Program Overview

Introduction to Programming (INST0091)

Key Information

The Introduction to Programming module is offered by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, with the Information Studies department serving as the teaching department. This module has a credit value of 15. It is restricted to students on the BSc Information, Data and Society programme only.

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

Module Content

The aim of this module is to introduce basic concepts of object-oriented and imperative computer programming, developing programming skills and related problem-solving skills. Upon successful completion, students will be able to design, write, debug, and test short programs and program modules in Python.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the programming concepts covered, including the object-oriented paradigm.
• Develop programs to solve small problems.
• Develop an aptitude for working on larger computational projects.

Delivery Method

A combination of teaching and learning methods will be used, including lectures and computing laboratory work, with an emphasis on practical work (exercises and mini-projects) to support the theoretical aspects of the module syllabus.

Additional Information

Weekly feedback on problem-based tutorial sheet work and lab-based practical work with peers and teaching staff are included. Exercises and mini group projects are conducted throughout the module.

Indicative readings include:

• Samoylov, N., 2018. Introduction to Programming. United Kingdom: Packt Publishing.
• Lutz, M., 2013. Learning python: Powerful object-oriented programming. O'Reilly Media, Inc.
• Deitel, P. and Deitel, H., 2020. Intro to Python for Computer Science and Data Science. Pearson Education.

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

The intended teaching term for this module is Term 2, and it is classified as an undergraduate module at FHEQ Level 4.

Teaching and Assessment

Mode of Study

The mode of study for this module is in person, with the intended teaching location being UCL East.

Methods of Assessment

The methods of assessment include:

• 30% In-class activity
• 20% Coursework
• 50% Viva or oral presentation

The mark scheme uses numeric marks.

Other Information

• The number of students on the module in the previous year was 40.
• The module leader is Dr. Foteini Valeonti.

This module description was last updated on 10th March 2026.