Introductory C Programming Specialization Course Syllabus

Overview: This specialization provides a comprehensive introduction to C programming, designed for beginners with no prior experience. The course is self-paced, with a total time commitment of approximately 88 hours across five core modules and a final project. Learners will build foundational programming skills, progress to advanced C concepts like pointers and recursion, and gain hands-on experience through practical coding exercises and system-level programming tasks. The curriculum emphasizes problem-solving, debugging, and real-world application development to prepare learners for careers in software and systems programming.

Module 1: Programming Fundamentals

Estimated time: 18 hours

• Introduction to programming concepts using C
• Problem-solving techniques and algorithm development
• The Seven Steps approach to solving programming problems
• Writing and tracing simple C programs

Module 2: Writing, Running, and Fixing Code in C

Estimated time: 20 hours

• Writing and compiling C programs
• Understanding syntax and semantics in C
• Reading and interpreting error messages
• Debugging strategies and fixing common code issues

Module 3: Pointers, Arrays, and Recursion

Estimated time: 25 hours

• Understanding and using pointers in C
• Manipulating arrays and pointer arithmetic
• Implementing recursive functions
• Memory layout and address manipulation

Module 4: Interacting with the System and Managing Memory

Estimated time: 25 hours

• Dynamic memory allocation with malloc and free
• File input/output operations in C
• Using system calls in C programs
• Efficient resource management and memory safety

Module 5: Advanced Problem Solving in C

Estimated time: 10 hours

• Designing and implementing sorting algorithms
• Simulating poker hand probabilities using Monte Carlo methods
• Applying control structures and functions to complex problems

Module 6: Final Project

Estimated time: 15 hours

• Develop a complete C program solving a real-world problem
• Implement algorithms with proper memory management
• Submit code with documentation and testing results

Prerequisites

• No prior programming experience required
• Basic computer literacy
• Access to a computer with a C compiler and internet connection

What You'll Be Able to Do After

• Write, compile, and debug C programs confidently
• Apply fundamental programming concepts such as variables, loops, and functions
• Use pointers, arrays, and recursion effectively
• Manage memory and interact with the operating system using C
• Solve complex problems using systematic algorithm design