Topic outline

  • Welcome to the Python Programming MOOC course!

    Programming I will be arranged as a MOOC (Massive Online Open Course), which utilises modules 1-7 of the Introduction to programming with Python course provided by the University of Helsinki. An Aalto BIZ-specific 2023 course link to the MOOC is used. The instructions how to set up the programming environment will be briefed when the course launches (Wednesday, October 25, the online lecture will be available as a recording also). The slide handouts for the session with step-by-step instructions are already available below, so that you can install the programming environment before the first session, if you wish.  No previous experience from programming is needed for conducting the exercises.

    The coding exercises should be completed in two batches, by November 15 (from parts 1-4 of the course), and by December 11 (from parts 5-7), the night before the first exam, which is arranged by Aalto on December 12, 2023. Thus, there are two deadlines for conducting the coding exercises, and 70% of an earlier exercise module should be completed in order to proceed to the next one (i.e., a new module's exercises can't be downloaded to the coding environment before this threshold is achieved). You should reserve plenty of time for conducting the coding exercises (do them weekly, ca. 10-20 hours per week), as there's around 200 of them in total. The weight of the final exam is 50% of the grade. See the Syllabus for details. There are no compulsory lectures in the course, but weekly online help sessions on Wednesdays will be arranged via Zoom at 18.00 - 19.30 o'clock (recurring link). If needed, in-person help sessions can also be arranged at campus. Also a Zulip chat platform will be in use for Q&A and peer support during the course.

    In case you have any questions regarding enrolment or the course, please contact Doctoral researcher Yuting Jiang or Dr. Johanna Bragge (@aalto.fi). If you have technical issues with Sisu registration, please see the FAQ in Sisu Help, or contact your program's study coordinator.

    Peer support for solving the coding problems is available throughout the course at our Zulip chat forum or via the general MOOC course's Discord channel. You are encouraged to discuss the solutions with other students, but you can learn coding only by trying to do the exercises first hands-on yourself.