News

The CS department is in the process of revising some of its Machine Learning Courses. Starting in the Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 semesters, the department will offer:

CS 201R: Introduction to Machine Learning

Prerequisites: CS 111, MATH 112

Description: Introduction to the philosophy, utility, and fundamental models of machine learning. Models covered include neural networks, decision trees, nearest neighbor learning, data mining, clustering, Bayesian learning, ensembles, reinforcement learning, and deep learning. Students learn to work with data and machine learning tools and how to use machine learning models in real world applications.

How is this different from CS 472?

This course is similar to CS 472 but will be taught at a sophomore level and will require less programming. The course will require CS 111 and Math 112 as prerequisites. This course is recommended for anyone who wants to learn the basics of machine learning, understand classic machine learning models, prepare for other machine learning courses, and use machine learning methods on real problems.

If you have already taken CS 472, you cannot use this course for credit in the CS majors and minors.

Otherwise, if you take CS 201R Introduction to Machine Learning in Fall 2023 or Winter 2024, the department will count it in the following ways:

• If you are in the Machine Learning emphasis, we will substitute this for CS 224. If you have already taken CS 224, we will count this as an elective in Requirement 9.
• If you are using the new CS major requirements dated Fall 2023, we will count this as an elective in Option 5.2.
• If you are in any other CS major or emphasis, or the CS minor, we will substitute this as CS 472 if that course is listed in the requirements.
• If you wish to take both this CS 201R and a future CS 472 that has been revised to build on CS 201R, you will need to contact Lynnette Nelson to seek approval for the appropriate substitution. This may or may not be allowed, depending on your major.

The department is working on having this course officially approved by the university, at which point it will be assigned a permanent course number. The department is also working on proposing revisions to CS 472 so that it will teach more advanced machine learning techniques that build on the introductory course. In the future, most other machine learning courses the department offers will require this introductory course.