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 310 |
Tutorials and office hours: For tutorial and office hours time and locations check the Calendar. The tutorials for this class will be run by the TAs and will be in office hours format. The tutorials are optional. That said, you will have more one-on-one time with the TAs and you are likely learn more about machine learning in general if take advantage of this.
Instructor: Varada Kolhatkar
Teaching Assistants:
- Vedant Bahl
- Wenkai Chen
- Anubhav Garg
- Lucas Jin
- Siayue Lyu
- Ben Norman
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 |
| iClicker participation | 2% | iClicker Cloud |
| Assignments | 20% | Gradescope |
| Midterm | 25% | Canvas |
| Final | 52% | Canvas |
The iClicker participation grade will be primarily for participation and not for correctness. That said, these questions are designed for your learning and try to put some effort when you answer them.
The plan is that most of the assignments will contribute equally towards the overall Assignments grade. However, this is not finalized yet. For example, the last assignment ends up particularly short or long due to timing. Furthermore, I will drop your lowest homework grade. By default late submissions will not be accepted. The rationale is that we will be posting the solutions shortly after the assignment deadline, and we cannot accept submissions after the solutions are posted. I do not like this, but I believe the overall policy is best for the class as a whole. See this document for more detailed instructions on submitting homework assignments.
For the full policy on grades, see this document. I understand that grades are important for you for several reasons. But try not to focus too much on them. You will have a better learning experience and in general, you'll be happier in life if you focus more on learning the material well. For the grading scheme I wish we could use this.
Check the Calendar for midterm date and time. 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. Also, all answers should be in your own words. Copy-pasting code snippets or sentences or long phrases from the lecture notes or the internet is considered plagiarism. 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.
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, clearly specify what kind of concession are you asking for, 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.
- 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!
Please read Covid Campus Rules.
Masks: This class is going to be in person. UBC no longer requires students, faculty and staff to wear non-medical masks, but continues to recommend that masks be worn in indoor public spaces.
Your personal health: If you are ill or believe you have COVID-19 symptoms or been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 use the Thrive Health self-assessment tool for guidance, or download the BC COVID-19 Support App for iOS or Android device and follow the instructions provided. Follow the advice from Public Health.
Stay home if you have recently tested positive for COVID-19 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. (But you need to be present in the classroom to write the exam unless there is a legitimate reason for not doing so.)
- 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.
We are working on this course during the global pandemic and 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.
UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) peple. The land it is situated on has always been a place of learning for the Musqueam people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history, and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.
It is important that this recognition of Musqueam territory and our relationship with the Musqueam people does not appear as just a formality. Take a moment to appreciate the meaning behind the words we use:
TRADITIONAL recognizes lands traditionally used and/or occupied by the Musqueam people or other First Nations in other parts of the country.
ANCESTRAL recognizes land that is handed down from generation to generation.
UNCEDED refers to land that was not turned over to the Crown (government) by a treaty or other agreement.
As you begin your journey at UBC, take some time to learn about the history of this land and to honour its original inhabitants.