Algorithms, Part I
- Free
- No certificate
- Intermediate
- 5 weeks
Algorithms, Part I is the first half of Robert Sedgewick and Kevin Wayne's Princeton course on the algorithms and data structures every serious programmer should know, with emphasis on applications and on scientific performance analysis of Java implementations. Its thirteen modules cover union-find, analysis of algorithms, stacks and queues, elementary sorts, mergesort, quicksort, priority queues, elementary symbol tables, balanced search trees, geometric applications of binary search trees, hash tables and symbol-table applications. Work consists of weekly exercises, weekly programming assignments, weekly interview questions and a final exam. Coursera labels the course intermediate level with a flexible schedule and estimates five weeks at ten hours a week.
The course page states that all of its features are available for free and that, under Princeton University policy, no certificates, credentials or reports are awarded. The textbook Algorithms, Fourth Edition is optional. Part II, on graph and string algorithms, is a separate free course.
What you’ll learn
- Analyse algorithm performance scientifically using Java implementations
- Implement union-find, stacks, queues and priority queues
- Compare elementary sorts with mergesort and quicksort
- Build symbol tables with balanced search trees and hash tables
- Apply binary search trees to geometric problems
Who it’s for
Programmers who know some Java and want a rigorous, assignment-driven treatment of sorting, searching and data structures without paying for anything.
Syllabus
13 sections as listed on coursera.org, 54 h 18 min in total.
- Course Introduction 1 h 10 min
- Union−Find 8 h 52 min
- Analysis of Algorithms 1 h 6 min
- Stacks and Queues 9 h 2 min
- Elementary Sorts 1 h 3 min
- Mergesort 8 h 49 min
- Quicksort 50 min
- Priority Queues 9 h 24 min
- Elementary Symbol Tables 1 h 47 min
- Balanced Search Trees 1 h 43 min
- Geometric Applications of BSTs 9 h 6 min
- Hash Tables 1 hour
- Symbol Table Applications 26 min
Instructors
- Kevin Wayne Phillip Y. Goldman '86 University Lecturer, Computer Science, Princeton University
- Robert Sedgewick William O. Baker *39 Professor in Computer Science, Emeritus, Computer Science, Princeton University
Course details
- Skills covered
- Java
- Data Structures
- Java Programming
- Algorithms
- Includes
- 13 modules · 10 assignments
- Prerequisites
- Some related experience required
- Subtitles
- 26 languages
On coursera.org
Rated 4.9 out of 5 by 12,151 learners; 1,471,558 enrolled, as shown on the course page on 20 Oct 2026. These are coursera.org’s own figures, not ours.
Source: Princeton Online (opens in a new tab) · Verified · Report a change
More free Princeton courses
Every Princeton course we have verified, with cost and certificate terms compared.
Computer ScienceAll free Computer Science courses
Free and free-to-audit Computer Science courses from every provider, ranked.