This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts of computer programming and the Python programming language. It is targeted towards the needs of geoscientists. The course is designed to: (i) develop students’ problem-solving skills; (ii) give students a clear understanding of the fundamental concepts of computer programming, such that they are in a good position to learn any programming language required for their research; and (iii) ensure that all students have core competencies in the Python programming language, which will later be utilized in their research for tasks such as modeling, scripting, analyzing and processing data and generating high-quality figures for presentations and publications.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Apply strategies for: Breaking complex tasks down into manageable pieces; Tackling such tasks, and verifying that results are sound; Identifying and resolving undesired or unexpected results.
- Apply Python in their research work, including: Read and write data files in a variety of formats; Create figures and animations suitable for analysing or presenting results; Undertake simple computational modeling and simulation tasks.
- Recognize the fundamental concepts of programming and computer science, supporting the development of more advanced skills through self-study and further practice.
- Teach themselves other programming languages (e.g. Matlab, Fortran, C, …) as required.
Indicative Assessment
- Assignment 1 - completed in class during first half of course (20) [LO 1,4]
- Assignment 2 + oral exam - completed in own time following end of lectures (80) [LO 2,3]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
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Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including:
- Face-to face component which may consist of approximately 30 hours of lecture attendance and approximately 30 hours of practical sessions throughout the semester.
- Approximately 70 hours of self-study which will include preparation for lectures, practicals and other assessment tasks.
Inherent Requirements
Not yet determined
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
None specified
Assumed Knowledge
An undergraduate-level background in Earth Sciences, or cognate subjects, such as Chemistry, Marine Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Physics and Physical Geography. Students are assumed to be competent general computer users, but no prior knowledge of programming is required. Some familiarity with basic mathematics is also assumed.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4050 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3731 | 24 Feb 2020 | 02 Mar 2020 | 08 May 2020 | 05 Jun 2020 | In Person | View |
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8972 | 27 Jul 2020 | 03 Aug 2020 | 31 Aug 2020 | 30 Oct 2020 | In Person | N/A |