CMSC388C Special Topics in Computer Science; Robotic Process Automation

Instructor:

Dr. Anwar Mamat
Email: anwar@cs.umd.edu
Office Location: AVW 3259
Phone: 301-405-2696

Teaching Assistants

Class hours and Location

WThF 11:00am-12:15pm
Location: CSI3120

Course Overview

Academic studies project that Robotic Process Automation is expected to drive a new wave of productivity and efficiency gains in the global labour market. Oxford University conjectures that up to 35% of all jobs may have been automated by 2035. This course will utilize special software and tools to create software robots or artificial intelligence (AI) workers to automate data processing, software testing, and any repetitive work such as uploading student grades, entering data, and uploading receipts.

This class introduces the RPA development using UiPath. Topics covered by the course include:

• Introduction
• Variables, Data Types & Control Flow
• Data Manipulation
• Recording
• Advanced UI Interaction
• Selectors
• Image & Text Automation
• Excel & Data Tables
• PDF
• Email Automation
• Debugging & Exception Handling

Textbooks

Course Schedule

Projects

• Project1: Uploading Data to Web Forms

Class Announcements

Announcements will be posted at the announcement section of the class homepage. You are responsible for reading these announcements (at least once a day). Important information about the course (e.g., deadlines, project updates, etc.) will be posted in this section.

Grading

Final grades will be computed according the following weights. (These weights are tentative and subject to future adjustment.)

Academic Integrity

Note that academic dishonesty includes not only cheating, fabrication, and plagiarism, but also includes helping other students commit acts of academic dishonesty by allowing them to obtain copies of your work. In short, all submitted work must be your own. Cases of academic dishonesty will be pursued to the fullest extent possible as stipulated by the Office of Student Conduct.

It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu

Excused Absence and Academic Accommodations

Any student who needs to be excused for an absence from a single lecture, recitation, or lab due to a medically necessitated absence shall:

1. Make a reasonable attempt to inform the instructor of his/her illness prior to the class.
2. Upon returning to the class, present their instructor with a self-signed note attesting to the date of their illness. Each note must contain an acknowledgment by the student that the information provided is true and correct. Providing false information to University officials is prohibited under Part 9(h) of the Code of Student Conduct (V-1.00(B) University of Maryland Code of Student Conduct) and may result in disciplinary action.
3. This self-documentation may not be used for the Major Scheduled Grading Events as defined below and it may only be used for only 1 class meeting during the semester.

Any student who needs to be excused for a prolonged absence (2 or more consecutive class meetings) or for a Major Scheduled Grading Event, must provide written documentation of the illness from the Health Center or from an outside health care provider. This documentation must verify dates of treatment and indicate the time frame that the student was unable to meet academic responsibilities. No diagnostic information shall be given. The Major Scheduled Grading Events for this course is the last class project.

It is also the student's responsibility to inform the instructor of any intended absences from exams for religious observances in advance. Notice should be provided as soon as possible.

Any student eligible for and requesting reasonable academic accommodations due to a disability is requested to provide a letter of accommodation from the Office of Disability Support Services at the beginning of the semester.