CSE 434: "Intro to Quantum Computation"
(Spring 2026)
CSE 434: "Intro to Quantum Computation"
(Spring 2026)
Course Information
Instructor: Andrea Coladangelo
TAs: Arjun Aggarwal, Nikos Skoumios, Er-Cheng Tang, Yiming Wang
Time & location: Tuesday and Thursday 10-11.20am, CSE2 G01
Class Q&A: Ed Discussion
Office hours: TBA
Course Description
The goal of the course is to rigorously understand the basics of the theory of quantum computation, and to explore many fascinating applications and phenomena in quantum information.
Prerequisites: Math 208 (Linear Algebra) and CSE 312 (Foundations of Computing II).
Tentative Schedule
03/31: Course overview; the double-slit experiment; complex numbers, linear algebra review
04/02: Linear algebra review (continued); single-qubit states and measurements
04/07: Measurements in a different basis; uncertainty principle; global and relative phases
04/09: Unitary evolution; Bra-ket notation; Elitzur-Vaidman tester; Quantum Key Distribution
04/14: States of many qubits, measurements
04/16: Quantum gates on multiple qubits; partial measurements
04/21: The Magic Square game; The CHSH game
04/23: The CHSH game (continued)
04/28: Quantum teleportation; Basics of quantum computation
04/30: Midterm review
05/05: Basics of quantum computation (continued)
05/07: Basics of quantum computation (continued); Deutsch's algorithm
05/12: Simon's algorithm
05/14: No class
05/ 19: Grover's algorithm
05/21: Grover's algorithm (continued); Shor's algorithm (intro)
05/26: Period-finding and Fourier Transform
05/28: Period-finding and Quantum Fourier Transform
06/02: Shor's algorithm (putting things together)
06/04: Implementing the Quantum Fourier Transform; Hamiltonian Simulation
Homeworks & Exams
Homework 1 (due Wednesday 04/08 at 11.59pm):
Homework 2 (due Wednesday 04/15 at 11.59pm):
Homework 3 (due Wednesday 04/22 at 11.59pm):
Midterm (due Wednesday 04/29 at 11.59pm):
Homework 4 (due Wednesday 05/13 at 11.59pm):
Homework 5 (due Wednesday 05/20 at 11.59pm):
Homework 6 (due Wednesday 05/27 at 11.59pm):
Final (in person, Monday 06/08, 10.30-12.20am, CSE2 G01 - same location as class):
Grading
There will be 6 homeworks, 1 midterm (take-home), and 1 final (in person). The grade for the class will be determined based on the following weighted average of homeworks and exams: 48% homeworks, 20% midterm, 32% final.
Late submission policy
4 tokens for 24 hours late submission of homeworks, no questions asked (you may use up to 3 on each homework). The tokens cannot be used on the take-home midterm. After the 4 tokens are used, homeworks submitted up to 24 hours late are graded with a 50% penalty, and homeworks submitted after 24 hours will not be counted for credit. Extenuating cirumstances are of course separate, and should be discussed directly with Andrea.
Collaboration and use of external resources (including AI)
Collaboration with other classmates is encouraged! However, we ask that you write up your solutions individually, and mention your collaborators at the start of your homework solutions.
You can use AI or external resources to clarify concepts from class, or concepts that you are not familiar with, but you are not allowed to use AI or external resources to directly look for the answer to a homework question. We understand that when searching for general information you may accidentally find the exact question we asked. In such cases, we ask that you tell the staff, and provide a link to what you found (if you do so, this will not count as a violation of the policy).
If you are unsure about whether something is allowed, please feel free to ask Andrea.
Academic Integrity
The goal of our assignments is for you to fully understand and internalize the content of the course. Working through homework problems is an integral part of developing this understanding (I firmly believe that there is no substitute to this for learning!). The policies above are designed for you to go through this crucial part of the learning process.
Not following these policies will likely detract from your learning, and it directly negatively affects other students who are following them, since grades are determined partly based on relative performance. Therefore, we take academic integrity seriously. We refer violations of departmental policies to the Office of Academic Affairs. If you are found responsible for a violation of academic integrity on a homework problem, you will receive a 0 on the relevant problem.
I understand that sometimes life can get in the way of spending as much time as you'd like to on assignments. I hope the 6 late tokens can help mitigate busy or stressful times. You should always feel free to reach out directly to Andrea for extra help on the class material (I'm available!), or if there are extenuating circumstances. We can figure something out.