COURSE NUMBER: MBA296.2B
COURSE TITLE: An Introduction to Code for MBAs
UNITS OF CREDIT: 1.0
INSTRUCTOR: Joe Wadcan
E-MAIL ADDRESS: joe@wadcan.com
MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Thursdays 4:00-6:00PM, Fall B only
(10/16 – 12/4)
PREREQUISITE(S): None. The class is aimed at
non-technical students with no prior coding experience.
CLASS FORMAT: Class will be a mixture of lecture and
in-class exercises. Students are expected to actively participate.
REQUIRED READINGS:
Readings and background material will be distributed as links prior to
class. There is no textbook to purchase or books to reserve.
BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:
Students will be graded on their comprehension of subject matter that is
introduced in class and reinforced through assignments and projects. Each
individual student’s score computed using the formula:
·
40% Participation based on peer grading (20%),
attendance (10%), in-class contributions (10%)
·
30% (3) Assignments based on covered class
material
·
20% (4) Quizzes held at the start of class,
based on assigned reading
·
10% Course project, with partial credit given
based on achieved milestones
ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: At its core, the Introduction to Code course
helps MBA candidates analyze complex problems, communicate clearly with
technical colleagues, and start building real web applications. Students will gain this knowledge as they are
guided through the real world process of creating a working prototype for an
actual web based application. Students
are taught the industry-standard vocabulary, tools, and processes used by
developers today, essential to a career in the web tech industry. The class focuses heavily on application
instead of theory and is a great for student entrepreneurs, looking to build
out their ideas.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Joe Wadcan currently works at GitHub and has taught the Intro to Code course at Berkeley-Haas for two semesters. Joe founded and leads development at Calico, a calendar based startup in San Francisco. He previously worked at Javelin Ventures and lead communications for an internal startup at Citigroup. Joe received his MBA from Berkeley-Haas ('12) where he taught himself how to code, understanding the unique difficulties that non-technical students face.