Application of machine learning tools, with an emphasis on solving practical problems. Data cleaning, feature extraction, supervised and unsupervised machine learning, reproducible workflows, and communicating results.
Lectures:
| Day | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Tue/Thu | 11:00-12:20 | DMP 110 |
Tutorials: The tutorials for this class will be run by the TAs and will be in the office hour format. We are planning to have at least one tutorial on Zoom each week to support hybrid learning. This information will be updated in the Calendar.
| Day | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 10:00-11:00 | Neville Scarfe #1328 |
| Friday | 12:00-13:00 | Neville Scarfe #1328 |
| Friday | 14:00-15:00 | Neville Scarfe #1328 |
Office hours: See the calendar.
Instructor: Varada Kolhatkar
Teaching Assistants:
- Gaurav Bhatt
- Brianna (Brie) Dungate
- Rubia Guerra
Waitlists:
The general seats available in this class usually fill up very quickly. Once the general seats are taken, the only way to register for the course is to sign up for the waiting list. For questions about the waiting list policies, see here. You should sign up for the waiting list even if it is long; a lot of students tend to drop courses. Signing up for the waiting list also makes it more likely that we will open up extra sessions, expand class sizes, or offer additional courses on these topics. I have no control over the situation and I cannot help you bypass the waiting list.
Prerequisites: The official prerequisites can be found here. If you do not meet the prerequisites, see here and here. I was told that students should not visit the front desk in the CS main office about prerequisite issues, because the folks at the front desk do not have the authority to resolve prerequisite issues.
In practice, the prerequisite is familiarity with Python programming.
Auditing: If the course is full, we cannot accommodate official auditors. If there is space and you would like to audit the course, please contact the instructor. All UBC students are welcome to audit the course unofficially.
The grading scheme for the course is as follows:
| Component | Weight | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Syllabus quiz | 1% | Canvas |
| Assignments | 30% | Gradescope |
| Midterm | 19% | Canvas |
| Final | 50% | Canvas |
The plan is that most of the assignments will contribute equally towards the overall Assignments grade. However, this is not yet finalized yet. For example, the last assignment ends up particularly short or long due to timing. Furthermore, I will drop your lowest homework grade.
For the full policy on grades, see this document.
For the grading scheme I wish we could use, see here.
UBC has a policy on academic concession for cases in which a student may be unable to complete coursework. According to this policy, grounds for academic concession can be illness, conflicting responsibilities, or compassionate grounds. Examples of compassionate grounds, from the above policy, include "a traumatic event experienced by the student, a family member, or a close friend; an act of sexual assault or other sexual misconduct experienced by the student, a family member, or a close friend; a death in the family or of a close friend." If you would like to request an academic concession, please fill out the academic concession form and email it to the instructor as soon as possible. You may be asked for further documentation. The instructor will evaluate the situation and make a decision on whether to grant the concession and, if so, how to proceed.
The midterm exam will take place on October 28, 2021 during class time. The exam is open book, meaning you are allowed to consult course materials, the internet, etc. However, you are NOT allowed to communicate with anyone else in any way during the exam. The exam will be on Canvas and you will have 75 minutes to complete it.
Missed midterm exam. There is no makeup midterm exam. If you miss the midterm exam, or anticipate missing the midterm exam, please see the Academic concessions section above. In most cases, if you have missed the midterm exam for a justified reason, the weight of the midterm component of the course will be transferred to the final exam.
The final exam will be held during the exam period. The exam is likely to be open book, meaning you are allowed to consult course materials, the internet, etc. However, you are NOT allowed to communicate with anyone else in any way during the exam.
- If you plan to engage in non-course-related activity in lecture (Facebook, YouTube, chatting with friends, etc), please sit in the last two rows of the room to avoid distracting your classmates.
- Do not distribute any course materials (slides, homework assignments, solutions, notes, etc.) without permission.
- Do not photograph or record lectures (audio or video) without permission.
- If you commit to working with a partner on an assignment, do your fair share of the work.
- If you have a problem or complaint, let the instructor(s) know immediately. Maybe we can fix it!
We are working together on this course during a global pandemic. Everyone is struggling to some extent. If you tell me you are having trouble, I am not going to judge you or think less of you. I hope you will extend me the same grace!
Here are some ground rules:
- If you are unable to submit a deliverable on time, please reach out before the deliverable is due.
- If you need extra support, the teaching team is here to work with you. Our goal is to help each of you succeed in the course.
- If you are struggling with the material, the new hybrid teaching format, or anything else, please reach out. I will try to find time and listen to you empathetically.
- If I am unable to help you, I might know someone who can. UBC has some great student support resources.
Masks: This class is going to be in person. Masks are required indoors, including in classrooms, as per the BC Public Health Officer orders. For the purposes of this order, the term "masks" refers to medical and non-medical masks that cover our noses and mouths. Masks are a primary tool to make it harder for Covid-19 to find a new host. You will need to wear a medical or non-medical mask anytime you are indoors at UBC, for your own protection, and the safety and comfort of everyone else in the class. Please do not eat in the classroom. If you need to drink water/coffee/tea/etc, please keep your mask on between sips. Please note that there are some people who cannot wear a mask. These individuals are equally welcome in our class.
Vaccination: If you have not yet had a chance to get vaccinated against Covid-19, vaccines are available to you, free, and on campus [http://www.vch.ca/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine]. The higher the rate of vaccination in our community overall, the lower the chance of spreading this virus. You are an important part of the UBC community. Please arrange to get vaccinated if you have not already done so.
COVID-19 testing: UBC will require COVID-19 testing for all students, faculty and staff, with exemptions provided for those who are vaccinated against COVID-19: [https://news.ubc.ca/2021/08/26/ubc-implements-vaccine-declaration-and-rapid-testing-for-covid-19/]
Your personal health: If you're sick, it's important that you stay home – no matter what you think you may be sick with (e.g., cold, flu, other). A daily self-health assessment is required before attending campus. Every day, before leaving home, complete the self-assessment for Covid symptoms using this tool.
Stay home if you have Covid symptoms, have recently tested positive for Covid, or are required to quarantine. You can check this website to find out if you should self-isolate or self-monitor.
Your precautions will help reduce risk and keep everyone safer. In this class, the marking scheme is intended to provide flexibility so that you can prioritize your health and still be able to succeed:
- All course notes will be provided online.
- All homework assignments can be done and handed in online.
- All exams will be held online.
- Most of the class activity will be video recorded and will be made available to you.
- Before each class, I'll also try to post some videos on YouTube to facilitate hybrid learning.
- There will be at least a few office hours which will be held online.
During this pandemic, the shift to online learning has greatly altered teaching and studying at UBC, including changes to health and safety considerations. Keep in mind that some UBC courses might cover topics that are censored or considered illegal by non-Canadian governments. This may include, but is not limited to, human rights, representative government, defamation, obscenity, gender or sexuality, and historical or current geopolitical controversies. If you are a student living abroad, you will be subject to the laws of your local jurisdiction, and your local authorities might limit your access to course material or take punitive action against you. UBC is strongly committed to academic freedom, but has no control over foreign authorities (please visit http://www.calendar.ubc.ca/vancouver/index.cfm?tree=3,33,86,0 for an articulation of the values of the University conveyed in the Senate Statement on Academic Freedom). Thus, we recognize that students will have legitimate reason to exercise caution in studying certain subjects. If you have concerns regarding your personal situation, consider postponing taking a course with manifest risks, until you are back on campus or reach out to your academic advisor to find substitute courses. For further information and support, please visit: http://academic.ubc.ca/support-resources/freedom-expression.