Syllabus • Schedule • Academic Integrity 

Syllabus

About This Class

Tuesday & Thursday 1-2:15, ITE 233

Instructor: Dr. Cynthia Matuszek (Dr M)   •   cmat@umbc.edu   •   ITE 331
Office hours: M 9:30-11, or by appointment.

TA: Nadezhda Bzhilyanskaya   •   nbzh1@umbc.edu   •   ITE 334
Office hours: Tuesdays 2:30-4:30 PM, Wednesdays 3:30-5:30 PM, or by appointment.

Make sure you have read and understood the Class Academic Integrity Policy. I take academic integrity very seriously.

Course Description

This course will serve as an introduction to artificial intelligence concepts and techniques. We will use Python as a computational vehicle for exploring the techniques and their application. Specific topics we will cover include the history and philosophy of AI, the agent paradigm in AI systems, search, game playing, knowledge representation and reasoning, logical reasoning, uncertain reasoning and Bayes nets, planning, machine learning, and multi-agent systems, robotics, and natural language processing. If time permits, we may also briefly touch on functional programming, perception, and knowledge representation and reasoning.

The class, like the field of AI itself, is very broad. We'll cover a lot of subjects in a relatively short period of time. This means a lot of reading, but also a lot of exposure to neat (and useful) concepts. This is a foundational class—students should expect to come away with a good grasp of the terminology, fundamental approaches, and background of AI broadly, and be prepared for subsequent classes in topics such as machine learning, NLP, robotics, knowledge representation, and vision. We will also have guest lecturers through the semester who will talk about their AI-related research areas to help students tie the core ideas we are learning to their applications in research.

Textbook:

Required: Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, 4th Edition, Stuart J. Russell and Peter Norvig. Prentice Hall, 2009.
Note: The edition matters!
Note: The website for this book has links to many useful online AI resources.

Prerequisites:

Strong programming skills, especially in Python. We assume you have a solid background in Boolean logic, basic probability theory and combinatorics, complexity analysis, algorithm design, and data structures. If you did not learn much about these topics, you may have to brush up on them on your own. Additional probability theory/statistics, linear algebra, and complexity theory will also be useful.

COVID-19

Having class during a pandemic comes with additional expectations on both you and the instructional staff. There are two key goals: (1) be respectful of one another's health, which includes minimizing possible routes of virus exposure, and (2) communicate with us early and often. Please read the following carefully and, if you have any questions, ask.
  • You should be fully masked during any in-person interactions, including lectures, office hours, and any time in the robotics lab. Masks must cover your mouth and nose.
  • If you are sick, stay home. if you are sick for two or more lectures, get in touch and we'll work out how to accommodate any changes to the schedule.
  • This class will be held primarily in person. If you need to attend remotely for some time for health reasons, get in touch so we can work out the details. However, note that this is a synchronous class (no recordings).
  • Participation is a critical element of this class, but you will never be penalized for prioritizing your and others' health. Just stay in touch and we'll work out the details.

Communication

I expect all students to participate in classroom discussions, both by asking questions and by expressing opinions. In return, I will make myself available to answer questions, listen to concerns, and talk to any student about topics related to the class (or not). I welcome your feedback throughout the semester about how the course is going. In addition to regular office hours, you can schedule an appointment with me if you think one-on-one time would help.

Email:

Any course-related email must be sent to the professor and the TA. If you send email just to the professor, it may be answered late. We will attempt to answer e-mail in 24-48 hours; however, last-minute email may not be answered immediately, so please plan ahead.

Discord:

The TA maintains a Discord server for the class, where you are encouraged to ask questions, share responses, and discuss how the class is going. Last-minute messages may not be answered immediately, so please plan ahead. You can, and should, post questions on Discord to be answered by your fellow students and/or TA. Questions must follow the academic integrity guidelines outlined above, so it's okay to post about questions about the assignment, resources you're using, clarifications to the question, and general approaches—just don't post code (either in questions or answers).

Coursework and Grading

Course grades will be based on the following work. The final weighting may be changed slightly.

  • Homework: 30% (4-6 biweekly assignments that may be worked on individually or, as announced, in small groups)
  • Course project: 30%
  • Midterm exam: 20%
  • Final exam: 20%

Late Work:

I expect good time management, but collisions (such as conference attendance) can always happen. We will address these on a case-by-case basis; the sooner you let us know there's a conflict, the better. Extensions of up to one week may be granted on an individual basis by the instructor in some circumstances, if requested well in advance. Repeated requests for extensions, or requests for extensions less than a week ahead, will be denied other than in extraordinary circumstances.

Homeworks will be due by 11:59pm on the due date unless something else has been posted. They are due the day before the relevant lecture on the schedule. Work turned in after the due date will accrue a 25% late penalty per day unless arrangements have been made with the professor.

Once homework has been graded, only the professor can change grades. The TA cannot. Grade change requests must be submitted in writing, to the professor with the TA Cc'd, and must contain a clear written justification for the reason behind the request.

Classroom Policies

  • No devices. Because you will be doing some work in class, you may want to bring a laptop with you. However, except when specified, laptops, computers, and phones must remain closed, down, or put away. For more, read this article.
  • Please don't eat in class, for the same reason: it can be very distracting to other students, especially if people can smell your food.
  • Be courteous to one another. Listen to your classmates' questions and comments without interrupting, and consider what they are saying; when someone is presenting, give them your attention.

Students with Accommodations

The office of Student Disability Services (SDS, https://sds.umbc.edu) works to ensure students can access and take advantage of UMBC's educational environment, regardless of disability. I am committed to ensuring that you have access to all materials and arrangements that will allow you to succeed in this and every course. Please don't hesitate to discuss accommodation issues with me.

Please also see the SDS's recommended syllabus statement about accommodations and disability.

Harassment, Hostility, and Inclusion

All students are entitled to a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment both inside and outside the classroom. This includes freedom from harassment, violence, prejudice, and exclusionary behavior toward any group. It also includes a welcoming atmosphere and appropriate accommodations for all situations. Class discussions will remain respectful of one another's views, and voices from all groups are equally welcome. This includes respectful responses to points of view we disagree with. Disagreements are welcome and valuable to the discussion; unkind, sarcastic, or dismissive comments are not. We will use one another's preferred pronouns and forms of address, and listen carefully to each other. Any form of sexual harassment or discriminatory behavior is unacceptable.

If you see someone, including the professor or TA, engaging in behavior that doesn't meet these standards, I encourage you to say something, either at the time or in private. I will take you seriously and will never retaliate for criticism. I am always available to discuss problems—in the class, in the program, or in general. (Please read the section on University guidelines, below, on what I must report.) If you have concerns about whether you might violate these guidelines accidentally or whether they protect you and your needs adequately, come talk to me. Again, you will never be retaliated against for these discussions.

If you have concerns about talking to me and/or the TA, please consider reaching out to someone in the department or one if the resources listed at the bottom of the page.

Any student who has experienced sexual harassment or assault, relationship violence, stalking, or discrimination is strongly encouraged to seek support and resources. There are a number of resources available to you. I am always available to discuss any concerns. My goal is to listen, support you (personally and institutionally), answer questions, and help you take action or solve problems.

Please be aware that in some cases (sexual assault, domestic violence, relationship violence, stalking, or gender-based harassment), I and other faculty are required to report the existence of a problem to the university so they can inform you of resources available, and ensure your safety and that of other students. You will not be forced to to file a police report, but be aware that the University may take action.

If you need to speak with someone in confidence about an incident, UMBC has the following Confidential Resources available to support you:

  • The Counseling Center: 410-255-2742 (M-F 8:30-5)
  • University Health Services: 410-455-2542 (M-F 8:30-5)
  • For after-hours emergency consultation, call the police at 410-455-5555
Other, non-confidential resources (they must report harassment/violence):
  • The Women's Center (available to students of all genders): 410-455-2714 (M-Th 9:30-6, F 9:30-4)
  • Title IX Coordinator: 410-455-1606 (9-5)

Child Abuse and Neglect: Please note that Maryland law requires that I report all closure or suspicions of child abuse or neglect to the Department of Social Service and/or the police.