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Harvard University

CS50's Computer Science for Lawyers

Gain a deeper understanding of the legal implications of technological decisions made by clients.

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Estimated 10 weeks
3-6 hours per week
Self-Paced
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About this course

This course is a variant of Harvard University's introduction to computer science, CS50, designed especially for lawyers (and law students). Whereas CS50 itself takes a bottom-up approach, emphasizing mastery of low-level concepts and implementation details thereof, this course takes a top-down approach, emphasizing mastery of high-level concepts and design decisions related thereto.

Through a mix of technical instruction and discussion of case studies, this course empowers students to be informed contributors to technology-driven conversations. In addition, it prepares students to formulate technology-informed legal arguments and opinions. Along the way, it equips students with hands-on experience with Python and SQL, languages via which they can mine data for answers themselves.

Topics include algorithms, cloud computing, databases, networking, privacy, programming, scalability, security, and more, with a particular emphasis on understanding how the work developers do and the technological solutions they employ may impact clients. Students emerge from this course with first-hand appreciation of how it all works and all the more confident in the factors that should guide their decision-making.


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What you'll learn

  • Computational Thinking
  • Programming Languages
  • Algorithms, Data Structures
  • Cryptography
  • Cybersecurity
  • Internet Technologies, Cloud Computing
  • Web Programming
  • Database Design
  • Cybersecurity, continued
  • Challenges at the Intersection of Law and Technology

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At a glance

  • Institution:
    Harvard University
  • Subject:
    Computer Science
  • Language:
    English
  • Level:
    Introductory
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About the instructors

David J. Malan
David J. Malan
Gordon McKay Professor of the Practice of Computer Science
Harvard University
Doug Lloyd
Doug Lloyd
Senior Preceptor in Computer Science
Harvard University

Ways to take this course

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$199 USD

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Frequently asked questions

You'll have a different experience in your course depending on whether you've enrolled in the free audit track or paid verified track. As a free audit learner, you will have temporary access to course materials except graded assignments, and you will not earn a certificate the end of the course. You will be able to access the free content for the estimated course length posted on the course introduction page in the catalog.

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Benefits of the verified track

  • Qualify to receive a verified certificate if you earn a passing score before the course ends
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If you click Pursue the Verified Track you'll be directed to the payment page. Enter your credit card information or click the PayPal button in the upper right to pay from your PayPal account. All fees are charged in US Dollars.

As a free audit learner, you will have temporary access to all course materials except graded assignments, and you will not earn a certificate the end of the course. You will be able to access the free content for the expected course length posted on the course introduction page in the catalog.

Benefits of the verified track

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  • Access course readings and video lectures
  • Complete any ungraded, practice assignments if the course features any
  • Participate in the the course discussion forums
  • View progress of any ungraded practice assignments
  • Expires after the estimated course length has passed

Upgrading to the verified track will give you access to all materials, including graded assignments, until the course end date. Upgrading will not change or extend the course end date. You’ll still need to pass the course before it ends in order to earn a certificate. After the course end date, as a verified learner, you will have access to archived course content and materials, as long it exists on edX.

In the free audit track, you can access the course content for the Estimated course length listed on the course introduction page in the course catalog.

If your access to the audit track has expired and the course is still open for verified enrollment, you may Upgrade to Verified from your edX Dashboard to regain access.

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