[CPSC 110 Links]

CPSC 110 FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

1. The lecture section I want to take is full / I am on the wait list for CPSC 110. What should I do?
• Please see the Wait List Policy. Course instructors and staff in the Computer Science Department do not have the ability to register students in courses that are full or restricted. Please do not contact instructors, Course Coordinators, or CS Advising to ask about your wait list position or bypassing the wait list.


2. I'm registered in a lecture and lab section, but I want to switch into a different lecture or lab section that isn't full. What should I do?
• Please follow the instructions for swapping a course in Workday Student.


3. I'm registered in a lecture and lab section, but I want to switch into a different lecture or lab section that is full. What should I do?
• You must attend the lecture and lab section that you are registered in, even if they are not your preferred lecture or lab section. Course instructors and staff in the Computer Science Department do not have the ability to register students in courses that are full or restricted. Please do not contact instructors, Course Coordinators, or CS Advising to ask about switching into a lecture or lab section that is full or restricted. Before the add/drop deadline, you can monitor Workday Student closely to see if space opens up in your preferred section and follow the instructions for swapping a course. Switching lecture or lab sections after the add/drop deadline is not possible. If you are able to switch into your preferred lab section before the add/drop deadline, please tell one of the TAs that you recently switched lab sections when you attend your first lab in the new section.


4. Can I use any computer for the course?
• You can use any computer that can run the DrRacket software we use in the course. Windows, Mac, and Linux machines work fine, iPads and other similar devices do not.


5. Are lecture recordings provided?
• We will provide recordings of the online lecture sections to all students in the course for review purposes. Please note that these lecture recordings are a supplement, rather than an alternative to attending and participating in your lecture section.


6. Why is one of my grades "EX" in Canvas?
• Exemptions are recorded as "EX" in Canvas — this is our way of indicating that we need to omit that grade when calculating final grades at the end of the term. As a result, total grade calculations for assignment groups in Canvas are not necessarily accurate.


7. Are total grade calculations for assignment groups in Canvas accurate?
• No, please only refer to individual items (e.g. Lab 1: Intro) on Canvas as total grade calculations for assignment groups (e.g. Labs) may be inaccurate if you've received any exemptions.


8. I'm registered in the course but there has been a delay in my Visa/study permit processing and I will not arrive in Vancouver until after the term starts. What should I do?
• What we've learned from students who have been in this situation in the past, is that unfortunately they have a very difficult time and often end up withdrawing from or failing the course. CPSC 110 is a course in which it is extremely difficult to catch up. Each lecture builds on all of the previous lectures, so understanding lecture 3 isn't possible unless students have mastered lectures 1 and 2. CPSC 110 is also a four credit course; including the hours spent attending lecture and lab, the course requires students to work 14+ hours per week from the very first day of the term. Students who experience Visa/study permit delays that prevent them from attending classes from the first day experience many challenges that impact their learning. A few of the biggest include:
  • Their Visas/study permits often end up being further delayed, sometimes past the first or even second midterm, which are required to be written in person.
  • The time difference between their home country and Vancouver prevents them from attending synchronous (live) online course activities while they are waiting to travel to Vancouver.
  • Travelling around their home country for the Visa/study permit process takes a significant amount of time away from working on the course.
  • Preparing for moving to a new country and travelling from their home country to Vancouver takes a significant amount of time away from working on the course.
  • Getting settled in to living in a new country (e.g., securing housing, setting up a bank account, setting up a phone plan, etc.) takes a significant amount of time away from working on the course.
• We strongly encourage students who are in this situation to take the course during the next term, when they will be able to fully participate from the first day. Our data shows that students who participate from the first day are significantly more likely to pass and do well in the course. If you are in this situation, please email cpsc110-admin@cs.ubc.ca and we can assist you in registering in the course for the next term.


9. I have a different question about CPSC 110. Who should I ask?
• Please read the entire syllabus before asking any questions. It will save you time in the long-run, and it will save the course team valuable time that we can use to better support students in learning the course material. Questions that are answered in the syllabus or by resources linked in the syllabus are not guaranteed a response. (Tip: use Ctrl/Cmd+F on the syllabus page to quickly find a topic.) If your question is about the course material, please post on Piazza or ask a TA or instructor during lecture, lab, or office hours. Please direct administrative questions and questions regarding academic concession to cpsc110-admin@cs.ubc.ca.