AP Computer Science A (Sem 1) (SY 25-26)
Course Description:
This is the first semester of a two-semester course sequence and is aligned to the College Board’s Advanced Placement course and exam description for AP Computer Science A. Curious about what really goes on behind your favorite apps and websites? It all starts with code! In this challenging course, you will discover the design of solutions to problems, the use of data structures to organize large sets of data, the development and implementation of algorithms to process data and discover new information, the analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing systems. You will explore the power of object-oriented programming and design using the Java programming language.
AP Computer Science is a college-level computer course covering the applications of computing within the context of programming methodology, algorithms, and data structures. The Java computer language which is a free download for either a Macintosh or a Windows platform. This course requires a proctored mid-term and final exam. The course does NOT include the AP Exam; students can contact their school’s AP Coordinator or the College Board to sign up to take the Exam. In order to maintain the integrity of AP standards, all AP course midterm and final exams must be proctored.
Course Details:
| Course Title (District): | AP Computer Science A (Sem 1) (SY 25-26) | ||||||||||
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| Course Title (NCES SCED) : | AP Computer Science A | ||||||||||
| Course Provider : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Content Provided By : | Florida Virtual School | ||||||||||
| Online Instructor Provided By : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Standards Addressed : | National Collegiate Athletic Association, CollegeBoard | ||||||||||
| Alignment Document : | https://learn.michiganvirtual.org/alignment-document-coming-soon | ||||||||||
| Academic Terms : | Semester | ||||||||||
| NCES SCED Code : 10157 |
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How To Enroll:
| Enrollment Website : | https://slp.michiganvirtual.org/ |
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| Email : | [email protected] |
| Phone : | (888) 889-2840 |
Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.
Additional Course Information:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (888) 889-2840
- Install Java development environments and configure BlueJ for program development
- Write basic Java programs using proper syntax and structure
- Apply the order of operations to evaluate mathematical expressions in Java
- Declare and initialize integer variables to store and manipulate numeric data
- Create programming expressions using arithmetic operators and variables
- Convert between primitive data types using casting operations
- Navigate Java class documentation and APIs to locate method specifications
- Apply Math class methods to perform complex mathematical calculations
- Manipulate String objects using built-in methods for text processing
- Implement Scanner class methods to capture and parse user input
- Call object methods with appropriate parameters to achieve desired functionality
- Evaluate Boolean expressions and use Boolean variables in program logic
- Construct conditional statements using if-else structures to control program flow
- Design nested conditional statements to handle complex decision-making scenarios
- Compare String objects using appropriate methods to ensure accurate text matching
- Implement while loops to repeat code blocks based on specified conditions
- Read data from and write data to text files using Java file I/O operations
- Create for loops and enhanced for loops to iterate through data collections
- Design methods that demonstrate procedural abstraction by encapsulating specific tasks
- Construct custom objects using class constructors with appropriate parameters
- Implement method overloading and apply encapsulation principles to protect class data
- Manage object references to control memory allocation and object relationships
- Distinguish between instance and static class variables and methods in program design
Additional Cost Description:
None. The textbook, CSAwesome2, published online by Runestone Academy LTD, is the newest AP CSA Java curriculum approved to meet the 2025-2026 College Board standards and an introductory college-level computer programming course in Java. Runestone Academy LTD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing Open Source interactive textbooks at no cost. The textbooks are ad-free to those who choose to register an account with Runestone Academy (optional), using the code csawesome2 in the Course Name field. Textbook Citation: Runestone Academy LTD. (2025). CSAWESOME2. AP CSA Java 2025+. https://runestone.academy/ns/books/published/csawesome2/csawesome2.html
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
NSQ National Standards for Quality Online Courses: Fourth Edition (2025)
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| E3: The course provides accessible course materials and activities to meet the variable needs of learners, following Universal Design for Learning principles. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| E1: Course navigation is logical, consistent, and efficient from the learner’s point of view. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| E2: The course design facilitates readability. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| E4: Multimedia in the course is easy to use. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| E5: Vendor accessibility statements are provided for all technologies required in the course. | Pilot: Review Pending |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| A1: A course overview and syllabus are included in the course. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| A2: Minimum computer skills and digital literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| A3: The instructor’s biographical information and information on how to communicate with the instructor are provided. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| A4: Learner expectations and policies are clearly stated and readily accessible within the introductory material of the course. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| A5: Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| A6: Grading policies and practices are clearly defined in accordance with course content learning expectations. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| A7: The course instructions articulate or link to a clear description of the technical support offered and how to obtain it. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| A8: Learners are offered an orientation prior to the start of the course. | Pilot: Review Pending |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| B1: The course objectives or competencies are measurable and clearly state what the learner will be able to demonstrate as a result of successfully completing the course. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B2: Where applicable, the course content is aligned with accepted state and/or other accepted content standards. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B3: Digital literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B4: Supplemental learning resources and related instructional materials are available to support and enrich learning and are aligned with the content delivered. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B5: The course content and supporting materials reflect different perspectives and provide non-stereotypical forms of representation. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B6: The course materials (e.g., textbooks, primary source documents, Open Education Resources “[OER])” that support course content standards are accurate and current. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B7: The course is free of adult content and avoids unnecessary advertisements. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B8: Copyright and licensing status for any third-party content is appropriately cited and easily found. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| B9: Documentation and other support materials are available to support effective online course facilitation. | Pilot: Review Pending |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| C1: The course design includes activities that guide learners toward promoting ownership of their learning and self-monitoring. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C2: The course’s content and learning activities promote the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C3: The course is organized by units and lessons arranged in a logical sequence. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C4: The course content is appropriate to the reading level of the intended learners. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C5: The course design includes introductory assignments or activities to engage learners within the first week of the course. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C6: The course provides learners with multiple learning paths as appropriate, based on learner needs, that engage learners in a variety of ways. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C7: The course provides regular opportunities for learner-learner interaction. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C8: The course design provides opportunities for learner-instructor interaction, including opportunities for regular feedback about learner progress. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| C9: Course instructional materials and resources present content in an effective, engaging, and appropriate manner. | Pilot: Review Pending |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| D1: Learner assessments align with stated course, unit, or lesson-level objectives or competencies. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| D2: Valid course assessments measure learner progress toward understanding of content. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| D3: Assessment practices provide frequent and varied opportunities for self-monitoring and reflection of learning. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| D4: Assessment materials provide the learner with the flexibility to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| D5: Rubrics that clearly define expectations for varied levels of proficiency are created and shared with learners. | Pilot: Review Pending |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| F1: All technologies and tools included for use as part of the course ensure that learner privacy is protected in accordance with the Acceptable Use Policy and applicable law. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| F2: The course tools further the learning objectives and course competencies. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| F3: The course technology allows for customization and personalization. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| F4: The course operates within a platform to score and record assessments and calculate earned course points or grades. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| F5: Courses utilize emerging technologies that can enhance the learning experience, prioritizing learners and outcomes. | Pilot: Review Pending |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| G1: The course uses multiple methods and sources of input for assessing course effectiveness. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| G2: The course is regularly reviewed to ensure that the course is current and relevant. | Pilot: Review Pending | |
| G3: The course is updated on a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness based on the findings from ongoing reviews. | Pilot: Review Pending |
Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review:
12/19/2025
Module 1: Primitive Data Types
Module 2: Using Objects
Module 3: Selection and Repetition
Module 4: Object-Oriented Programming
| Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends | Random Draw Date | Enrollment Drop Date | Course Starts | Course Ends | # of Seats | Course Fee | Potential Additional Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester | 04/01/2025 | 09/19/2025 | 07/01/2025 | 09/12/2025 | 08/29/2025 | 01/16/2026 | 100 | $440 |
| Drop Policy | Completion Policy | Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Michigan Virtual has established that enrollments earning 60% or more of the total course points are considered a course completion. | Semester | 04/01/2025 | 09/19/2025 |
Completion of course activiites require the download of the latest version of the BlueJ Java IDE as well as the version of the Java SE Development Kit from Oracle) suited to your computer device's operating system. Computers devices used by students in this course should running either Windows 10 (x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit)) OS or Mac OS X (10.8.3+ or 10.9 and above).
Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Ensure that your school or district network and device administrator establishes network access permissions or exceptions for online resources relevant to the course in which you are choosing to enroll. Ref., Michigan Virtual Course Allow List
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements.
Lightweight devices such as Apple iPads, Google Chromebooks, and tablets have limited support for Java or Flash which still appear in a small percentage of our catalog. While FLVS does not offer technical support for these devices, FLVS is working to remove Flash from their remaining course content. Students will need extra work-around steps or alternate browsers to engage with some portions of those courses. FLVS recommends students have a Windows or Mac based computer available to complete coursework in the event that your selected mobile device does not meet the needs of the course. Fully supported Operating Systems for FLVS courses include Windows (10 or higher) and MacOS (11 or higher). Supported Browsers include the most recent versions of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari on devices that support Java and HTML5. Browsers need to be up to date, and some FLVS courses may require installation or enabling of the following Plug-ins: JavaScript enabled, Cookies enabled, Java installed. https://www.flvs.net/student-parent-resources/more/system-requirements