Welcome to CSCI 161 — Fall 2025

An introduction to computer science, programming, algorithms, and data structures. No experience with programming is required.

This course is devoted to learning problem solving and elementary programming skills. Topics include problem analysis, algorithm development, data representation, control structures, functions, lists, and objects.

The content used to generate the course can be found on GitHub

Professor

Dr. James Hughes

• jhughes at stfx.ca

• Annex 20B

• YouTube

Lecture

• Tue 11:30 – 12:20 (K4), MULH 4024

• Wed 13:30 – 14:20 (K5), MULH 4024

• Fri 12:30 – 13:20 (K6), MULH 4024

Lab Sections

• Lab Sec 11: Thr 14:30 – 16:20 (L8-A9), MULH 4024

• Lab Sec 12: Fri 14:30 – 16:20 (C9-K9), MULH 4024

Office Hours

• Tue 10:00 – 11:00, Annex 20B

• Wed 10:00 – 11:00, Annex 20B

• Thr 10:00 – 11:00, Annex 20B

• Fri 10:00 – 11:00, Annex 20B

Course Notes

• 1. Introduction and Output
• 2. Print, Values, Variables, Types
• 3. Statements and Expressions
• 4. Input and Changing Types
• 5. Functions
• 6. Propositional Logic
• 7. Testing Your Code and Type Hints
• 8. If/Else
• 9. Putting Things Together
• 10. Loops
• 11. Strings & Objects
• 12. Lists
• 13. References
• 14. Aliases & List Trivia
• 15. Tuples, Dictionaries, and Sets
• 16. Debugging
• 17. File IO
• 18. Exceptions
• 19. Objects I — Introduction
• 20. Objects II — More on Methods
• 21. Objects III — Interacting Objects
• 22. Unittest
• 23. Objects IV — Data Structures
• 24. Searching and Complexity
• 25. Sorting Algorithms

Labs

• 1. Hello World
• 2. Functions
• 3. Testing
• 4. Conditionals
• 5. Car Rental
• 6. Loops & Linear Search
• 7. Lists
• 8. 2D Lists
• 9. References & More Lists
• 10. Objects
• 11. Unit Testing Objects
• 12. Data Structures

Assignments

• 1. Density of Starbucks
• 2. Zombie Infections
• 3. Tic-Tac-Toe
• 4. Country Catalogue

Getting Started

• Getting set up for CSCI 161

Outline

• Computer Science 161 Section 10 — Introduction to Programming