COMP 110 · Python — From Beginner to Master

Led by Downeyian Computational Thinking Simulacrum

Complete Python from zero to mastery — taught by four Python specialists. Foundations, data structures, functions, OOP, databases, GUI and advanced topics with 100+ coding challenges.

1. Module 1

   Python Foundations

   Led by Downeyian Computational Thinking Simulacrum

   The question

   Before you write code, you need to understand what code is. What is a program? What is a variable? What does "dynamically typed" mean, and why does it matter for every line you will write?

   Outcome

   The student has a working Python environment and can use variables, numeric types and type/base conversions fluently. (Foundational)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 1.1 What Is Programming and Why Python Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 1.2 Variables, Types and Conversions Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Begin the course → Print certificate of completion
2. Module 2

   Control Flow

   Led by Downeyian Computational Thinking Simulacrum

   The question

   A program that only runs in a straight line is a calculator. How do you make programs that decide, repeat, and solve real problems through conditionals and loops?

   Outcome

   The student can write programs with conditionals and loops to solve classic algorithmic challenges: factorials, Fibonacci, primes, digit manipulation and pattern drawing. (Foundational)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 2.1 Operators, Expressions and Conditionals Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 2.2 Loops: While and For Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   3. ○ 2.3 Nested Loops and Patterns Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
3. Module 3

   Strings and Text Processing

   Led by Guidonean Pythonology Simulacrum

   The question

   Strings are immutable sequences — every operation returns a new string. How do you manipulate text fluently in Python, from basic slicing to regular expressions?

   Outcome

   The student can manipulate strings with the full method catalogue, format output professionally, and use regular expressions for pattern matching. (Practical)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 3.1 Strings: Indexing, Slicing and Methods Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 3.2 Formatting, Encoding and Regular Expressions Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
4. Module 4

   Lists and Tuples

   Led by Guidonean Pythonology Simulacrum

   The question

   The list is Python's workhorse. Mutable, ordered, heterogeneous. How do you create, modify, traverse and transform lists — and when should you use a tuple instead?

   Outcome

   The student can use lists and tuples fluently, write list comprehensions, and use standard library modules (random, itertools, statistics) with collections. (Practical)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 4.1 Lists: Creation, Modification and Methods Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 4.2 Comprehensions, Modules and Tuples Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
5. Module 5

   Sets and Dictionaries

   Led by Guidonean Pythonology Simulacrum

   The question

   Sets and dictionaries are built on hash tables. Membership testing is O(1). Understanding these two structures is what separates a beginner from an intermediate programmer. When and why?

   Outcome

   The student can use sets for deduplication and mathematical operations, dictionaries for data mapping and transformation, and can choose the right data structure for a given problem. (Analytical)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 5.1 Sets: Hash Tables and Mathematics Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 5.2 Dictionaries: The Python Swiss Army Knife Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
6. Module 6

   Functions

   Led by Hettingerian Idiomatics Simulacrum

   The question

   Functions are how you stop repeating yourself and start building abstractions. But most beginners write functions that are too long and do too many things. What does a good function look like?

   Outcome

   The student can define functions with all argument types, write generators and recursive functions, and decompose problems into clean, single-purpose abstractions. (Practical)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 6.1 Defining Functions and Arguments Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 6.2 Generators, Recursion and Modules Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
7. Module 7

   Advanced Functions and Functional Python

   Led by Hettingerian Idiomatics Simulacrum

   The question

   Functions in Python are objects. You can pass them, return them, compose them. Closures, decorators, lambda — these are not advanced curiosities. They are how idiomatic Python works.

   Outcome

   The student can write closures, decorators and lambda expressions, use map/filter fluently, and pass a Python certification practice test covering basics through functions. (Advanced)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 7.1 Closures, Decorators and Lambda Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 7.2 Higher-Order Functions and Practice Test Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
8. Module 8

   Object-Oriented Programming

   Led by Beazleyan Internalism Simulacrum

   The question

   When you write a class in Python, what actually happens? Instance dict, class dict, MRO, descriptor protocol — understanding the machinery makes OOP powerful rather than ceremonial.

   Outcome

   The student can design class hierarchies with inheritance, polymorphism, operator overloading and abstract classes, and understands Python's object model at the implementation level. (Advanced)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 8.1 Classes, Methods and Properties Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 8.2 Inheritance, Polymorphism and the MRO Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
9. Module 9

   Exception Handling and File I/O

   Led by Beazleyan Internalism Simulacrum

   The question

   Errors are not bugs — they are data. And files are where your programs meet the real world. How do you handle both robustly?

   Outcome

   The student can write robust programs with structured exception handling and build file-based data management systems using text, binary and CSV formats. (Practical)

   Sub-units

   1. ○ 9.1 Exception Handling Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   2. ○ 9.2 File Operations Open this unit → ✓ ↻
   Open this module → Print certificate of completion
10. Module 10

    Database Programming

    Led by Beazleyan Internalism Simulacrum

    The question

    Files store data. Databases organise it. SQLite ships with Python — no installation needed. How do you design schemas, write queries, and build database-backed applications?

    Outcome

    The student can create databases, write SQL queries with JOINs and subqueries, and build complete database applications using both sqlite3 and SQLAlchemy. (Practical)

    Sub-units

    1. ○ 10.1 SQL Fundamentals and SQLite Open this unit → ✓ ↻
    2. ○ 10.2 SQLAlchemy and Database Projects Open this unit → ✓ ↻
    Open this module → Print certificate of completion
11. Module 11

    GUI Programming with Tkinter

    Led by Beazleyan Internalism Simulacrum

    The question

    A GUI is where your program meets a human. Tkinter ships with Python and requires nothing else. How do you build complete desktop applications with widgets, events and canvas drawing?

    Outcome

    The student can build complete GUI applications with Tkinter: multiple widgets, layout management, event handling, menus, file dialogs and canvas drawing. (Project)

    Sub-units

    1. ○ 11.1 Widgets, Layout and Events Open this unit → ✓ ↻
    2. ○ 11.2 Menus, Dialogs, Canvas and Projects Open this unit → ✓ ↻
    Open this module → Print certificate of completion
12. Module 12

    Advanced Topics

    Led by Beazleyan Internalism Simulacrum

    The question

    Multithreading, specialised data structures, datetime and NumPy. Each deserves its own course — but enough to be productive and know where to go deeper.

    Outcome

    The student can write multithreaded programs, use specialised data structures, manipulate dates, and work with NumPy arrays.

    Sub-units

    1. ○ 12.1 Multithreading and Concurrency Open this unit → ✓ ↻
    2. ○ 12.2 Collections, DateTime and NumPy Open this unit → ✓ ↻
    Open this module → Print certificate of completion