Posts from — October 2008

Long time, no post.  That’s because I’ve been up to my eyeballs in Problem Sets.

Computer Science programs at traditional universities tend to be pretty rich in theory classes.  CS is very much like a math degree and many CS departments are linked to the math departments which can surprise some people.  That’s a big difference from your typical IT degree offered at a garden-variety non-traditional school.  When I was looking for programs that would allow me to complete my degree on-line, the focus for most of those schools was on learning some programming language or development tool or framework.  The theory of computation isn’t nearly as concrete a skill-set as C# programming.

Of course, this is a good thing from my perspective.  I was specifically looking for a program that was heavy on theory but allowed for some mix-in of practical skills that would be useful to someone who needed a specific skill.  I’m happy to say that Harvard Extension provides this environment.

That’s why I signed up for CSCI E-207, Formal Systems and Computation.  It’s actually a taped version of CS-121, a course taught at Harvard College.  Harvard Extension typically offers about 20 to 30 of these classes every year, which give non-traditional students to opportunity to learn from regular Harvard faculty.

if you ever had any questions about the differences between the material at HES and the College, take a close look at these two problem sets.

CSCI E-207 Problem Set 3

CS-121 Problem Set 3

Petty similar, eh?  The one major difference is that the points awarded are different.  I’m not sure what the rationale for this is.  It’s possible that the College students are being graded on some different scale than the Extension students.  What’s important to realize is that the material we are expected to absorb and the work we’re expected to do is pretty close to what they expect of the Harvard kids.  If you ever entertained the thought that HES isn’t really Harvard, then you might change your opinion if you had to actually take one of these classes.

I’m excited and a little anxious about performing well in this class.  This course is about as close to being about pure computation as you can get.  Understanding the fundamental principles they are covering is an important part of any real computer science degree.  It’s right up there with understanding data structures and algorithms.

I’m also taking CSCI E-168 this semester, Ruby on Rails.  It’s pretty much a boot-camp style course on Ruby and Web Development using Rails.  One suggestion: if you are planning on taking a heavy course like E-207, mix it with another class that’s not as intense a time demand or take it alone.

You have been warned.