______
15-xxx Fundamentals of Programming _______
15-xxx Systems Course _______
15-xxx CS Elective: ________________________________________________________ _______
15-xxx CS Elective: ________________________________________________________ _______
21-120 Differential and Integral Calculus _______
21-122 Integration, Differential Equations, and Approximation _______
21-127 Concepts of Mathematics (1st^ Discrete Mathematics course) _______
21-241 Matrix Algebra _______
36-217 Probability Course: ___________________________________________________ _______
76-101 Writing Course: _____________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Category 1: ________________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Category 2: ________________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Category 3: ________________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx H&SS/CFA: ________________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx H&SS/CFA: ________________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx H&SS/CFA: ________________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx H&SS/CFA: ________________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______
xx-xxx Minor/Elective: ______________________________________________________ _______