Students

FOSE1030 – Introduction to Python Programming

2026 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, Lecturer
Lachlan Patrick
lachlan.patrick@mq.edu.au
Contact via by email
Convenor, Lecturer
Matt Owers
matt.owers@mq.edu.au
Contact via by email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Computer literacy has become a core skill across many disciplines. In this unit, students will learn coding in Python, enabling them to solve problems relevant to their discipline. They will leverage Python's foundational elements, including variables, operators, control structures, functions, and data structures, to develop effective programs. Students will adopt best practices in coding, such as a good code style and debugging capabilities, in an interactive practice-based environment.  They will be introduced to the key Python libraries used for contemporary programming. The unit equips students to approach discipline-specific challenges with confidence, using Python as a versatile tool for problem-solving. 

This unit has been designed for students requiring a Python background. For students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science, those in the Astronomy, Physics, Mathematics, and Statistical Data Science majors must do this unit and NOT FOSE1025.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Apply Python programming for effective problem-solving in and across disciplines.
  • ULO2: Utilize Python's fundamental elements (variables, operators, control structures, functions, and lists) for effective program development. 
  • ULO3: Apply coding conventions to improve code readability and maintainability
  • ULO4: Employ debugging techniques to identify and fix common programming errors and issues. 
  • ULO5: Utilize Python libraries and standard modules to accomplish diverse programming tasks.

General Assessment Information

Requirements to Pass the Unit

To pass the unit you must:

  • Achieve a total mark greater than or equal to 50%

This unit does not contain any hurdle assessments.

Assessment Criteria

Assessment at Macquarie University is standards-based, as outlined in the Assessment Policy. This means that your work will be assessed against clear criteria, and these criteria will be made available to you on iLearn.

Release of Assessments

Assessment will be released in the following ways:

  • The Foundational Skills Assessment is an in-class assessment held during your registered class in Week 8 (27 April to 1 May 2026).
  • The Programming Assignment will be released by the end of Week 9 (8 May 2026) and it is due in Week 13 (by 23:55 on Friday 5 June 2026).
  • The Final Exam is an in-class assessment held during your registered class in Week 13 (1 June to 5 June 2026).

Submission of Assessments

All assessents must be submitted as descibed by the instructions provided on the iLearn page. Links for the submission of each assessment will be available on iLearn.​ Do not submit your assignments via email or in hard copy. The due dates for all assessment tasks are not negotiable. If you have commitments that will significantly impact your study during the session then you must plan for this in advance as part of an effective individual study plan and you may need to contact the unit convenor for advice. 

Marking of Assessments

Assessment marks and feedback will be given via iLearn, with marks accessible via the Grades Report on iLearn.

We aim to return assessments marks and feedback within two to three weeks of the due date. We appreciate your patience and will advise you through iLearn when your marks and feedback are available for viewing.

Second Chances

For both the Foundational Skills Assessment and the Final Exam, students will be given an optional second chance to improve their grades. For both assessments, the second chance grade will be capped at a maximum of 84%.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty

  • 5% penalty per day late: If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days.
    • Example 1 (out of 100): If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100.
    • Example 2 (out of 30): If you score 27/30 but submit 1 day late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30.
  • After 7 days: Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0.
  • Extensions:
    • Short Extension: Some assessments are eligible for a short extension. You can only apply for a short extension before the due date.
    • Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration.

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted

  • Foundational skills assessment - NO
  • Programming assignment – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies
  • Final Exam - NO

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through https://connect.mq.edu.au.

Before submitting a special consideration, check whether you can make use of a second attempt offered to students regardless of a special consideration. This applies in particular to the Foundational Skills Assessment and the Final Exam. A special consideration should explain why the student missed both: the assessment task, and any offered second attempt.

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Foundational skills assessment 30% No Week 8 during your registered SGTA Individual No Observed
Programming assignment 30% No 05/06/2026 Individual Yes Open
Final Exam. 40% No Week 13 during your registered SGTA Individual No Observed

Foundational skills assessment

Assessment Type 1: Experiential task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: Week 8 during your registered SGTA
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

Students will be assessed on the foundational programming skills taught in the first half of the unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply Python programming for effective problem-solving in and across disciplines.
  • Utilize Python's fundamental elements (variables, operators, control structures, functions, and lists) for effective program development. 

Programming assignment

Assessment Type 1: Portfolio
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: 05/06/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open

Students will use the Python programming skills gained during SGTAs to solve an authentic, discipline-related problem.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply Python programming for effective problem-solving in and across disciplines.
  • Utilize Python's fundamental elements (variables, operators, control structures, functions, and lists) for effective program development. 
  • Apply coding conventions to improve code readability and maintainability
  • Employ debugging techniques to identify and fix common programming errors and issues. 
  • Utilize Python libraries and standard modules to accomplish diverse programming tasks.

Final Exam.

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: Week 13 during your registered SGTA
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

Students will be examined on content that was taught throughout the unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply Python programming for effective problem-solving in and across disciplines.
  • Utilize Python's fundamental elements (variables, operators, control structures, functions, and lists) for effective program development. 
  • Apply coding conventions to improve code readability and maintainability
  • Employ debugging techniques to identify and fix common programming errors and issues. 
  • Utilize Python libraries and standard modules to accomplish diverse programming tasks.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Classes

Lectures (beginning in Week 1): There is one two-hour lecture each week. Lectures are very interactive and hands-on, and will involve coding demonstrations. For that reason, it is recommended that students bring a laptop computer or tablet to the lectures each week.

Small Group Teaching Activity (SGTA) classes (beginning in Week 1): Students should register in one two-hour SGTA class per week. Students should only attend the SGTA in which they have registered.

The timetable for classes can be found on the University website at: https://publish.mq.edu.au/. Enrolment can be managed using eStudent at: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/technology/systems/estudent

We strongly encourage all students to actively participate in all learning activities. Regular engagement is crucial for your success in this unit, as these activities provide opportunities to deepen your understanding of the material, collaborate with peers, and receive valuable feedback from instructors, to assist in completing the unit assessments. Your active participation not only enhances your own learning experience but also contributes to a vibrant and dynamic learning environment

Unit communication

Unit staff will communicate with you via your university email or through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors should be placed on the iLearn General Forum.

For matters of a more personal nature, and that do not concern other students, you should contact the Unit Conveners by email. 

Technology Used and Required

Students will need to have access to a computer and internet to use the university systems (e.g. iLearn, library) and complete the assessment tasks.

We will make use of the following programming resources:

Python: https://www.python.org/

Visual Studio Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/

Online Python tutorials and compilors: https://www.tutorialspoint.com/

CodingBat practice questions: https://codingbat.com/home/gaurav1780@gmail.com

Online Python code tracing: http://pythontutor.com

One of our favourite YouTube Python tutorials (with annotated chapters) - BroCode Python Tutorial

COVID Information

For the latest information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please refer to the Coronavirus infection page on the Macquarie website: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs. Remember to check this page regularly in case the information and requirements change during semester. If there are any changes to this unit in relation to COVID, these will be communicated via iLearn.

Computing Drop-in Centre (CDC)

FOSE1030 students may benefit from help at the Computing Drop-in Centre. The web page at https://students.mq.edu.au/study/faculties/science-and-engineering/drop-in-centre contains information, and further details will be provided on iLearn when available.

 

Unit Schedule

Week Lecture material
1 Introduction and set up
2 Variables and operators
3 Conditions
4 Loops
5 Functions
6 Lists
Teaching recess 1  
Teaching recess 2  
7 Inbuilt Libraries
8 Numpy
9 Plotting and Matplotlib
10 Matplotlib - 2, Pandas - 1
11 Pandas - 2
12 Case Study (End-to-end example)
13 Revision

N.B.: This schedule is flexible and subject to change.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

We value student feedback to be able to continually improve the way we offer our units. As such we encourage students to provide constructive feedback via student surveys, to the teaching staff directly, or via the FSE Student Experience & Feedback link in the iLearn page.

There are no high-level changes in the unit.

Unit information based on version 2026.01R of the Handbook