School of Engineering
Department of Computer Science

Exemption Exam for CS 10

ON EXAM DAY, THIS LINK WILL TAKE YOU TO THE CANVAS PAGE HOSTING THIS EXAM. After enrolling yourself by clicking the link, click the "Go to Course" button to find further instructions (see below for more information).

What is the Exemption Exam?

The computer science introduction course sequence has been redesigned to strengthen the foundational elements of computer science education. In our new sequence, students may only enroll in CS 11 after completing CS 10 or ES 2, or after passing a CS 10 or ES 2 exemption exam. While passing either exam does not earn you credits, it does grant you permission to enroll in CS 11 without taking CS 10 or ES 2.

Logistics

The exam is virtual: you will follow a link to a Canvas course titled “Computer Science Placement Assessment”. The only purpose of this “course” is to host the exemption exam.

The exam will be open on Thursday, March 6 from 9:00 AM EST to 9:00 PM EST, and will apply to registration for Fall 2025. The link to the exam will be live at the top of this page on this date and time. After clicking that link to enroll yourself in the Canvas course, you will click the “Go to Course” button to find further instructions.

Once you submit the exam, you are done. You do NOT need to check in with anyone unless you have issues or concerns.

Real-Time Help During the Exam: During the day of the exam itself, if you have questions or need assistance, you may join the following Zoom session where Prof. Richard Townsend will be available from 12:00 PM EST to 1:00 PM EST to help solve real-time technical issues you might have. YOU DO NOT need to join this Zoom Room; this is only if you have issues or concerns.

Join the Zoom session at https://tufts.zoom.us/my/richardtownsend
Meeting ID: 875 294 6143

Format

The exam will consist of a set of questions that gauge what background programming knowledge you already possess. Each question poses a small programming problem using an imaginary programming language called JumboScript; you will be provided with a reference document specifying the rules and syntax of Jumboscript. Your job is to simply try to answer the question given the information provided to you (no other information will be given outside of what the question says and the JumboScript reference document).  The only thing you need to complete the exam is a computer with internet access; you will not need to write or submit any programs.

Given that the point of the exam is to assess what you already know, there is no need to study or practice in preparation. Simply take the exam and you’ll be all set!

Comments on Academic Honesty

Tufts University holds its students strictly accountable for adherence to academic integrity. The consequences for violations can be severe. It is critical that you understand the requirements of ethical behavior and academic work as described in Tufts’ Academic Integrity handbook. The Faculty of the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering are required to report suspected cases of academic integrity violations to the Dean of Student Affairs Office. If the proctor of this exam suspects that you have cheated or plagiarized on this exam, they will report the situation to the dean.

It is expected that the work you do on this exam represents your abilities in using computation to solve problems. As such, you should work on this exam by yourself, without using any outside resources. Here are some examples of academic dishonesty as related to this exam:

  • Asking others for help during the exam (humans, AI, Google, etc.)
  • Referring to notes, textbooks, or online resources during the exam
  • Sharing the exam problems anywhere or with anyone. 

Need More Information?

For any questions regarding CS 10, CS 11, degree requirements, major degree sheets, or selecting appropriate classes, please contact one of the following:

For more information about the Exemption Exam for CS 10, please contact Professor Richard Townsend (richard.townsend@tufts.edu) who will be administering the exam. To help facilitate communication, please include “CS 10 Exemption Exam” as part of your email subject.