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CSTA K-12 Repository >
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Level 4: Topics in Computer Science >
L4 A: Advanced Placement Computer Science (A & AB levels)
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The AP Computer Science curriculum is well established, and is offered at many secondary schools for students planning to continue their education in a two- or four-year college or university, possibly in computer science, business, or a related field. Students taking an AP course should have completed Levels I and II. Students entering an AP Computer Science course need to be familiar with the basic algorithmic concepts introduced at those levels. The programming concepts covered in Level III overlap somewhat with the AP course, so some of the AP course can serve as a review if students have had the Level III course.
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The overall goal for designing a piece of software (a computer program) is to correctly solve the given problem. At the same time, this goal should encompass specifying and designing a program that is understandable, can be adapted to changing circumstances, and has the potential to be reused in whole or in part. The design process needs to be based on a thorough understanding of the problem to be solved.
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The overall goals of program implementation parallel those of program design. Classes that fill common needs should be built so that they can be reused easily in other programs. Object-oriented design is an important part of program implementation.
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The analysis of programs includes examining and testing programs to determine whether they correctly meet their specifications. It also includes the analysis of programs or algorithms in order to understand their time and space requirements when applied to different data sets.
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Data structures are used to represent information within a program. Abstraction is an important theme in the development and application of data structures.
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Standard algorithms serve as examples of good solutions to standard problems. Many are intertwined with standard data structures. These algorithms provide examples for analysis of program efficiency.
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A working knowledge of the major hardware and software components of computer systems is necessary for the study of computer science, as is the awareness of the ethical and social implications of computing systems. These topics need not be covered in detail but should be considered throughout the course.
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