Spring 2026 - CMPT 310 D100
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (3)
Class Number: 5446
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Tue, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Hang Ma
hangma@sfu.ca
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Prerequisites:
CMPT 225 and STAT 271, all with a minimum grade of C-. Recommended: MATH 251.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
Artificial intelligence is an area with vast application scenarios. This course is intended as a prerequisite for advanced-level AI courses and covers the fundamental concepts and foundational mathematical formulations in machine learning and AI. Topics include supervised learning, linear regression, gradient descent, search algorithms, Markov decision processes, and Bayes nets.
COURSE DETAILS:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the part of computer science concerned with systems that learn, reason and make/support decisions. The goal of this course is to provide students with a survey of different aspects of artificial intelligence. A variety of approaches with general applicability will be developed. The first topic is searching for solutions to complex decision and planning problems (search strategies and heuristics). Symbolic logic will be presented as a formalism for representing knowledge in AI systems. Probability as a mechanism for handling uncertainty in AI will be presented, with a focus on Bayesian networks. We will introduce basic concepts of machine learning, including as decision trees and neural nets.
Topics
- Search
- Logic
- Game playing
- Reasoning under uncertainty (probability)
- Bayesian networks
- Machine learning
Grading
- 4 assignments 40%
- Midterm exam 25%
- Final exam 35%
REQUIREMENTS:
Prior to Spring 2026:
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
Reference Books:
Artificial Intelligence: Foundations of Computational Agents, David L. Poole and Alan Mackworth, New York : Cambridge University Press, 2010, 9780521519007
Artificial Intelligence (6th Edition). Structures and Strategies for Complex Problem Solving, George Luger, Addison Wesley, 2009, 9780321545893
REQUIRED READING:
Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach, 4th edition
- Stuart Russell, Peter Norvig
- Pearson
- 2021
ISBN: 9780137505135
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
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Students must attain an overall passing grade on the weighted average of exams in the course in order to get a C- or higher.
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All student requests for accommodations for their religious practices must be made in writing by the end of the first week of classes, or no later than one week after a student adds a course. After considering a request, an instructor may provide a concession or may decline to do so. Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability can contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca).
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.
To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit:
- SFU’s Academic Integrity Policy: S10-01 Policy
- SFU’s Academic Integrity website, which includes helpful videos and tips in plain language: Academic Integrity at SFU
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.