625.636.8VL - Graph Theory

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into Lectures which can be accessed by clicking on the Modules tab on the course menu. Each Lecture folder will have several sections including the instructor lecture notes, recommend readings, a link to the associated discussions, and assignments. The assignments and discussions will also be posted in their own folders. You are required to watch the live lectures within 48 hours of the of their posting if you do not attend the live class. You are also encouraged to read through the instructor lecture notes and recommended reading. There will be two live lectures a week. Discussions will be posted after each lecture o. Homework will be assigned Thursday and due the following Thursday. You should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates. 

Course Topics

• Basic definitions of graphs
• Matchings
• Distance
• Trees and Forests
• Connectivity
• Eulerian Graphs
• Hamiltonian Graphs
• Graph Coloring
• Planarity
• Directed Graphs

Course Goals

The goal of the course is to give students a strong understanding of the main concepts of Graph Theory and to for the students be able to be able to write rigorous proofs involving these concepts. 

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Understand and apply the fundamental definitions and properties of graphs.
• Read and write rigorous mathematical proofs involving graphs.
• Identify and describe the numerous applications of graph theory in computer science and engineering.

Textbooks

Required 

Chartrand, Lesniak, and Zhang (2015). Graphs and Digraphs (6th Edition). CRC Press. 

Recommended 

West (2000). Introduction to Graph Theory (2nd Edition). Pearson. 

Textbook information for this course is available online through the appropriate bookstore website: For online courses, search the MBS website at http://ep.jhu.edu/bookstore. 

Required Software

None. Although familiarity with Matlab or some other programming language may be useful.

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each week you will need to work for 10 -15 hours. (Note this is a summer course and it twice as much material is covered per week compared to a Spring/Fall semester course. Here is an approximate breakdown: watching live/recorded lectures (approximately 5–6 hours per week), reading the assigned sections of the texts and other readings (approximately 1-2 hours per week), participating in discussions (approximately 1- 2 hours per week), and problem sets (approximately 3–6 hours per week). 

Your final grade will be broken down as follows: 

Weekly Problem Sets

Each week a graded problem set will be assigned on Friday and due the following Thursday. These assignments will be returned weekly, providing frequent feedback. Late assignments will not be accepted without prior permission from the instructor. You are to complete these assignments individually. These 6 grades will have the combined worth of 30% of your final grade. 

Class Participation/Discussions

Students will be expected to participate either during the live lecture or via discussion boards throughout the semester. Weekly discussion questions will be posted to the class discussion board. Participation during the live lecture or via the class discussion boards will be worth 10% of your final grade. 

Exams

There will be two exams given. A midterm on June 21st and the final exam on July 14th. These exams will be timed, non-cumulative, and cover the material from the previous lectures. Each of these exams will be worth 30% of your final grade.

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in your Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Calendar or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. I will post grades about a week after assignment due dates. 

We generally do not directly grade spelling, grammar, or handwriting. However, egregious violations of the rules of the English language will be noted without comment. Consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade. Also, if assignments are exceptionally messy or hard to read, points will be deducted. Basically, if I can't read it, I can’t grade it. So please keep your work neat. Direct copying from any sources is not allowed. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. 

Final grades will be determined by the following weighting: 

Course Policies

Academic Integrity Course 

You will be enrolled in an academic integrity training course shortly after registering for your first class at Johns Hopkins Engineering for Professionals. This course covers the fundamental values of academic integrity, as well as information related to our academic misconduct policy. You will receive guidance on proper citation, and learn how to avoid mistakes like plagiarism and other violations of academic misconduct. 

The academic integrity training course can be accessed through Canvas and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. This is a pass/fail course and the grade will be posted to your transcript. All students are expected to complete the academic integrity course within their first term. For more information on our academic misconduct policy, please visit: http://ep.jhu.edu/faculty/prepare-to-teach/academic-misconduct. 

Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is defined as taking the words, ideas or thoughts of another and representing them as one's own. If you use the ideas of another, provide a complete citation in the source work; if you use the words of another, present the words in the correct quotation notation (indentation or enclosed in quotation marks, as appropriate) and include a complete citation to the source. See the course text for examples. 

Collaboration Guidelines 

While discussion of the homework is allowed, the assignments are intended to be done individually and you must prepare your solutions separately. Direct copying of written work or computer code on any assignment/exam/discussion is considered to be cheating as is searching the internet for solutions to the problems. These activities will result in a grade of zero on the assignment and possible an F in the course. 

Discussion of exams is strictly prohibited and will result in an F in the course. Contact me if you have any questions, no matter how slight, about this policy, or if you have questions about a particular assignment. 

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.