CSE 115 Final (Fall 2023): Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 22:41, 19 August 2025

CSE 115 - Introduction to Computer Science I is a core freshman-level course for Computer Science and Computer Engineering majors at the University at Buffalo. It covers fundamental programming concepts (recently in Python) and is typically taught in multiple large lectures by faculty such as Dr. Paul Dickson, Dr. Carl Alphonce and Dr. Matthew Hertz.^[1] In Fall 2023, the course's final examination became notorious due to alleged irregularities and difficulty, sparking widespread discussion among students.

Course Structure and Faculty

CSE 115 is designed for students with little or no coding background. The curriculum introduces basic programming constructs and problem-solving skills. All sections follow a common syllabus and material so that "all three professors are pretty much teaching to the same material".^[2] The course historically used both Python and JavaScript, but starting in Fall 2023 it was revamped to only use Python, as covering two languages proved too time-consuming. Students attend lectures and weekly labs and recitations, with plenty of teaching assistants and office hours available for help. The Fall 2023 semester was also noted as a "new curriculum" rollout, coinciding with some instructors being out sick during the term.^[1]

Fall 2023 Final Exam Controversy

The final exam administered in December 2023 drew immediate backlash from students. Many complained on social media that the exam was poorly constructed and far more challenging than expected. One Reddit user described it as "badly written," with several questions having "multiple interpretations," inclusion of topics the instructor "forgot to mention in lecture," and even outright errors.^[3] A student who earned 265 out of 320 points remarked that the final was "definitely a huge spike in difficulty" and noted surprise "that a lot of people are saying they failed".^[4] Indeed, numerous students reported unexpected failing grades after the exam. The class structure also contained a policy stating that a failing final exam grade would lead to failing the class, regardless of previous grades. ^[5]

Multiple sections experienced these issues, suggesting a systemic problem with the exam itself. Students noted that some material on the test had not been adequately covered in class due to the curriculum change and instructor absences. Teaching assistants, when confronted about ambiguities (such as the .get method typo), were reportedly unhelpful - one TA "just walked away" when a student pointed out the issue.^[6]

Aftermath

The outcry led to significant discussion on UB forums such as the r/UBreddit subreddit. Even students who scored well expressed shock that "no one realized how badly written it was".^[3] Others defended the exam, suggesting it was fair to those who studied, but this opinion was in the minority. In response to the controversy, the Computer Science and Engineering department quietly adjusted its approach for subsequent semesters. According to one student, the final exam was completely redesigned after the "mess up" of Fall 2023 - the new version starting in Spring 2024 was made "basically the same as the practice exam" and far more straightforward.^[7] This change implied an acknowledgement that the Fall 2023 final was flawed.

No official public statement was made by the department about the exam incident, but instructors reportedly provided a generous curve to rescue borderline grades. By the following semester, students reported that CSE 115's final exam "wasn't bad,"^[7] indicating the crisis had been addressed.

References

[:0-1] 1.0 ^1.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/13wvu8c/how_is_cse_115/

[2] ttps://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/13wvu8c/how_is_cse_115/#:~:text=All%20three%20professors

[:1-3] 3.0 ^3.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18lv9v4/me_going_on_reddit_and_seeing_everyone_rage_about/#:~:text=Ill_Muscle_6259

[4] ttps://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18n4wz1/cse_115_final/#:~:text=was%20def%20harder%20than%20i%20thought%20but

[5] Citation Needed

[6] ttps://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18lv9v4/me_going_on_reddit_and_seeing_everyone_rage_about/#:~:text=typo%20up%20to%20the%20TA

[:2-7] 7.0 ^7.1 https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/1kask8q/cse_115_final_exam/#:~:text=They%27ve%20changed%20it%20to%20a,Took%20it%20last

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 == Fall 2023 Final Exam Controversy ==
-The final exam administered in December 2023 drew immediate backlash from students. Many complained on social media that the exam was poorly constructed and far more challenging than expected. One Reddit user described it as "badly written," with several questions having "multiple interpretations," inclusion of topics the instructor "forgot to mention in lecture," and even outright errors.<ref name=":1">https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18lv9v4/me_going_on_reddit_and_seeing_everyone_rage_about/#:~:text=Ill_Muscle_6259</ref> A student who earned 265 out of 320 points remarked that the final was "definitely a huge spike in difficulty" and noted surprise "that a lot of people are saying they failed".<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18n4wz1/cse_115_final/#:~:text=was%20def%20harder%20than%20i%20thought%20but</ref> Indeed, numerous students reported unexpected failing grades after the exam.
+The final exam administered in December 2023 drew immediate backlash from students. Many complained on social media that the exam was poorly constructed and far more challenging than expected. One Reddit user described it as "badly written," with several questions having "multiple interpretations," inclusion of topics the instructor "forgot to mention in lecture," and even outright errors.<ref name=":1">https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18lv9v4/me_going_on_reddit_and_seeing_everyone_rage_about/#:~:text=Ill_Muscle_6259</ref> A student who earned 265 out of 320 points remarked that the final was "definitely a huge spike in difficulty" and noted surprise "that a lot of people are saying they failed".<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18n4wz1/cse_115_final/#:~:text=was%20def%20harder%20than%20i%20thought%20but</ref> Indeed, numerous students reported unexpected failing grades after the exam. The class structure also contained a policy stating that a failing final exam grade would lead to failing the class, regardless of previous grades. <ref>Citation Needed</ref>
 Multiple sections experienced these issues, suggesting a systemic problem with the exam itself. Students noted that some material on the test had not been adequately covered in class due to the curriculum change and instructor absences. Teaching assistants, when confronted about ambiguities (such as the .get method typo), were reportedly unhelpful - one TA "just walked away" when a student pointed out the issue.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/18lv9v4/me_going_on_reddit_and_seeing_everyone_rage_about/#:~:text=typo%20up%20to%20the%20TA</ref>
 == Aftermath ==
 The outcry led to significant discussion on UB forums such as the r/UBreddit subreddit. Even students who scored well expressed shock that "no one realized how badly written it was".<ref name=":1" /> Others defended the exam, suggesting it was fair to those who studied, but this opinion was in the minority. In response to the controversy, the Computer Science and Engineering department quietly adjusted its approach for subsequent semesters. According to one student, the final exam was completely redesigned after the "mess up" of Fall 2023 - the new version starting in Spring 2024 was made "basically the same as the practice exam" and far more straightforward.<ref name=":2">https://www.reddit.com/r/UBreddit/comments/1kask8q/cse_115_final_exam/#:~:text=They%27ve%20changed%20it%20to%20a,Took%20it%20last</ref> This change implied an acknowledgement that the Fall 2023 final was flawed.
-No official public statement was made by the department about the exam incident, but instructors reportedly provided a generous curve to rescue borderline grades. By the following semester, students reported that CSE 115's final exam "wasn't bad,"<ref name=":2" /> indicating the crisis had been addressed. The Fall 2023 CSE 115 final remains infamous among UB students, serving as a cautionary tale about curriculum changes and exam quality control in large introductory courses.
+No official public statement was made by the department about the exam incident, but instructors reportedly provided a generous curve to rescue borderline grades. By the following semester, students reported that CSE 115's final exam "wasn't bad,"<ref name=":2" /> indicating the crisis had been addressed.
 == References ==
 <references />