Course
Lecturer
Office Hours
Email Address
Book
CSE/CIT 120, Introduction to Computers and Programming with Excel
Section CSE 41882, CIT 41881
Oakland University, School of Computer Science and Engineering
4 credits
Fall 2010
M/W/F 9:20 – 10:27 a.m., 202 Dodge Hall (first day of class) & 167
Dodge Hall
Laura Dinsmoor
By appointment, 122 Dodge Hall
dinsmoor@oakland.edu
Computing with Excel and VBA, Second Edition, Krishan,
Recommended
ISBN: 9780763756680 (required)
A USB portable storage device with capacity of 512 MB or greater
Credits
Semester
Lecture
Course Description:
This course is designed to introduce you to computers and programming using Excel and Visual
Basic for Applications (VBA). In this course you will learn about many features of Excel, problem
solving and simulation using Excel, and customization of your solutions through VBA programming.
The emphasis in the course will be on developing problem solving skills. The examples used in the
course are taken either from activities that you can easily relate with or are designed to introduce
some computing and engineering concepts. The topics covered in the course include stored program
computer model, Excel basics, worksheet functions, problem solving strategies, working with text,
dates and times, lists and charts including pivot tables and pivot charts, simulation using Excel,
macros, and VBA programming.
The successful completion of the course should provide you with skills to analyze problems and
to develop and code simple algorithms. The list of course objectives is as follows:
Basic Excel operations including functions and charts
Information representation in computers including number systems and logic gates
Concepts of algorithms and problem solving strategies
Working with text, dates and time in Excel
Working with lists and tables in Excel including pivot tables
Charting in Excel
Simulation using Excel
Recording and coding Macros using VBA
Writing custom functions and using Excel functions in VBA
Program flow control in VBA
The course satisfies the university general education requirement in the formal reasoning
knowledge foundation area.
Catalog Course Description: This course includes an introduction to computers and programming
to develop small applications. It introduces students to developing algorithms for applications that
contain integrated development environments (IDEs) such as Microsoft Excel’s IDE for Visual Basic
for Applications (VBA). Algorithmic topics include designing the algorithm, using repetitive
structures, employing decision structures, and working with functions, sub routines, and ActiveX
controls. Programming topics include application automation and presenting information
programmatically using visualization tools such as charts and graphs with an emphasis on developing
software for typical business applications. Students will also develop presentations with high media
content. This course is accompanied by laboratory sessions.
Course Prerequisites: Computer Literacy and Math 012 or equivalent.
General Education Learning Outcomes:
Formal Reasoning
FR1. Knowledge of one or more formal reasoning systems such as computer programming,
mathematics, statistics, linguistics or logic
FR2. Application of formal reasoning to read, understand, model and solve problems across a variety
of applications
Class & Homework
Attendance is not mandatory, but will be used as extra credit this semester. Attendance is taken
at the beginning of class only.
The homework assignments must be completed and submitted on time using Moodle. No late
homework will be accepted. You need to use Excel 2007 to do the homework. If you do not
have it, you can use the PC’s in Dodge Hall or other areas on campus to do your homework.
These assignments will require students to practice techniques in developing algorithms for
automating applications that perform functions relevant to practical problems, analyzing data
using spreadsheet statistical formulas, and presenting information using charts and presentation
software using the tools and material presented in the lectures.
Academic Conduct: Expected conduct on lab assignments and exams
Cheating is a serious academic crime. Oakland University policy requires that all suspected
instances of cheating be reported to the Academic Conduct Committee for adjudication. It is
assumed that ALL WORK THROUGHOUT THE TERM IS YOUR OWN! Discussion of
homework assignments is permitted but copying of assignments or parts of assignments is
not! Handing in a homework assignment that was essentially copied from someone else does
constitute cheating. All of the tests are closed book. Obtaining help from notes, another
individual or from hand held computing devices during an exam is regarded as cheating.
Moodle
Moodle is the tool I use for our class web page. The address is http://moodle.oakland.edu/
Use your SAIL account name and password to login to the system. I will be posting important
notes to the class, exam dates, labs, and class examples on our web page.
See http://www2.oakland.edu/uts/files/AmIEligibleEmailAccount.pdf on how to access your OU
email account. It is your responsibility to have all this worked out prior to first lab due date,
because late labs are not accepted.
Exams
There are three exams and one final in the class; dates will be posted on Moodle. Once the exam
starts, you cannot leave the room until you finish your exam. Cell phone or other electronic
device use is not acceptable during the exam Students must bring a picture ID and Scantron
(form F-1712-PAR-L) to the exams. Make up exams are not given for unexcused absenses.
Students arriving late for the exam (after the first person finishes it) will not be allowed to
take the exam, and will receive a zero.
Grading
Grades will be based on the formula GRADE = (percentage score/16) – 2
Homework
Exams
Final
35%
45%
20%
Class Schedule: The tentative weekly schedule is as follows.
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Topic
Class intro
Intro to computers, Excel Basics
More Excel
Exam 1, Working with Conditions
Working with Conditions
Computing as Problem Solving
Computing as Problem Solving, Exam 2
Working with Text, Dates, and Times
Working with Tables, Charting
Data Analysis and Simulation), Macros
Exam 3, Macros
VBA Programming
VBA Programming, Thanksgiving recess
VBA Programming, Review for Final
First day of class is Friday September 3rd. The last day of class is Friday December 3rd. Oakland
University is closed on Monday September 6th and November 25th – 26th for holidays.
Our final exam is Wednesday December 8th at 8 a.m..
122 Dodge Hall, my office
167 Dodge Hall
202 Dodge Hall (first day of class)