University of Galway

Course Module Information

Course Modules

15 months long | Credits: 5

In MCT609, Fundamentals of Programming, students will receive a solid introduction to the art and science of computer programming. The emphasis is on the fundamentals of problem solving and program construction, with the high-level “C” language used as the vehicle for doing this. Upon successful completion, students will be capable of developing and maintaining useful software of reasonable size and complexity. The module is suitable for students with no previous experience of computer programming as well as those with moderate previous knowledge or knowledge of languages other than C. It will provide students with a solid foundation in the key concepts of functional programming, as well as an appreciation of object-oriented programming. The emphasis is on applied problem-solving skills as well as on the theoretical concepts underlying the programming activity. Although the module focuses specifically on the C language, students who have successfully completed it will typically find learning other high-level languages relatively easy, having learned the important skills and concepts of programming in this module.
(Language of instruction: English)

Learning Outcomes
  1. Design and develop well-structured, modular, maintainable software programs using the C language
  2. Understand and modify C programs written by other people
  3. Design and develop C programs of substantial size, involving multiple source files and libraries imported from other programmers
  4. Design and develop C programs of substantial algorithmic complexity, involving multiple nested control structures and multiple dimensioned arrays
  5. Make competent use of pointers and dynamic memory allocation for flexible data storage
  6. Make use of data structures and understand their relevance to object-oriented programming
  7. Develop C programs that make use of disk files for persistent data storage
  8. Transfer the principles of programming using C to other high-level programming languages
Assessments
  • Continuous Assessment (100%)
Teachers
The above information outlines module CT609: "Fundamentals of Programming" and is valid from 2018 onwards.
Note: Module offerings and details may be subject to change.