# Computer Science (COMS) courses

Napa Valley College · 2026-2027 Catalog · 8 courses

Source: https://catalog.napavalley.edu/courses/coms/

"Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Fall 2026, Spring 2027.

### COMS-101 — Computer Information Systems

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2027, 2 sections (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/coms.md)

Examination of information systems and their role in business. Focus on information systems, database management systems, networking, e-commerce, ethics and security, computer systems hardware and software components. Application of these concepts and methods through hands-on projects developing computer-based solutions to business problems. A strong focus on terminology as it relates to Computer Information Systems.

### COMS-120 — Introduction to Programming Concepts And Methodologies

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/coms.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/coms.md)

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of programming using an object-oriented programming language. Topics include the software development life-cycle, program design tools and programming environments, documentation, coding, data types, arrays, control structure, algorithms, file input/output, error handling, parameters, as well as principles of testing and designing test data.

### COMS-164 — Introduction to Cybersecurity: Ethical Hacking

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Fall 2026, Spring 2027 schedules

This course introduces the network security specialist to the various methodologies for attacking a network. Students will be introduced to the concepts, principles, and techniques, supplemented by hands-on exercises, for attacking and disabling a network within the context of properly securing a network. The course will emphasize network attack methodologies with an emphasis on student use of network attack techniques and tools and appropriate defenses and countermeasures. Students will receive course content information through a variety of methods: lectures and demonstration of hacking tools will be used in addition to a virtual environment. Students will experience a hands-on practical approach to penetration testing measures and ethical hacking.

### COMS-165 — Microsoft Excel

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 3 sections (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/coms.md); Spring 2027, 2 sections (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/coms.md)

An introduction to Microsoft Excel with hands-on training. Provides an introduction to the basic concepts of an electronic spreadsheet as well as specific commands and functions. Advanced topics will include making macros, creating a database, understanding interactive menus, and using business graphics. Spreadsheet documents will be produced for a variety of applications for business use.

### COMS-215 — Programming Concepts and Methodology I

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 18 hours lab; 72 hours total
- **Advisory:** Completion of COMS-120 with a minimum grade of C.
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/coms.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/coms.md)

This is an introductory course to the fundamental concepts of computer science. Students will be exposed to a high level programming theories and methodologies, including object-oriented programming.

### COMS-216 — Programming Concepts & Methodology II

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 18 hours lab; 72 hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Completion of COMS-215 with a minimum grade of C.
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/coms.md)

Application of software engineering techniques to the design and development of large programs; data abstraction and structures and associated algorithms.

### COMS-217 — Assembly Programming Course

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Fall 2026, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/fall-2026/coms.md); Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/coms.md)

The organization and behavior of real computer systems at the assembly-language level. The mapping of statements and constructs in a high-level language onto sequences of machine instructions is studied, as well as the internal representation of simple data types and structures. Numerical computation is examined, noting the various data representation errors and potential procedural errors.

### COMS-218 — Discrete Structures

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 54 hours lecture; 54 hours total
- **Prerequisite:** Completion of COMS-215 with a minimum grade of C.
- **Advisory:** Completion of MATH-108 with a minimum grade of C.
- **Transfers to:** UC, CSU
- **Offered:** Spring 2027, 1 section (/c/napa-valley-college/schedule/spring-2027/coms.md)

This course will introduce the discrete structures used in Computer Science, with an emphasis on their applications. Topics covered include: Functions, Relations and Sets; Basic Logic; Proof Techniques; Basics of Counting; Graphs and Trees; and Discrete Probability.