AP CS A Wiki Home Page
AP Computer Science A is an introductory college-level computer science course. Students cultivate their understanding of coding through analyzing, writing, and testing code as they explore concepts like modularity, variables, and control structures.
AP Computer Science A introduces students to computer science through programming. Fundamental topics in this course include the design of solutions to problems, the use of data structures to organize large sets of data, the development and implementation of algorithms to process data and discover new information, the analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing systems. The course emphasizes object-oriented programming and design using the Java programming language.
AP Computer Science A is equivalent to a first-semester, college-level course in computer science.
It is recommended that a student in the AP Computer Science A course has successfully completed a first-year high school algebra course with a strong foundation of basic linear functions, composition of functions, and problem-solving strategies that require multiple approaches and collaborative efforts. In addition, students should be able to use a Cartesian (x, y) coordinate system to represent points on a plane. It is important that students and their advisers understand that any significant computer science course builds upon a foundation of mathematical reasoning that should be acquired before attempting such a course.
### Resource Requirements Students should have access to a computer system that represents relatively recent technology. A school should ensure that each student has access to a computer for at least three hours a week; additional time is desirable. Student and instructor access to computers is important during class time, but additional time is essential for students to individually develop solutions to problems.
The computer system must allow students to create, edit, quickly compile, and execute Java programs comparable in size to those found in the AP Computer Science A Labs. It is highly desirable that these computers provide students with access to the internet. It is essential that each computer science teacher has internet access. A school must ensure that each student has a college-level text for individual use both inside and outside of the classroom. Schools are encouraged to provide copies of the lab materials for individual use
The AP Computer Science A course requires that solutions of problems be written in the Java programming language. Because the Java programming language is extensive, with far more features than could be covered in a single introductory course, the AP Computer Science A Exam covers a subset of Java.
The AP Computer Science A course must include a minimum of 20 hours of hands-on, structured lab experiences to engage students in individual or group problem solving. Thus, each AP Computer Science A course includes a substantial lab component in which students design solutions to problems, express their solutions precisely (e.g., in the Java programming language), test their solutions, identify and correct errors (when mistakes occur), and compare possible solutions. College Board has developed several labs that are aligned to the course framework that fulfill the 20-hour lab requirement. The class period recommendations provided in the unit guides account for the time needed to complete each lab activity as described in the lab guide
**AP Score**
- 5 Extremely well qualified A
- 4 Well qualified A−, B+, B
- 3 Qualified B−, C+, C
- 2 Possibly qualified n/a
- 1 No recommendation n/
Textbook(s) for the class:
- https://runestone.academy/ns/books/published/2023APCSA/index.html
- https://greenteapress.com/wp/think-java-2e/
- https://greenteapress.com/thinkjava7/thinkjava2.pdf
- https://studio.code.org/courses/csa-2022?section_id=4196255