CS 230Introduction to Computers and Computer Systems
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Mathematics
- Subject
- Computer Science
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 3 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Basic computer architecture, organization, system services, and software. Typology of processors, memory, I/O devices, and their performance.
Prerequisites
- Complete 1 of the following
- Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
- Earned a minimum grade of 60% in each of the following:
- CS114 - Principles of Computing for Science (0.50)
Antirequisites
- Complete all of the following
- Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
- Not completed any of the following:
- Not open to students enrolled in H-BBA & BCS Double Degree, H-Computer Science (BCS), H-Computer Science (BMath), JH-Computer Science (BCS), JH-Computer Science (BMath), H-Computing & Financial Management, H-Data Science (BCS), or H-Software Engineering
Leads to
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 5596 | 0 / 100 | TTh 08:30–09:50 |
| LEC 002 | 6069 | 0 / 100 | TTh 14:30–15:50 |
| LEC 701 | 2177 | 87 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
| TUT 101 | 5597 | 0 / 100 | M 10:30–11:20 |
| TUT 102 | 5598 | 0 / 100 | M 11:30–12:20 |
Resources
Around the web
Found by uwloo’s link finder, which checks that each page names CS 230.
- ~cs230 Course website · student.cs.uwaterloo.ca Remove
- CS 230 | SCS Course website · cs.uwaterloo.ca · from Martin Karsten’s site Remove
Reviewed on UW Flow
57% liked it67% easy60% useful
From 97 ratings and 41 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
THE WORST COURSE ON THE PLANET. THE PROFESSOR DOES NOT KNOW THIS COURSE AT ALLLLL
Apr 2024 · didn’t like it · 6 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
AVOID THIS COURSE IF YOU CAN. This course is sooooooooooooooo terribly taught I actually can't. Taught by Glaucia Melo and she doesn’t know what she's teaching. The lectures are meaningless, the slides is not helpful, no review questions for final, no answers for assignments and quizzes. Nothing meaningul learned at the end of the day.
Apr 2024 · didn’t like it · 3 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Great Course! This course changed my life.
Aug 2023 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Pretty straightforward course covering a broad series of topics. Only one of the 4 modules was on assembly code, which was quite fun to do and wasn't very difficult to do assignments on. Difficulty does pick up in the remaining weeks, but as long as you go to lectures and take notes on the examples covered, you should be fine. Going to lectures is almost mandatory because the slides posted don't contain a lot of information apart from general knowledge. The assignments were well scattered aross the term being due bi-weekly, something that CS116 didn't do very well when I took it. Prof mentioned one of the assignments being the hardest, but I personally didn't find it to be difficult at all…
Apr 2023 · liked it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This should be an easy CS course. I don't know whether or not Prof Glaucia Melo's problem, but this course is poorly organized, you need to find tons of material outside by yourself because the slides sometimes give you no details or steps at all. I got 90+ but there was a group of students who invoked Policy 70 for grievance but they failed.
Jun 2024 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
241 posts and comments in 183 threads mention CS 230, December 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2024
any 2nd year cs courses that you can take with cs 116? 5 points, 6 comments
“Is there any 200 CS courses that are direct successors of 116? or do I need to take 136 no matter what?”
u/sour-sushi: “Cs230 cs231 cs234”
CS 230, CS 330, CS 338 3 points, 3 comments
u/Responsible-Sleep355: “How is the workload of these courses? I’m planning to take these during W25 with CO 250 and an elective, possibly a 6th course depending on the CS courses workload. Should I also take CS 330 online or in-person?”
u/downbadneedhelp123: “CS 230 AND CS 330 ARE THE LIGHTEST CS COURSES OUT THERE. THOUGH I SEE SOME PPL COMPLAINING ABOUT THE CS 230 PROF SO CHOOSE WISELY (I HAD HER TOO BUT I BREEZED THROUGH THAT CAUSE I'M BIG BRAIN LEARN ALL SELF EZ)”
CS 230 weekly online quiz 3 points, 2 comments
u/gooseatwaterloo: “Wonder if anyone can inform me, the format, average number of questions and the difficulty of weekly quiz of CS 230? Is one hour enough to do the quiz? May I also know your class average weekly quiz score? Thanks so much.”
u/FitSquare8073: “Is cs230 offered this term??”
Spring 2024
Should I accept the offer 4 points, 9 comments
“I am in stat and CM major. I received an offer for an IT service intern today. And I interviewed for a Nissan coop today morning. …”
u/Working_Ad4954: “lol unrelated question but im thinking of declaring cm + stats. hows the employability through ww? and have u taken any of cs234, stat230, 230 yet? how were they? sorry i cant help your case ....”
u/Hot-Cartoonist-4295: “… Cs230 is boring, is something about computer hardware, system”
Question for CM/math majors 1 point, 3 comments
u/rjdnl: “cs230 was chill for me. I liked it a lot. amath242 was boring and exams a bit unnecessarily hard.”
CS230 (Spring 24) Final Exam 5 points, 4 comments
u/butthurtpazapuza: “I got cooked 💀💀 How did the rest of you all do?”
easy(er) 200x math course? 4 points, 5 comments
“actsc221?.. any other ideas? CM + Stat major so thinking of taking some side-quest course as a fifth.”
u/Both_Funny4896: “cs230”
CS230 I HATE U GLAUCIA MELO 26 points, 22 comments
u/FireSolution60: “What the fuck is this prof teaching? Her name is Glaucia Melo. I never remember a prof's name but this time I will. Is it just me feeling about that cuz I saw some students in class were taking notes all the time but I have no idea what to write. …”
u/AHpache182: “I might run a CS 230 Final Review Session. It seems there is a demand for it...”
u/AHpache182: “Not for CS 230 this term. I run review sessions with MathSoc. I took CS 230 last spring.”
u/EpicCentarus: “From a distance… I read: CS230 I HATE YOU GLAUCOMA”
bird math courses 200 x ?? 8 points, 6 comments
u/Admirable-Point-3615: “CS 200 (definitely the easiest math faculty course) and actsci 221 are prolly your best bet. CS 234 aint a bird course imo, like yes it’s easy but the assignments take forever, I found cs 230 was a lot less time consuming.”
CS230 wtf 18 points, 24 comments
u/FireSolution60: “Okay this is a complain about CS230 in Spring 2024 when I am writing the assignment and have no idea how to do it. I don't know if other students have the same feeling with me. …”
Bird CS for Minor Computing 5 points, 10 comments
“Hi, I need 2 more CS courses (need 1 from 3xx/4xx and the other one is just any CS) for my minor Computing. Can someone suggest what CS bird courses that I can take? Thanks so much.”
u/AHpache182: “Are you in faculty of Math?”
u/AHpache182: “CS 230 and 431. They aren't the most bird, but they are pretty useful. They are not challenging IMO. If you want to, you can take CS 200 as a super bird course, but I don't know how useful that'll be for you.”
u/AHpache182: “Take CS 230. I would say it is an important course. It isn't exactly difficult and the coding you do is pretty straightforward.”
can I get geomatics/GIS jobs with a GEM degree + is a computing minor a GPA killer? 2 points, 16 comments
“2 part qn here, for 1., I applied for, and was accepted into GEM (w coop), but after finding out more about the programs, I feel that Geomatics may be more suited for me VS a GEM degree w a …”
u/batson2002: “… generally, people take take CS135/136/136L/245/246/230/234/some 3xx level course. …”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
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