Frequently Asked Questions#
I will be absent on a specific day. Are you recording the lectures?#
No, we don’t record the in-class sessions. The in-class activities — including discussions, live demos, and mini-quizzes — are designed for students who are present and actively participating. If you’re absent on a specific day, you’ll miss out on those parts, even if you have a valid reason.
While you should prioritize attending the live activities, you can still keep up with the course if you can’t attend every week. For the days you can’t be there, make sure to complete the exercises outside of the classroom. You can still get help from the TAs online on Ed.
Can I take this course without attending the lectures?#
There is no classical lecturing in this course. In-class activities are designed to encourage students to practice programming regularly, at a steady pace, and to get feedback from peers and teachers. We also share tips and tricks, and explain the motivation behind new programming concepts.
You can take the course without participating in these activities. All course materials are available on the course website, and you can ask questions on Ed. If you choose not to attend the in-class activities, make sure to practice programming regularly on your own.
I have extra time at exams. Can I get special support for the quizzes?#
According to DTU rules, an activity contributing with less than 20% to the grade is considered minor and special conditions do not apply. However, depending on your individual situation, we can agree to adjust your final quiz score after the course is finished. Please contact us while the course is still running.
When and where is the exam?#
The exam date is set according to the DTU exam schedule, where you should search by course number (02002 or 02003).
The specific location and time will be announced at least one week before the exam period and can be found in the exam plan. The study administration makes the exam schedule, and course teachers receive it at the same time as students. Therefore we cannot provide this information earlier.
What does the exam look like? And how is it assessed?#
The exam will be similar to the Previous exams. The exam consists of 10 programming problems that cover the entire course. Typically, each problem corresponds to a week’s topic, but this isn’t a strict rule, and problems are presented in no particular order.
For each problem, we provide one or more tests to help you verify your solution. However, you are responsible for ensuring your solution works correctly for all valid inputs, not just the provided tests. For example, if you are asked to write a function called make_double
which takes a number and returns double that number, we might give you a test checking whether your function make_double(-1.2)
returns -2.4
. Your function should work correctly for any number, not just -1.2
.
We have more information about the exam in our Course Policies section.
I switched study line. Where to sit?#
You should go to the room that corresponds to your current study line.
How can I tell how well I did on the in-class mini-quiz?#
On DTU Learn click on “Quiz Submission” then “Grades”. There you can see whether you passed the quiz or not.
Will the mini-quizzes shown in-class be made available?#
Mini-quizzes are modified, shortened versions of self-quizzes that are fully available. We do not plan to release the mini-quizzes. Since they test your conceptual understanding of programming, your exam preparation will be more effective if you focus on solving programming problems rather than reviewing quiz questions.
Can I use AI tools in this course?#
You are allowed to use any resources, including AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini, to help you learn programming. We have provided a few guidelines of how to use AI for programming on our How to AI programming? page.
However, AI tools are not allowed during the exam.
Can I take the course in another course period?#
No, the course is only offered in the fall.
What if I fail the exam?#
The exam is held twice a year, in the Ordinary Winter exam period (December) and in the Ordinary Summer exam and re-exam period (usually late May), as long as the course is offered.
You should decide whether you:
want to retake the course and take the re-exam in winter, with the other students taking the ordinary exam.
do not want to retake the course and only take the re-exam in winter or summer.
If you wish to retake the course, you should enroll in the course using the study planner, which also signs you up for the exam.
If you only wish to retake the exam, you should register via the exam registration page.
What to choose? We suggest taking the first possible reexam. More specifically we suggest:
We suggest you sign up for the summer exam via the exam registration page. You should also check the exam registration deadlines.
We suggest you retake the course the course if this is possible in your schedule, even if you only have time to attend a few weeks. You retake the course by enrolling again using the study planner. This will also sign you up for the winter exam.
If you do not have time physcially attend the course again in any weeks, we suggest that you directly sign up for the winter exam via the exam registration page and check the exam registration deadlines. In this case we suggest you write to programmering@compute.dtu.dk, asking us to add you to DTU Learn. This will let you see any announcements and allow you to do voluntary hand-ins. It will not sign you up for the exam.
Any bonus points you earn under either option count as if you were taking the course for the first time and are valid as described in the Course Policies.
Can you register/withdraw me for the course/exam?#
No, we cannot.
Teachers cannot register or withdraw students from the course — students must do this via the study planner or with help from the study administration. Teachers cannot register or withdraw students from the exam — students must do this via the exam registration pages or with help from the study administration. Teachers can see the list of students registered for the course and the exam so we can check whether your registration was successful, but you can check that yourself in study planner (for the courses) and in exam registration pages (for the exam)
I love programming! How can I become a TA?#
We’d love to have you on the team! Check our TA and Class Teacher Positions page for more information on how to apply.
My question wasn’t answered here. What should I do?#
Is the question of interest to others? If so, please ask it on Ed. If it is a personal question, please write to programmering@compute.dtu.dk.