Computer Science
Students interested in computer science can pursue a four-year sequence, which includes fundamental reasoning and algorithmic skills as well as languages necessary to write computer programs.
At Catlin Gabel, our Computer Science program offers a robust educational path that encourages students to explore and innovate within the field of computer science. All computer science classes are yearlong electives and project based, except for teaching assistantships.
Foundational Year
Our entry-level computer science class is open to all students, and no prior experience is required. In this class, students are taught to analyze problems and develop potential solutions using Python, a computer programming language. Projects focus on creating thoughtfully designed code and include 2-D and 3-D graphics and data visualization.
Advanced Honors Courses
At Catlin Gabel, students can continue to build their computer science skills. The next class in the sequence is Honors Computer Science II: Data Structures. It is the prerequisite for any further study and is similar in content to a first-year college course. The focus is on implementing and analyzing alternative methods for structuring data. Java is used for all assignments. Students who take this course have the option to take the Advanced Placement Computer A Exam, which is offered in May. Students can then either explore subfields of computer science or take independent research. Typical areas explored include artificial intelligence, public key cryptography, and three-dimensional computer graphics.
Teaching Assistantships
Students can select to become a teaching assistant for a semester. TAs attend class each day and help students resolve questions. TAs may plan and teach full lessons as the semester progresses.
For More Information
To see computer science classes offered now, please see the upper school course catalog. For Global Online Academy courses, please visit their website. These offerings diverge from our on-campus curriculum. We recommend them only to give students an introduction to a subject but not as a replacement for our Computer Science I class.