Directed Studies: Kick Start to the Technical Interview

NEW:

  • New registrations to the course are no longer possible
  • For the existing members, click on the ILIAS link to find all of the information you need regarding the course
  • Please contact the course assistants Dang Mai or Mathew Smith to get your ILIAS password

Schedule:

  • Lecture (Dr. Georgiana Caltais)

Tuesday, 13:30 - 15:00 (1.30pm - 3pm)           Start: 13 April 2021

Wednesday 13:30 - 15:00 (1.30pm - 3pm)       Start: 14 April 2021

Description:

Workload

180 hours, of which 56 hours are spent in class and 124 hours of self study.

Course content

Topics addressed include, but are not restricted to:

  •  how to write a resume, how to start preparing for the interview and for answering interview questions
  •  complexities (e.g., Big O)
  •  data structures (e.g., lists, trees, graphs)
  •  concepts and algorithms (e.g., bit manipulation, OO design, recursion and dynamic programming, sorting algorithms)
  •  advanced topics (e.g., useful math, Dijkstra’s algorithm, AVL trees, Red-Black trees)

Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this course will take place in the summer semester 2021 as a digital course.

This course complies to the structure of a directed studies course: specific reading tasks will be assigned to the enrolled students. We will be practicing coding in an “interview-like” environment. We will provide feedback and discuss solutions to practical exercises (to be solved individually or in teams).

Learning objectives

This directed studies course aims at crystallising knowledge of computer science fundamentals and further applying this knowledge to successfully handle technical interviews. Topics addressed range from data structures, algorithms and complexities, to more advanced topics such as AVL & Red-Black Trees and useful math. We will focus on developing problem-solving skills, with special emphasis on devising (pseudo-code) algorithms for interview questions and practicing coding in an “interview-like” environment. The main text book is “Cracking the Coding Interview - 6th edition” [by Gayle Laakmann McDowell].  The book is widely used by software developers to prepare for their dream jobs at companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft. Additional resources will be provided during the course.

Target group

Bachelor students (last year), Master students

Course literature

main textbook: Cracking the Coding Interview, 6th Edition [by Gayle Laakmann McDowell]

Remark

The course will be taught in English. All course materials will be in English.

Credits

ECTS 6

Weekly teaching hours

SWS 2 (+Tutorial 2)