Welcome to the course webpage for the Fall 2025 offering of CS7480: Categories for PL. This page contains the course syllabus; you should read it thoroughly.

Logistics

  • Instructors:
  • Location: Ryder Hall 233
  • Time: Tues/Fri 3:25PM - 5:05PM, EST
  • Input/Output: You should check this webpage regularly for updates. Essential logistics communication (such as course cancellation etc.) will be done using Canvas announcements and posts on Discord. We will be using Discord for most course communication. Assignments will be turned in on Gradescope.

Reference Materials

There are many books and references available on category theory that all have different perspectives. The course will primarily be taught out of course notes, available on this webpage. The following books and references might be useful as supplementary material:

Coursework and Grading Policy

The course will consist of the following graded material, subject to change as the semester progresses:

  • Assignments (50% of total): Five or six in total. Posted on this webpage. You are encouraged to work in groups; if you do so, you may both submit an assignment jointly (put both names on it). Assignments will be submitted as PDF on Canvas, or as a Lean file upload. Assignments will be graded according to the following rubric:
    • Check plus: Exemplary homework. Full marks. Given sparingly.
    • Check: Meets expectations. Full marks, most receive this grade.
    • Check minus: Significant issues. Given sparingly.
  • Explainer (30% of total): As a final project you will contribute an appendix to the course notes on a topic of your choosing, written in the style of the course notes. Due at the end of the semester. A rubric will be posted on this webpage when we are closer to the due date.
  • Participation (20% of Total) Participation takes the form of: attending lectures in-person; asking questions during lecture; discussing and answering questions on Discourse; suggesting fixes or improvements to the course notes.

Late Work Policy

Email the instructors if you need to submit work after the deadline. The instructors reserve the right to not accept late work, but are happy to make accomodations on an as-needed basis.

Grading thresholds

Letter grades will be assigned according to a standard grading threshold based on percentage of total points.

Academic Honesty

Cheating and other acts of academic dishonesty will be referred to Khoury College. There are very serious penalties here, so please do not take any chances by copying any material from the Internet or from other past or present students of this course or related courses. In particular, when completing the programming assignments, it is important that you do not refer to any completed solutions that you find on the Internet. When in doubt, ask the instructor or consult the Northeastern academic honesty page here.

Remote policy

The instructor will follow university policies on whether or not the course is to be taught in-person. The class is assumed by default to be in-person: the instructor will make an announcement if it will not be in-person. If the class is to be remote, it will be taught online using Zoom, and a link will be available in Canvas under the Zoom tab. Lectures may be recorded under certain circumstances. Please feel free to contact the instructor if you have any questions.

General resources

Disability Resource Center

Students who have disabilities who wish to receive academic services and/or accommodations should visit the Disability Resource Center at 20 Dodge Hall or call (617) 373-2675. Please be sure to provide your instructor with DRC’s accommodations letter early in the semester in order to avoid logistical challenges. As-per the DRC’s policy, it is the student’s responsibility to coordinate with the instructor in order to provide suitable accommodations.

Title IX Notice

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects individuals from sex or gender-based discrimination, including discrimination based on gender-identity, in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.

Northeastern’s Title IX Policy prohibits Prohibited Offenses, which are defined as sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship or domestic violence, and stalking. The Title IX Policy applies to the entire community, including students, faculty and staff of all gender identities.

Faculty members are considered “responsible employees” at Northeastern University, meaning they are required to report all allegations of sex or gender-based discrimination to the Title IX Coordinator.

If you or someone you know has been a survivor of a Prohibited Offense, confidential support and guidance can be found through University Health and Counseling Services staff and the Center for Spiritual Dialogue and Service clergy members. By law, those employees are not required to report allegations of sex or gender-based discrimination to the University.

Alleged violations can be reported non-confidentially to the Title IX Coordinator within The Office for Gender Equity and Compliance at titleix@northeastern.edu and/or through NUPD (Emergency 617.373.3333; Non-Emergency 617.373.2121). Reporting Prohibited Offenses to NUPD does not commit the victim/affected party to future legal action.

In case of an emergency, please call 911.