COP-3223H Honors Introduction to Programming with C
Syllabus

Table of Contents

Course Details

Course COP 3223C - 0201 Honors Introduction to Programming with C (aka COP-3223H)
School University of Central Florida
Semester Fall 2026
Section 0201
Lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:30–11:45, 08/24–12/02 (inclusive)
Location VAB-0109
Final Monday, 12/07, 10:00–12:50
Instructor Paul Gazzillo paul.gazzillo@ucf.edu
Grader Daniel Henriquez

Prerequisites

  • Complete all of the following:
    • Complete 1 of the following
      • Earn a minimum grade of C in each of the following:
        • COP2500C - Concepts in Computer Science (3)
      • Earn a score of 3 or higher on the AP Computer Science A Exam
      • Earn an appropriate score on the UCF Computer Science Placement Test
    • Permission of The Burnett Honors College

Office hours

(Tentative)

Date Day Time Location
08/31–12/02 Monday 12:00–13:00 HEC-239
08/31–12/02 Wednesday 09:15–10:15 HEC-239
12/07 Monday TBD HEC-239

Office hours will not be held on days on when there are no classes or campus is closed.

For students who cannot attend these hours, please come Monday/Wednesday 11:00-12:00 or Friday at noon (please message on edstem to confirm).

Schedule

Week # Date Topic HW Assignments Duration Due
1 1 08/24 Introduction hw1      
  2 08/26 Mental Model hw2      
2 3 08/31 Programming Environment hw3 tools 2 weeks 09/14
  4 09/02   hw4      
3   09/07 (no class)        
  5 09/09 Output, Arithmetic, and Input hw5      
4 6 09/14   hw6 arithmetic 1 week 09/21
  7 09/16 Conditionals hw7      
5 8 09/21   hw8 conditionals 1 week 09/28
  9 09/23 Loops (While) hw9      
6 10 09/28   hw10 while 1 week 10/05
  11 09/30 Switch Statements hw11      
7 12 10/05 State Machines hw12 state 1 week 10/12
  13 10/07 Arrays and For Loops hw13      
8 14 10/12   hw14      
  15 10/14 Strings hw15 for 1 week 10/21
9   10/19 Midterm Exam        
  16 10/21 Text Gaming hw16 proposal 5 days 10/26
10 17 10/26   hw17 implementation 4 weeks 11/30
  18 10/28 Structs hw18      
11 19 11/02 Functions hw19      
  20 11/04   hw20      
12 21 11/09 Recursion hw21 recursion 1 week 11/16
    11/11 (no class)        
13 22 11/16 Pointers hw22 check-in 5 days 11/21
  23 11/18   hw23      
14   11/23 (no class)        
    11/25 (no class)        
15 24 11/30   hw24 pointers 1 week 12/07
  25 12/02 Review        
    12/07 Final Exam (09:00–09:50)        

Assignments

Categories

Category Count Dropped Graded Points per Assignment Total Points
Homework 24 4 20 1 20
Programs 8 0 8 4 32
Project 1 0 1 16 16
Exams 2 0 2 12 24
Attendance 25 5 20 0.4 8
TOTAL         100

All assignments are individual assignments. Please see Core Policy Statements for policies about academic integrity.

Late policy summary

Category Policy
Homework No late submission unless excused; 4 of 24 homeworks dropped
Programs (Re)submission up to one week (or final exam day if earlier) after grading with 0.5pt penalty
Project Fix and regrade by final exam day
Exams Not cumulative; rescheduled with excuse
Attendance Attendance required unless excused, 5 of 25 attendances dropped

Excused late submissions accepted per UCF policies on excused absences and missed coursework. Please see Core Policy Statements for policies about missed coursework.

Homework

  • Due before the following lecture (except the first homework, which is due Friday to satisfy academic engagement requirement).
    • If an exam or exam review is the next class, then the due date is the following regular lecture.
  • Submit via webcourses or git (depending on the instructions in the homework).
  • Graded for genuine effort and responsiveness, not perfect accuracy.
  • Homework answers are reviewed in the following lecture, so late homework receives 0pt.

Programs

  • Due on the date in the schedule by the end of day local time, i.e., 11:59 PM
  • Projects can be submitted or resubmitted up to one week late (or final exam day if it is earlier) after grading for a one-time late penalty of 0.5pt deduction (per project).
  • Submit via git on eustis.

Project

  • Due on the date in the schedule by the end of day local time, i.e., 11:59 PM
  • The project implementation can be resubmitted by final exam day after initial grading.
  • Submit via git on eustis.

Exams

  • In-person exams taken on paper
  • Material from homework, projects, and lectures
  • Exams are not cumulative, except where prior concepts are used to present recent concepts, e.g., using printf in questions about strings
  • Two pages (four sides) of notes may be brought for the exam. The notes should be reasonably-sized and visible.
  • Midterm exam held during class
  • Final exam held during finals week

Attendance

  • Attendance is required and part of the grade except when excused per university policy.
  • Some attendances are dropped
  • Notify instructor about excused absences

Letter Grades

A >= 90%, B+ >= 87%, B >= 80%, C+ >= 77%, C >= 70%, D >= 60%, F < 60%. (minuses may be used in some cases)

Logistics

What Where
Syllabus Website
Lecture notes Website
Homework assignments Website
Project descriptions Website
Project implementation eustis
Project submission git server
Text editor emacs
Homework submission Webcourses or git
Exams In-Person
Questions and discussion Ed Discussion
Attendance Webcourses

Computing Requirements

All students will need access to a computer that can connect to eustis to complete course assignments. For students without their own device, UCF provides both computer labs and loaner devices at no additional cost.

Inexpensive laptops (less than $100) can run a Linux-based OS efficiently. Chromebooks are often very cheap and can use the Chrome Secure Shell Extension to connect to eustis.

eustis

SSH Server Username Password
eustis.eecs.ucf.edu Your NID (ab123456) Your NID password
  • Connect to eustis via ssh:

    ssh NID@eustis.eecs.ucf.edu
    

    where NID is your UCF NID, e.g., ab123456.

    Do not use eustis3 as you won't be able to access the git server.

  • Enter your NID password. Alternatively, setup an ssh key.

ssh client setup

Setup your ssh client and connect to eustis using the following instructions based on your operating system.

  1. Open your comment line interface.
    • Windows: Do not use MobaXterm. Only use the command prompt, power shell, or WSL. To setup the command-prompt see these instructions. Please ask the instructor about other terminal software.
    • Mac OS: Open the terminal app. See these instructions.
    • Linux: Open the terminal app the comes with your distribution (or use the bash login on a GUI-less machine). See these instructions.
    • Chrome OS: Install and use the Secure Shell Extension. See these instructions.
  2. Connect to eustis by typing the following, replacing NID with your UCF NID (the ID with two letters and six numbers):

    ssh NID@eustis.eecs.ucf.edu
    

    Do not connect to eustis3.eecs.ucf.edu (the difference is the number "3").

Access from Off Campus and On-Campus Housing

Eustis is only accessible on campus or via VPN.

Please visit https://secure.vpn.ucf.edu to get started.

External guides

(Links are for informational purposes only and their inclusion is not an endorsement of their content.)

Virtual machine setup

See this guide to setup a virtual machine via Docker.

emacs

We will be using the emacs command-line editor for writing programs in class on eustis.

Tutorial

Go through the complete tutorial emacs, which takes about 30 minutes.

  1. ssh into eustis, replacing NID with your UCF NID.

    ssh NID@eustis.eecs.ucf.edu
    
  2. Start the emacs tutorial.

    emacs -f help-with-tutorial  
    
  3. Exit the tutorial once finished by pressing Ctrl-x then Ctrl-c. Ctrl is the "Control" key. Hold it down, then tap the key (x, then c in this case) and release.

Notes

(Links are for informational purposes only and their inclusion is not an endorsement of their content.)

  • Windows Users

    In Windows Terminal, Ctrl-v and Ctrl-c may be bound to paste and copy, which will interfere with emacs. Try going to settings, the "Actions" and delete the bindings to Ctrl-v and Ctrl-c. Paste and copy may be still useable with Ctrl-Shift-v and Ctrl-Shift-c. See here and here for others with the same issues.

  • Mac Users

    In MacOS Terminal, the alt key may not work as expected. Try going to preferences then "Settings" and check the "Use option as meta key". See here for more info.

git server

Programming projects will be submitted as git repositories to gitolite3@eustis3.eecs.ucf.edu. Detailed usage instructions will be provided as part of the course.

Webcourses

Ed Discussion

https://edstem.org

You will receive an invitation to join the class discussion board by the second week of classes.

Please direct all course-related communications to Ed Stem.

You can ask questions and discuss topics publicly, anonymously or not, and also select a private message to communicate with instructional staff only.

UCF Here

The UCF Here mobile app will be used to check-in for attendance using your smartphone.

Web App: https://here.cdl.ucf.edu/

Learn more about setting up and using UCF Here at the following student guide:

https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/guides/ucf-here-student-guide/

If you have any questions or problems downloading the app, please contact Webcourses@UCF Support or visit the student guide.

References

Optional Suggested Textbooks

  • The C Programming Language (Second Edition) by Brian W. Kernighan and Dennis M. Ritchie
  • C Programming: A Modern Approach by K. N. King
  • Programming Knights by Arup Guha
  • The Practice of Programming by Brian W. Kernighan and Rob Pike
  • 21st Century C: C Tips from the New School (2nd Edition) by Ben Klemens
  • Enough Rope to Shoot Yourself in the Foot: Rules for C and C++ Programming by Allen I. Holub
  • Pro Git

Practice

C programming

Truth tables

Description

Programming with C including arrays, pointer manipulation and use of standard C math and IO libraries.

Core Policy Statements

Unauthorized Assistance with Coursework

Receiving a work product (e.g., a homework paper or code submitted in response to an assignment) from other individuals (other students in the course, former students, tutors, etc.) is considered "Unauthorized assistance". Giving such a work product to other individuals, either willfully or through negligence, is considered "Helping another violate academic behavior standards." Copying a work product from submissions from past semesters, or copying from an online repository is considered "Plagiarism." You are allowed to discuss class materials and high level concepts related to the assignment with others. However, you must work individually when creating the work product. For programming assignments, you must design algorithms, data structures, and develop code individually. Any violation to the above is considered Academic Integrity Violation. Students found to be in violation of academic integrity will be reported to the Office of Integrity and Ethical Development, in addition to receiving a zero grade on their assignments. Following the report, The Office may conduct hearing, and if found in violation, a student may receive penalties, up to and including dismissal from the university. Unless stated explicitly as team/group assignments, students should assume that assignments are to be performed individually, or ask the instructor for explicit clarification.

Academic Integrity

The Center for Academic Integrity (CAI) defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action. http://academicintegrity.org/

UCF Creed: Integrity, scholarship, community, creativity, and excellence are the core values that guide our conduct, performance, and decisions.

  1. Integrity: I will practice and defend academic and personal honesty.
  2. Scholarship: I will cherish and honor learning as a fundamental purpose of my membership in the UCF community.
  3. Community: I will promote an open and supportive campus environment by respecting the rights and contributions of every individual.
  4. Creativity: I will use my talents to enrich the human experience.
  5. Excellence: I will strive toward the highest standards of performance in any endeavor I undertake.

The following definitions of plagiarism and misuse of sources come from the Council of Writing Program Administrators http://wpacouncil.org/node/9 and have been adopted by UCF's Department of Writing & Rhetoric.

Plagiarism

In an instructional setting, plagiarism occurs when a writer deliberately uses someone else's language, ideas, or other original (not common-knowledge) material without acknowledg­ing its source. This definition applies to texts published in print or on-line, to manuscripts, and to the work of other student writers.

Misuse of Sources

A student who attempts (even if clumsily) to identify and credit his or her source, but who misuses a specific citation format or incorrectly uses quotation marks or other forms of identifying material taken from other sources, has not plagiarized. Instead, such a student should be considered to have failed to cite and document sources appropri­ately.

Responses to Academic Dishonesty, Plagiarism, or Cheating

UCF faculty members have a responsibility for your education and the value of a UCF degree, and so seek to prevent unethical behavior and when necessary respond to infringements of academic integrity. Penalties can include a failing grade in an assignment or in the course, suspension or expulsion from the university, and/or a "Z Designation" on a student's official transcript indicating academic dishonesty, where the final grade for this course will be preceded by the letter Z. For more information about the Z Designation, see http://goldenrule.sdes.ucf.edu/zgrade.

For more information about UCF's Rules of Conduct, see http://www.osc.sdes.ucf.edu/.

Unauthorized Use of Class Materials

There are many fraudulent websites claiming to offer study aids to students but are actually cheat sites. They encourage students to upload course materials, such as test questions, individual assignments, and examples of graded material. Such materials are the intellectual property of instructors, the university, or publishers and may not be distributed without prior authorization. Students who engage in such activity are in violation of academic conduct standards and may face penalties.

Unauthorized Use of Class Notes

Faculty have reported errors in class notes being sold by third parties, and the errors may be contributing to higher failure rates in some classes. The following is a statement appropriate for distribution to your classes or for inclusion on your syllabus:

Third parties may be selling class notes from this class without my authorization. Please be aware that such class materials may contain errors, which could affect your performance or grade. Use these materials at your own risk.

In-Class Recording Policy

Outside of the notetaking and recording services offered by Student Accessibility Services, the creation of an audio or video recording of all or part of a class for personal use is allowed only with the advance and explicit written consent of the instructor. Such recordings are only acceptable in the context of personal, private studying and notetaking and are not authorized to be shared with anyone without the separate written approval of the instructor.

Course Accessibility Statement

The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. This syllabus is available in alternate formats upon request. Students with disabilities who need specific access in this course, such as accommodations, should contact the professor as soon as possible to discuss various access options. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (Ferrell Commons, 7F, Room 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone (407) 823-2371). Through Student Accessibility Services, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential access and accommodations that might be reasonable.

Campus Safety Statement

Emergencies on campus are rare, but if one should arise in our class, we will all need to work together. Everyone should be aware of the surroundings and familiar with some basic safety and security concepts.

  • In case of an emergency, dial 911 for assistance.
  • Every UCF classroom contains an emergency procedure guide posted on a wall near the door. Please make a note of the guide's physical location and consider reviewing the online version at http://emergency.ucf.edu/emergency_guide.html.
  • Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes from each of your classrooms and have a plan for finding safety in case of an emergency. (Insert class-specific details if appropriate)
  • If there is a medical emergency during class, we may need to access a first aid kit or AED (Automated External Defibrillator). To learn where those items are located in this building, see http://www.ehs.ucf.edu/AEDlocations-UCF (click on link from menu on left). (insert class specific information if appropriate)
  • To stay informed about emergency situations, sign up to receive UCF text alerts by going to my.ucf.edu and logging in. Click on "Student Self Service" located on the left side of the screen in the tool bar, scroll down to the blue "Personal Information" heading on your Student Center screen, click on "UCF Alert", fill out the information, including your e-mail address, cell phone number, and cell phone provider, click "Apply" to save the changes, and then click "OK."
  • If you have a special need related to emergency situations, please speak with me during office hours.
  • Consider viewing this video (https://youtu.be/NIKYajEx4pk) about how to manage an active shooter situation on campus or elsewhere.

Deployed Active Duty Military Students

If you are a deployed active duty military student and feel that you may need a special accommodation due to that unique status, please contact your instructor to discuss your circumstances.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

No use permitted.

Author: Paul Gazzillo

Created: 2026-08-31 Mon 10:08

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