This is CS50 AP, Harvard University’s introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming for students in high school, which satisfies the College Board’s new AP CS Principles curriculum framework.
An entry-level course taught by David J. Malan, CS50 AP teaches students how to think algorithmically and solve problems efficiently. Topics include abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development. Languages include C, PHP, and JavaScript plus SQL, CSS, and HTML. Problem sets inspired by real-world domains of biology, cryptography, finance, forensics, and gaming. As of Fall 2015, the on-campus version of CS50 was Harvard’s largest course.
Students in high school may receive AP credit for this course provided their school approves the credit and administers the College Board’s end-of-year exam. Students who earn a satisfactory score on 9 problem sets (i.e., programming assignments) and a final project are also eligible to receive a verified certificate from HarvardX.
