Loading course records
4 credits
Algorithmic thinking before Java
The course moves from decomposition and precise procedures into Java, testing, analysis, data structures, and recursion.
3 connected entities
Loading course records
01:198:111 · Computer Science · School 01 — New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences
CS111 is an intensive first programming course centered on decomposition, Java programming, debugging, algorithmic thinking, sorting/searching, basic data structures, and recursion.
CS111 stops being offered Spring2027; CS112 stops Fall2027. Repeats and transfer equivalencies have different term-specific rules. Check the department announcement with your adviser before planning the replacement sequence.
Read the department announcement →How hard?
Students rate teaching
SIRS · 5,777 responses · 2016–2025
Fall 2026
9 open in snapshot · 3 instructors
When it meets
Livingston, Busch, College Avenue
Checked-in sections · current seat counts are unavailable.
TTh 2:00 PM · Busch, College Avenue · 34 sections · 7 open
TTh 5:40 PM · Busch · 9 sections · 2 open
AI-generated overview
The course moves from decomposition and precise procedures into Java, testing, analysis, data structures, and recursion.
3 connected entities
CS111 sits between calculus readiness and immediate follow-ons such as Data Structures and Discrete Structures.
4 connected entities
Student discussion repeatedly flags problem decomposition and pseudocode as an early adjustment before the Java work feels more concrete.
1 connected entity
Rutgers says the introductory sequence changes beginning Spring 2027, with CS121 becoming the relevant replacement path for later cohorts.
2 connected entities
Higher means more demanding · AI summary
5 units · topic sequence may vary by instructor
CS111 begins by turning vague problems into precise steps. Students practice decomposition, pseudocode, testing, and tracing before larger Java programs appear.
Variables, expressions, conditionals, loops, methods, arrays, and strings provide the vocabulary for implementing and debugging small programs.
The course introduces classes, objects, references, and basic data structures so students can represent information rather than only manipulate primitive values.
Students compare common searching and sorting strategies and reason about correctness, efficiency, and how a program behaves on different inputs.
The final phase uses base cases and smaller subproblems to introduce recursion, then combines the course's design, debugging, and analysis habits in larger assignments.
Public Rutgers discussions describe CS111 as manageable for students who practice consistently, but they also point to a real adjustment when pseudocode, recursion, or debugging are new. The comments vary widely by prior experience and are not a substitute for the current official syllabus.
The central move is translating a vague task into steps that a computer can execute exactly.
Variables, arrays, and object fields matter because each line can change what the program knows.
A failing program is not random; traces, print statements, and small tests reveal the first wrong assumption.
A recursive solution needs a base case, a smaller subproblem, and a way to combine the answer.
Common pitfall
Instead
Build one method or loop at a time and test with tiny inputs.
Common pitfall
Instead
Track whether a variable points to a position in an array or the data stored there.
Common pitfall
Instead
Write the base case and the smaller recursive call before filling in details.
9 open · Livingston, Busch, College Avenue
| Section | Status | Instructor | Meeting | Campus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0111389 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 8:45 AM-9:40 AM at ARC 108TIL 232ARC 108 | Livingston |
| 0211390 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 8:45 AM-9:40 AM at SEC 217TIL 232SEC 217 | Livingston |
| 0311391 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 8:45 AM-9:40 AM at LSH B205TIL 232LSH B205 | Livingston |
| 0411392 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 8:45 AM-9:40 AM at SEC 216TIL 232SEC 216 | Livingston |
| 0511393 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Friday 2:15 PM-3:10 PM at SEC 220TIL 232SEC 220 | Livingston |
| 0611394 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Friday 2:15 PM-3:10 PM at SEC 211TIL 232SEC 211 | Livingston |
| 0711395 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Friday 8:45 AM-9:40 AM at ARC 108TIL 232ARC 108 | Livingston |
| 0811396 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Friday 8:45 AM-9:40 AM at LSH A140TIL 232LSH A140 | Livingston |
| 0911397 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Wednesday 10:35 AM-11:30 AM at SEC 211TIL 232SEC 211 | Livingston |
| 1011398 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Wednesday 10:35 AM-11:30 AM at ARC 207TIL 232ARC 207 | Livingston |
| 1111399 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Friday 10:35 AM-11:30 AM at HLL 248TIL 232HLL 248 | Livingston |
| 1211400 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Friday 10:35 AM-11:30 AM at ARC 110TIL 232ARC 110 | Livingston |
| 1311401 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Wednesday 12:25 PM-1:20 PM at ARC 333TIL 232ARC 333 | Livingston |
| 1411402 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Wednesday 12:25 PM-1:20 PM at ARC 108TIL 232ARC 108 | Livingston |
| 1511403 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Wednesday 12:25 PM-1:20 PM at HLL 248TIL 232HLL 248 | Livingston |
| 1611404 | Closed | Centeno | Tuesday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Thursday 2:00 PM-3:20 PM at TIL 232; Wednesday 12:25 PM-1:20 PM at SEC 217TIL 232SEC 217 | Livingston |
Historical student surveys
Teaching
3.88
Course quality
3.85
Response rate
45.4%
Coverage
65 offerings · 2016–2025
| Instructor | Offerings | Teaching | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frances Trees | 10 | 3.78 | 3.67 |
| Juan Zhai | 7 | 3.17 | 3.44 |
| Ana Centeno | 5 | 4.24 | 4.02 |
| Ananda Gunawardena | 5 | 4.16 | 3.96 |
| Tjang A | 4 | 4.70 | 4.60 |
| Centeno A | 4 | 4.25 | 4.13 |
Catalog and planning context
Credits
4
Current campuses
Livingston, Busch, College Avenue
Current availability
9 open of 63
Catalog terms
Fall, Spring, Summer
Core codes
ITR, QQ, QR
Loaded terms
3
Any Course EQUAL or GREATER Than: (01:640:112)
No direct degree-list membership appears in the checked-in requirement index.