Course Listing

An introduction to the most important discoveries and intellectual paradigms in computer science, designed for students with little or no previous background. Explores problem-solving and data analysis using Python, a programming language with a simple syntax and a powerful set of libraries. This course covers basic data types and collections (lists, dictionaries, tuples, and sets), control flow, recursion, supervised machine learning via regression, visualization, information hiding and encapsulation using classes and objects, and introduces the analysis of program performance. Presents an integrated view of computer systems, from switching circuits up through compilers, and examines theoretical and practical limitations related to unsolvable and intractable computational problems. Other topics include the social and ethical dilemmas presented by such issues as software unreliability, algorithmic bias, artificial intelligence, and invasions of privacy.

Widely applicable mathematical tools for computer science, including topics from logic, set theory, combinatorics, number theory, probability theory, and graph theory. Practice in reasoning formally and proving theorems.

An introduction to computational thinking, useful concepts in the field of computer science, and the art of computer programming using Python. Significant emphasis is placed on class meetings and learning to use computers to solve complex, real-world problems. Concepts and techniques are introduced as they are needed to help solve the problems confronting us. Students will learn how to go from an ambiguous problem description to a running solution and will leave the class knowing how to instruct computers to do what they want them to do. Prior experience in computer science or computer programming is not necessary.

This is CS50, Harvard University's introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming, for concentrators and non-concentrators alike, with or without prior programming experience. (More than half of CS50 students have never taken CS before!) This course teaches you how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach you how to program in one language, this course teaches you how to program fundamentally and how to teach yourself new languages ultimately. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today's newer languages, via which you'll learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, loops, and more, but also about how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that you'll understand all the more because of C. Toward term's end, the course introduces SQL, via which you can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which you can create web and mobile apps alike. Course culminates in a final project. See https://cs50.harvard.edu/college for advice, FAQs, syllabus, and what's new. Email the course's heads at heads@cs50.harvard.edu with questions.

This is CS50, Harvard University's introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming, for concentrators and non-concentrators alike, with or without prior programming experience. (More than half of CS50 students have never taken CS before!) This course teaches you how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach you how to program in one language, this course teaches you how to program fundamentally and how to teach yourself new languages ultimately. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today's newer languages, via which you'll learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, loops, and more, but also about how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that you'll understand all the more because of C. Toward term's end, the course introduces SQL, via which you can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which you can create web and mobile apps alike. Course culminates in a final project. See https://cs50.harvard.edu/college for advice, FAQs, syllabus, and what's new. Email the course's heads at heads@cs50.harvard.edu with questions.

This is CS50, Harvard University's introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming, for concentrators and non-concentrators alike, with or without prior programming experience. (More than half of CS50 students have never taken CS before!) This course teaches you how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach you how to program in one language, this course teaches you how to program fundamentally and how to teach yourself new languages ultimately. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today's newer languages, via which you'll learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, loops, and more, but also about how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that you'll understand all the more because of C. Toward term's end, the course introduces SQL, via which you can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which you can create web and mobile apps alike. Course culminates in a final project. See https://cs50.harvard.edu/college for advice, FAQs, syllabus, and what's new. Email the course's heads at heads@cs50.harvard.edu with questions.

This is CS50, Harvard University's introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming, for concentrators and non-concentrators alike, with or without prior programming experience. (More than half of CS50 students have never taken CS before!) This course teaches you how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach you how to program in one language, this course teaches you how to program fundamentally and how to teach yourself new languages ultimately. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today's newer languages, via which you'll learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, loops, and more, but also about how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that you'll understand all the more because of C. Toward term's end, the course introduces SQL, via which you can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which you can create web and mobile apps alike. Course culminates in a final project. See https://cs50.harvard.edu/college for advice, FAQs, syllabus, and what's new. Email the course's heads at heads@cs50.harvard.edu with questions.

This is CS50, Harvard University's introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming, for concentrators and non-concentrators alike, with or without prior programming experience. (More than half of CS50 students have never taken CS before!) This course teaches you how to solve problems, both with and without code, with an emphasis on correctness, design, and style. Topics include computational thinking, abstraction, algorithms, data structures, and computer science more generally. Problem sets inspired by the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences. More than teach you how to program in one language, this course teaches you how to program fundamentally and how to teach yourself new languages ultimately. The course starts with a traditional but omnipresent language called C that underlies today's newer languages, via which you'll learn not only about functions, variables, conditionals, loops, and more, but also about how computers themselves work underneath the hood, memory and all. The course then transitions to Python, a higher-level language that you'll understand all the more because of C. Toward term's end, the course introduces SQL, via which you can store data in databases, along with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, via which you can create web and mobile apps alike. Course culminates in a final project. See https://cs50.harvard.edu/college for advice, FAQs, syllabus, and what's new. Email the course's heads at heads@cs50.harvard.edu with questions.

Fundamental concepts in the design of computer programs, emphasizing the crucial role of abstraction. The goal of the course is to give students insight into the difference between programming and programming well. To emphasize the differing approaches to expressing programming solutions, you will learn to program in a variety of paradigms -- including functional, imperative, and object-oriented. Important ideas from software engineering and models of computation will inform these different views of programming.

Fundamental concepts in the design of computer programs, emphasizing the crucial role of abstraction. The goal of the course is to give students insight into the difference between programming and programming well. To emphasize the differing approaches to expressing programming solutions, you will learn to program in a variety of paradigms -- including functional, imperative, and object-oriented. Important ideas from software engineering and models of computation will inform these different views of programming.

Fundamental concepts in the design of computer programs, emphasizing the crucial role of abstraction. The goal of the course is to give students insight into the difference between programming and programming well. To emphasize the differing approaches to expressing programming solutions, you will learn to program in a variety of paradigms -- including functional, imperative, and object-oriented. Important ideas from software engineering and models of computation will inform these different views of programming.

Fundamental concepts in the design of computer programs, emphasizing the crucial role of abstraction. The goal of the course is to give students insight into the difference between programming and programming well. To emphasize the differing approaches to expressing programming solutions, you will learn to program in a variety of paradigms -- including functional, imperative, and object-oriented. Important ideas from software engineering and models of computation will inform these different views of programming.

Fundamentals of computer systems programming, machine organization, and performance tuning. This course provides a solid background in systems programming and a deep understanding of low-level machine organization and design. Topics include C and assembly language programming, program optimization, memory hierarchy and caching, virtual memory and dynamic memory management, concurrency, threads, and synchronization.

Formerly CS 179, the course covers skills and techniques necessary to design innovative interactive products that are useful, usable and that address important needs of people other than yourself. You will learn how to uncover needs that your customers cannot even articulate. You will also learn a range of design principles, effective creativity-related practices, and techniques for rapidly creating and evaluating product prototypes. You will also have several opportunities to formally communicate your design ideas to a variety of audiences. You will complete two large team-based design projects.

Supervised individual study of advanced topics in computer science. A student wishing to enroll in Computer Science 91r must be accepted by a faculty member who will supervise the course work. Additional information and a form are available via https://harvardcs.info/forms/#cs-91r-form. The form must be filled out and signed by the student and faculty supervisor. Students writing theses may enroll in this course while conducting thesis research and writing.

Supervised individual study of advanced topics in computer science. A student wishing to enroll in Computer Science 91r must be accepted by a faculty member who will supervise the course work. Additional information and a form are available via https://harvardcs.info/forms/#cs-91r-form. The form must be filled out and signed by the student and faculty supervisor. Students writing theses may enroll in this course while conducting thesis research and writing.

What is privacy, and how is it affected by recent developments in technology? This course critically examines popular concepts of privacy and uses a rigorous analysis of technologies to understand the policy and ethical issues at play. Case studies: database anonymity, research ethics, wiretapping, surveillance, and others. Course relies on some technical material, but is open and accessible to all students, especially those with interest in economics, engineering, political science, computer science, sociology, biology, law, government, philosophy.

Software has become a chief driver of innovation in every field of study and industry. Generative AI is rapidly transforming software development—not so much by replacing developers, but rather as a dramatic force multiplier for capable developers. Students will learn and practice industrial software engineering by building Software as a Service (SaaS) with modern tools. These include generative AI, automated testing, continuous integration, and continuous deployment (CI/CD). We will follow a software development lifecycle to plan, design, implement, test, deploy, and maintain a small, cloud-based SaaS system.

Data Science 1 is the first half of a one-year introduction to data science. The course will focus on the analysis of messy, real life data to perform predictions using statistical and machine learning methods. Material covered will integrate the five key facets of an investigation using data: (1) data collection - data wrangling, cleaning, and sampling to get a suitable data set;  (2) data management - accessing data quickly and reliably; (3) exploratory data analysis – generating hypotheses and building intuition; (4) prediction or statistical learning; and (5) communication – summarizing results through visualization, stories, and interpretable summaries. Part one of a two part series. The curriculum for this course builds throughout the academic year. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in both the fall and spring course within the same academic year.

Data Science 2 is the second half of a one-year introduction to data science. Building upon the material in Data Science 1, the course introduces advanced methods for statistical modeling, representation, and prediction. Topics include multiple deep learning architectures such as CNNs, RNNs, transformers, language models, autoencoders, and generative models as well as basic Bayesian methods, and unsupervised learning. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in both the fall and spring course within the same academic year. Part two of a two-part series.

An introductory course in theoretical computer science, aimed at giving students the power of using mathematical abstraction and rigorous proof to understand computation. Thus equipped, students will be able to design and use algorithms that apply to a wide variety of computational problems, with confidence about their correctness and efficiency, as well as recognize when a problem may have no algorithmic solution. At the same time, they will gain an appreciation for the beautiful mathematical theory of computation that is independent of (indeed, predates) the technology on which it is implemented.

An introductory course in theoretical computer science, aimed at giving students the power of using mathematical abstraction and rigorous proof to understand computation. Thus equipped, students will be able to design and use algorithms that apply to a wide variety of computational problems, with confidence about their correctness and efficiency, as well as recognize when a problem may have no algorithmic solution. At the same time, they will gain an appreciation for the beautiful mathematical theory of computation that is independent of (indeed, predates) the technology on which it is implemented.

Computation occurs over a variety of substrates including silicon, neurons, DNA, the stock market, bee colonies and many others. In this course we will study the fundamental capabilities and limitations of computation, including the phenomenon of universality and the duality of code and data. Some of the questions we will touch upon include: Are there functions that cannot be computed? Are there true mathematical statements that can't be proven? Are there encryption schemes that can't be broken? Is randomness ever useful for computing? Can we use the quirks of quantum mechanics to speed up computation?

Design and analysis of efficient algorithms and data structures. Algorithm design methods, graph algorithms, approximation algorithms, and randomized algorithms are covered.

Imagine you are a developer at -- or regulating, from your position as CTO of the Federal Trade Commission -- a company that capitalizes on large amounts of personal data for use in a wide range of settings, from analyzing markets to advising judges on parole decisions, to selecting candidates to interview, to testing drugs. How might you think about incorporating societal values, such as privacy, fairness, and statistical validity? What mathematical guarantees are achievable, and what is impossible? How does privacy differ from cryptographic secrecy, and which concept is appropriate for which setting?

This class will provide an introduction to the theoretical underpinnings of algorithmic fairness, differentially private data analysis, cryptography, and ensuring statistical validity, emphasizing common underlying themes and conceptual breakthroughs.   

This course focuses on recognizing, formulating, and solving convex optimization problems. We will introduce basic convex analysis, discuss convex optimization theory, introduce algorithms for solving convex optimization problems, and touch on some advanced topics. We will explore all these in the context of machine learning applications as almost every machine learning problem can be formulated as an optimization problem. The objective is to give students the theoretical training to recognize and formulate convex optimization problems and provide students with the tools and methods to solve the problems of interest.

The course explores the interaction between the disciplines of economics and computer science. In one direction, we will see how computational thinking (including concepts like approximation algorithms and worst-case analysis) gives a new perspective on areas of economic theory such as game theory, mechanism design, and social choice. In the other direction, we will discuss how economic approaches can address timely questions in computer science and artificial intelligence. Special attention will be devoted to problems of societal significance. For a detailed list of topics, see the course schedule.
 

This course delves into the design principles and practices of high performance digital computing systems that are cost effectively and reliably manufactured with billions of near atomic scale semiconductor components. Key abstractions and foundational concepts are emphasized as the course covers the basic operation of CMOS transistors and logic gates, combinational and sequential logic including Finite State Machines (FSMs), digital memory subsystems, and machine code culminating with the implementation of a MIPS processor. Lab assignments will focus on the practical aspects of digital hardware design by utilizing Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Verliog (Hardware Description Language) and advanced CAD tools for the design, simulation and verification of digital computing hardware.

Review of the fundamental structures in modern processor design. Topics include computer organization, memory system design, pipelining, and other techniques to exploit parallelism. Discussion of modern topics including GPU architectures, datacenter architecture, mobile/embedded SoC architectures, and machine learning acceleration as time permits. Emphasis on a quantitative evaluation of design alternatives and an understanding of performance and energy consumption issues.

Computer networking has enabled the emergence of mobile and cloud computing, creating two of the most significant technological breakthroughs in computing. Computer networks have become even more critical these days since remote activities have become a new norm. We expect several focuses in the coming years. First, we will witness the emergence of 5G wireless mobile networks, which have already begun to replace the current 4G networks. Second, cybersecurity and privacy will receive unprecedented attention from the industry. Third, blockchain technology, which underlies Bitcoin, creates a new trusted network infrastructure for many new distributed applications. Fourth, distance learning and virtual meetings will push the limits of current multicast and network management technologies. In this course, students will learn basic networking protocols as well as these timely topics.

Presentation of concepts and techniques for the design and fabrication of VLSI systems and digital MOS integrated circuits. Topics include: basic semiconductor theory; MOS transistors and digital MOS circuits design; synchronous machines, clocking, and timing issues; high-level description and modeling of VLSI systems; synthesis and place and route design flows; and testing of VLSI circuits and systems. Various CAD tools for design, simulation, and verification are extensively used.

Comprehensive introduction to the principal features and overall design of both traditional and modern programming languages, including syntax, formal semantics, abstraction mechanisms, modularity, type systems, naming, polymorphism, closures, continuations, and concurrency. Provides the intellectual tools needed to design, evaluate, choose, and use programming languages.

Implementation of efficient interpreters and compilers for programming languages. Associated algorithms and pragmatic issues. Emphasizes practical applications including those outside of programming languages proper. Also shows relationships to programming-language theory and design. Participants build a working compiler including lexical analysis, parsing, type checking, code generation, and register allocation. Exposure to run-time issues and optimization.

This course focuses on the design and implementation of modern operating systems. The course discusses threads, processes, virtual memory, schedulers, and the other fundamental primitives that an OS uses to represent active computations. An exploration of the system call interface explains how applications interact with hardware and other programs which are concurrently executing. Case studies of popular file systems reveal how an OS makes IO efficient and robust in the midst of crashes and unexpected reboots. Students also learn how virtualization allows a physical machine to partition its resources across multiple virtual machines. Class topics are reinforced through a series of intensive programming assignments which use a real operating system.

We are in the big data era and data systems sit in the critical path of everything we do. We are going through major transformations in businesses, sciences, as well as everyday life - collecting and analyzing data changes everything and data systems provide the means to store and analyze a massive amount of data. This course is a comprehensive introduction to modern data systems. The primary focus of the course is on the modern trends that are shaping the data management industry right now: column-store and hybrid systems, shared nothing architectures, cache conscious algorithms, hardware/software co-design, main-memory systems, adaptive indexing, stream processing, scientific data management, and key-value stores. We also study the history of data systems, traditional and seminal concepts and ideas such as the relational model, row-store database systems, optimization, indexing, concurrency control, recovery and SQL. In this way, we discuss both how and why data systems evolved over the years, as well as how these concepts apply today and how data systems might evolve in the future. We focus on understanding concepts and trends rather than specific techniques that will soon be outdated - as such the class relies largely on recent research material and on a semi-flipped class model with a lot of hands-on interaction in each class.

An introduction to key design principles and techniques for visualizing data. Covers design practices, data and image models, visual perception, interaction principles, visualization tools, and applications. Introduces programming of web-based interactive visualizations.

This course covers the fundamentals of 3D computer graphics using a modern shader-based version of OpenGL. Main topics include: geometric coordinate systems and transformations, keyframe animation and interpolation, camera simulation, triangle rasterization, material simulation, texture mapping, image sampling and color theory. The course also touches on ray tracing, geometric modeling and simulation-based animation.

In this course, students learn critical techniques, concepts, and technologies for building usable interactive systems, alone and in pairs. Assignments provide hands-on experiences with different modern frameworks, platforms, and libraries while conceptual commonalities and distinctions are annotated and explained. Lectures cover relevant basic and advanced topics, such as human cognitive capabilities, iterative prototyping, and human-AI interaction. The final project will require both front-end and back-end development, iterative prototyping with humans, and a final evaluation with target users. Designed for advanced undergraduates.

Introduction to machine learning, providing a probabilistic view on artificial intelligence and reasoning under uncertainty. Topics include: supervised learning, ensemble methods and boosting, neural networks, support vector machines, kernel methods, clustering and unsupervised learning, maximum likelihood, graphical models, hidden Markov models, inference methods, and computational learning theory. Students should feel comfortable with multivariate calculus, linear algebra, probability theory, and complexity theory. Students will be required to produce non-trivial programs in Python.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already making a powerful impact on modern technology, and is expected to be even more transformative in the near future. The course introduces the ideas and techniques underlying this exciting field, with the goal of teaching students to identify effective representations and approaches for a wide variety of computational tasks. Topics covered in this course are broadly divided into search and planning, optimization and games, and uncertainty and learning. Special attention is given to ethical considerations in AI and to applications that benefit society. For more information please see the course website.

Natural-language-processing applications are ubiquitous – from digital assistants like Siri or Alexa, to machine translation systems like Google Translate, to fluent conversational systems like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. How do such systems work? 

This course provides an introduction to the field of computational linguistics, the study of human language using the tools and techniques of computer science, with applications to a variety of natural-language-processing problems such as these. You will work with ideas from linguistics, statistical modeling, machine learning, and neural networks, especially the technologies behind current large language models (LLMs). The course is lab- and project-based, with students working primarily in small teams, and culminates in the building and testing of a full transformer-based question-answering system.

From computational thinking to workforce arguments, there is considerable interest in and excitement about including computer science education for all K–12 students. Yet, unlike other disciplines with a much longer history in formal schooling, the interest in computer science education is not yet supported by commensurate attention to research and teacher practice. In this course, we will examine the state of K–12 computing education: questioning its value, examining its history, and imagining and contributing to its potential. The course will be organized as both a reading group and a lab, building a community of people who are committed to K–12 CS education. Each week you will read classic and current research, and write accompanying memos to document your evolving understandings of the field. Throughout the course, either individually or with partners, you will develop an independent project that explores the design of K–12 computer science learning experiences. Some examples of possible projects include: designing CS-standalone or cross-curricular learning activities and curriculum, building a programming language for novices, developing an annotated bibliography, critically analyzing policy documents such as curriculum frameworks and standards from around the world, or contributing to current K–12 CS education research initiatives.

As manufacturing processes approach the physical limits of transistor density on modern computing architectures, efficient code must leverage parallel execution to scale with available hardware resources. It is therefore crucial for software developers to adopt a “think parallel” mindset, given that computers are a fundamental tool for solving complex scientific problems across academia, industry, and society. This course introduces parallel programming and its relationship to computer architectures. Various forms of parallelism are considered and exploited through several programming models, with a particular focus on shared and distributed memory programming. The techniques are explored in depth with homework, lab sessions, and a term project.

Many processes in biology consist of step-by-step processes, whether in evolution, neural activity, development, or protein circuits. In many of these processes the actual steps taken by biological systems are not currently understood. Further, even the outcomes that are being realized by these processes are not well understood. In general, current understanding of most aspects of biology is not complete or specific enough to provide theories in which predictions can be made by analysis or computer simulation. Computer science is the study of step-by-step processes and of specifications of the outcomes that such processes can realize. For many computational outcome specifications, it is known or believed that no mechanism with feasible resources can realize them. Computer science therefore offers a top-down approach to understanding what could possibly be computed in biology, and how. In this course we shall pursue this computational complexity approach, whose origins go back to Turing and von Neumann. Emphasis will be on evolution and neuroscience, but other topics such as development will be also discussed. Research papers that address some aspect of the complexity question, whether by mathematical analysis, computer simulations or experimental findings will be discussed.

How can we use quantum computation to learn properties of quantum systems? Answering this question helps us understand the power of quantum computers in assisting experimental physicists with studying quantum materials, while also providing valuable tools for quantum ML to develop algorithms based on quantum data. Quantum learning theory has become a core subject in quantum information and computation, and this course is one of the first to present the subject in its entirety. Topics include the theory of learning quantum states and dynamics, the role of quantum memory, random and pseudorandom quantum circuits, and learning quantum many-body systems.

Eigenvectors and eigenvalues of graphs and their applications to computer science problems, such as clustering, solving linear systems, derandomization, sampling via MCMC, counting, web search, and maximum flow.

Students read, present, and critically evaluate current research papers on Pseudorandomness & High-Dimensional Expanders. A goal will be preparation for participation in the Fall 2026 program at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing.

Differential Privacy is a mathematically rigorous definition of privacy that has become the de facto standard for statistical analysis of large datasets. Differential privacy provides a concrete measure of privacy loss, and differentially private algorithms are equipped with a parameter for controlling this loss. A signal property of differential privacy is closure under composition, meaning that we can understand and control the cumulative privacy loss as the data are subjected to multiple analyses. In consequence, differential privacy is programmable: one can combine simple differentially private computational primitives in creative ways to obtain privacy-preserving algorithms for complex analytical tasks. The course will cover (1) the basics of differential privacy: the definition and its properties, computational primitives, and composition theorems; (2) selected advanced differentially private algorithms drawn from the literature and a wide range of application areas from industry to the US Census; and (3) applications of differential privacy to validity and replicability of data analyses.

Interplay between computation and economics. Rotating topics in mechanism design, strategy-aware machine learning, information elicitation and forecasting, computational social choice and other emerging areas. Readings in AI, theoretical CS, multi-agent systems, economic theory, and operations research.

The course examines the mathematical and algorithmic foundations of democracy, running the gamut from theory to applications. The goal is to provide students with a rigorous perspective on, and a technical toolbox for, the design of better democratic systems. Topics include computational social choice (identifying optimal voting rules), fairness in political redistricting (avoiding gerrymandering) and apportionment (allocating seats on a representative body), sortition (randomly selecting citizens assemblies), liquid democracy (transitively delegating votes), and weighted voting games (analyzing legislative power through cooperative game theory).

This course focuses on efficient AI computations aimed at reducing the cost of AI model training and inference. Students will learn systematic methods for implementing parallel and distributed computations for computer vision and language models such as CNNs and Transformers across multiple computing cores or nodes. They will also learn techniques for co-designing machine learning models, data curation methods, computing algorithms, and system architectures.

Techniques to be studied include systolic arrays, low-bitwidth arithmetic, model pruning, quantization, distillation, low-rank fine-tuning, dynamic selection of submodels (e.g., experts) based on input, speculative decoding, synthetic data generation with stable diffusion, data and model security, scheduling for efficient memory access, reasoning with reinforcement learning, and test-time computing for reasoning.

As a part of programming assignments, students will utilize large language models to generate code that can leverage AI accelerating techniques learned in this course.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be equipped to address the challenging tasks of designing and utilizing energy-efficient, high-performance AI accelerators.

Seminar course exploring recent research in computer architecture. Topics vary from year to year and will include subjects such as multi-core architectures, energy-efficient computing, reliable computing, and the interactions of these issues with system software. Students read and present research papers, undertake a research project.

Presentation of concepts and techniques for the design and fabrication of VLSI systems and digital MOS integrated circuits. Topics include: basic semiconductor theory; MOS transistors and digital MOS circuits design; synchronous machines, clocking, and timing issues; high-level description and modeling of VLSI systems; synthesis and place and route design flows; and testing of VLSI circuits and systems. Various CAD tools for design, simulation, and verification are extensively used.

The contents and course requirements are similar to those of Computer Science 148, with the exception that students enrolled in Computer Science 248 are expected to do a substantial design project and paper discussions on advanced topics.

Seminar course exploring recent research in programming languages. Topics vary from year to year. Students typically read and present research papers, undertake a research project.

This course explores formal methods for computer security, including formal security models, relationships between security properties/policies and enforcement mechanisms, principled techniques and tools to specify, analyze, and construct secure computer systems. Specific topics include properties, hyperproperties, side channels, reasoning about cryptographic protocols, information flow, authorization logics, and verification techniques. Assessment will include homeworks and/or small projects during the semester as well as a final, larger project that is open-ended and driven by student interests.

This course explores practical attacks on modern computer systems, explaining how those attacks can be mitigated using careful system design and the judicious application of cryptography. The course discusses topics like buffer overflows, web security, information flow control, and anonymous communication mechanisms such as Tor. The course includes several small projects which give students hands-on experience with various offensive and defensive techniques; the final, larger project is open-ended and driven by student interests.

Big data is everywhere. A fundamental goal across numerous modern businesses and sciences is to be able to utilize as many machines as possible, to consume as much information as possible and as fast as possible. The big challenge is how to turn data into useful knowledge. This is a moving target as both the underlying hardware and our ability to collect data evolve. In this class, we discuss how to design data systems, data structures, and algorithms for key data-driven areas, including relational systems, distributed systems, graph systems, noSQL, newSQL, machine learning, and neural networks. We see how they all rely on the same set of very basic concepts and we learn how to synthesize efficient solutions for any problem across these areas using those basic concepts.

The course explores major areas of research and practice at the intersection of design, technology, and social impact. Specifically, we will explore the current state of research and interesting real-world examples related to the design, evaluation, and implementation of interventions comprising of technical, social, and organizational elements. We will also explore leading theories and methods for anticipating broader, indirect societal impacts of such intervention. Course activities will involve discussion of primary literature, some guided instruction, assignments, and a major research project.

Students learn critical techniques, concepts, and technologies for building usable novel interactive systems, alone and in teams. Assignments provide hands-on experiences with different modern frameworks, platforms, and libraries while conceptual commonalities and distinctions are annotated and explained at multiple levels, from the programming environments to the interfaces users interact with. Discussions grounded in readings will also cover human cognitive capabilities, iterative prototyping, and human-AI interaction. The final research project requires iteratively designing and building a novel interactive system informed by pilot user studies and a final evaluation with target users. Designed for PhD students interested in HCI or using interactive systems as tools for discovery in other fields.

Students will read, write about, prepare presentations about, and discuss human-computer interaction (HCI) and HCI-relevant work with a focus on papers about interfaces and automation that work especially well with (or clash against) human cognitive capabilities. Papers will primarily be on the building and evaluation of novel systems, as well as theories of and studies characterizing human cognition relevant to human-AI interaction scenarios. As a semester-long final project, students will pursue a research project of their own design in self-organized groups and present their findings in writing and orally in a conference-style format, as means to understand more deeply the processes behind HCI research.

There has been growing interest in recent years for machine learning systems that are somehow transparent about their inner workings -- whether it be that the entire system is inherently interpretable, or that a single decision can somehow be explained. However, the question of what approach is best for what context remains elusive. In this course, we will focus on computational properties of interpretable machine learning methods, such as faithfulness or stability. Assessing methods with respect to these properties may allow us to rule out poorly-performing approaches without the need for expensive user studies. By categorizing methods by their computational properties, we will also be able to start thinking about which methods might be useful for a specific context. After a few initial assignments, the course will be focused on reading papers, discussion, and a semester-long project.

Optimal Transport (OT) has quickly become an important part of the Machine Learning (ML) toolkit, where it has been used for various purposes, from learning mappings between datasets to proving convergence results for neural network training. This advanced-topics course will cover the mathematical foundations and computational aspects of OT in the context of machine learning applications. Foundational topics covered will include: Monge and Kantorovich formulations of OT, duality, entropy regularization, Gromov-Wasserstein distances, dynamic formulations, and Benamou-Brenier theory. Each of these will be presented in the context of their use for specific problems in machine learning, including domain adaptation, generative models, correspondence analysis, and gradient flows. The course combines theoretical rigor with practical exercises, implementing OT algorithms and analyzing their impact on real-world machine learning challenges. The classes will consist of a combination of instructor-led lectures on fundamentals and student-led discussion of relevant academic papers. Interested students should have a solid foundation in linear algebra, probability, and machine learning principles.

Recent years have seen AI successfully applied to societal challenge problems. Indeed, recognizing the potential of AI for tremendous social impact in the future, "AI for social impact" is growing as a subdiscipline within AI. In this course, we will discuss successful case studies of  use of AI for public health, environmental sustainability, public safety and public welfare. Simultaneously, we will discuss key foundations of the area of AI for social impact. To that end, among other topics, we will focus on challenges in AI for Social Impact, what makes projects successful, how to investigate project impact in the field and ethical considerations for such projects. A key part of this course will be AI4SI projects with non-profits.

This will be a graduate level course on challenges in alignment and safety of artificial intelligence. We will consider both technical aspects as well as questions on societal and other impact on the field. This is a fast-moving area and it will be a fast-moving course. I will expect students to be be able to pick up technical knowledge on their own. In a sense, the programming language for this course will be English: students will be allowed and encouraged to use AI tools for all homework and assignments. On the other hand, this means that expectations will be raised: it may well be the case that I would expect you to do in a week assignments that in previous years would have taken a month.

This is a reading and discussion-based seminar designed for entering Computer Science Ph.D. students. This course prepares students to manage the difficult and often undiscussed challenges of Ph.D. programs through sessions on research skill building (e.g. paper reading, communication), soft skill building (e.g. managing advising relationships, supporting your peers), and academic culture (e.g. mental health in academia, power dynamics in scientific communities), as well as research and professional-oriented discussions. This is a full-year, 4-unit course, meeting once a week in each of the fall and the spring. Students must complete both terms of this course (CS 2901 and CS 2902) within the same academic year to receive credit.

This is a reading and discussion-based seminar designed for entering Computer Science Ph.D. students. This course prepares students to manage the difficult and often undiscussed challenges of Ph.D. programs through sessions on research skill building (e.g. paper reading, communication), soft skill building (e.g. managing advising relationships, supporting your peers), and academic culture (e.g. mental health in academia, power dynamics in scientific communities), as well as research and professional-oriented discussions. This is a full-year, 4-unit course, meeting once a week in each of the fall and the spring. Students must complete both terms of this course (CS 2901 and CS 2902) within the same academic year to receive credit.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.

Experimental or theoretical research project on acceptable problems in computer science supervised by a SEAS faculty member, and/or supervised reading on topics not covered by regular courses of instruction. The project or reading must be arranged between the student and individual SEAS faculty supervisor prior to enrolling in the course.