For those who are unfamiliar, CS50X, or This is CS50x, the ‘Introduction to Computer Science’ class taught at Harvard University. According to the University’s website, CS50x is “an entry-level course taught by David J. Malan, CS50x teaches students how to think algorithmically and solve problems efficiently. Topics include abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, security, software engineering, and web development.” The course is offered by Harvardx which is Harvard’s online learning platform.
While the course—Introduction to Computer Science, or CS50, as it’s widely known—has been offered to Harvard students for decades, the university opened it up to online learners in 2007. Interest in the online version of the course, known as CS50x, has surged in the decade-plus that it’s been offered for free via online learning platform edX and the total number of people who have enrolled in this course has surpassed 5 million.
As an undergrad student who attends college online I have had my share of online courses. Generally they follow a similar format that consists of chapters or lessons broken down into many shorter clips, likely to keep students from getting distracted or bored. The CS50x course is unlike any other online class I have taken. You are literally watching the professor, David J. Malan, give his lecture on stage in front of the on campus students. It gives you the feeling of being a student sitting in the lecture hall at Harvard, and Professor Malan’s high energy and humor make the hour plus long lectures entertaining to say the least.
The 12 week long course consists of 9 problem sets (1 each week), two labs per week, and a final project. Each week you start off with the lecture or video which are roughly 2.5 hours long. The professor does a great job of keeping you engaged and entertained making the lectures feel much shorter than they actually are.
Initially I set out to take the course for one reason; to earn a certificate from Harvard University. Who wouldn’t want that hanging on their wall? But by the end of the third week it became less about the certificate and more about the information and skills I was learning. My one piece of advice is get at least a basic understanding of programming prior to starting this course, you’ll thank me later.
Interested in taking the course? Harvardx offers the course on edX, the online learning platform founded by Harvard and MIT. The course is free to “audit” but to have the assignments graded and the option to earn a certificate you have to upgrade to the verified learner track.