AP Computer Science A Course Outline

2026–2027 School Year

Revised College Board four-unit framework • Java programming • 2027 AP Exam preparation

Course Overview

AP Computer Science A is an introductory college-level programming course. Students design, write, test, and analyze programs using the Java programming language. Major areas of study include algorithms, problem-solving, object-oriented programming, data structures, code analysis, and responsible computing.

Important: The 2026–2027 course uses College Board's revised four-unit framework, replacing the older ten-unit organization. College Board recommends Java 22; Java 17 or later is acceptable.

Computational Thinking Practices

  1. Design Code: Determine an appropriate program design, develop algorithms, and select suitable data structures.
  2. Develop Code: Write Java code that implements algorithms and uses data and procedural abstractions.
  3. Analyze Code: Trace execution, determine output, identify errors, and compare solutions.
  4. Document Code and Computing Systems: Describe program behavior, conditions, preconditions, and expected results.
  5. Use Computers Responsibly: Examine privacy, bias, security, and the social and ethical effects of computing.

Unit 1: Using Objects and Methods

32–34 class periods15%–25% of multiple-choice section

College Board Topics

  1. Introduction to Algorithms, Programming, and Compilers
  2. Variables and Data Types
  3. Expressions and Output
  4. Assignment Statements and Input
  5. Casting and Range of Variables
  6. Compound Assignment Operators
  7. APIs and Libraries
  8. Documentation with Comments
  9. Method Signatures
  10. Calling Class Methods
  11. The Math Class
  12. Objects: Instances of Classes
  13. Object Creation and Storage
  14. Calling Instance Methods
  15. String Manipulation

Major Java Concepts

  • Algorithms, sequencing, compiling, and executing programs
  • Syntax, logic, and runtime errors
  • int, double, boolean, and reference types
  • Variables, expressions, assignment, casting, and operator precedence
  • Overflow, round-off errors, and integer division
  • Method signatures, parameters, and return values
  • Static and instance methods
  • Object construction, references, and null
  • String and Math methods
  • Comments and program documentation

Suggested Activities

Grade calculator, receipt program, coordinate calculator, random-number game, String manipulation program, and the College Board Receipt Lab.

Unit 2: Selection and Iteration

29–31 class periods25%–35% of multiple-choice section

College Board Topics

  1. Algorithms with Selection and Repetition
  2. Boolean Expressions
  3. if Statements
  4. Nested if Statements
  5. Compound Boolean Expressions
  6. Comparing Boolean Expressions
  7. while Loops
  8. for Loops
  9. Implementing Selection and Iteration Algorithms
  10. Implementing String Algorithms
  11. Nested Iteration
  12. Informal Runtime Analysis

Major Java Concepts

  • Relational and equality operators
  • if, if-else, and nested conditionals
  • &&, ||, !, De Morgan's laws, and short-circuit evaluation
  • Primitive and object comparisons
  • while, for, and nested loops
  • Loop bounds, infinite loops, and off-by-one errors
  • String traversal, counting, accumulation, minimum, and maximum algorithms
  • Informal comparison of algorithm efficiency

Suggested Activities

Guessing game, password validator, menu-driven program, prime checker, String analyzer, pattern printer, and the College Board Magpie 2.0 Lab.

Unit 3: Class Creation

20–22 class periods10%–18% of multiple-choice section

College Board Topics

  1. Abstraction and Program Design
  2. Impact of Program Design
  3. Anatomy of a Class
  4. Constructors
  5. Methods: How to Write Them
  6. Passing and Returning Object References
  7. Class Variables and Methods
  8. Scope and Access
  9. The this Keyword

Major Java Concepts

  • Data and procedural abstraction
  • Attributes, behaviors, instance variables, and class variables
  • No-argument and parameterized constructors
  • Accessor and mutator methods
  • Passing primitive values and object references
  • Static variables and methods
  • Scope, access modifiers, and encapsulation
  • private, public, and this
  • Method decomposition and class documentation

Suggested Activities

Student, bank account, geometric shape, vehicle, payroll, or game-character classes and the College Board Virtual Pet Lab.

Unit 4: Data Collections

Approximately 50–55 class periods30%–40% of multiple-choice section

This is the largest and most heavily weighted unit.

College Board Topics

  1. Ethical and Social Issues Around Data Collection
  2. Introduction to Using Data Sets
  3. Array Creation and Access
  4. Array Traversals
  5. Implementing Array Algorithms
  6. Using Text Files
  7. Wrapper Classes
  8. ArrayList Methods
  9. ArrayList Traversals
  10. Implementing ArrayList Algorithms
  11. 2D Array Creation and Access
  12. 2D Array Traversals
  13. Implementing 2D Array Algorithms
  14. Searching Algorithms
  15. Sorting Algorithms
  16. Recursion
  17. Recursive Searching and Sorting

Data and Ethics

  • Privacy and responsible data collection
  • Data quality, completeness, and accuracy
  • Algorithmic bias
  • Selecting appropriate data sets

Arrays and Text Files

  • Creating, accessing, and traversing arrays
  • Standard and enhanced for loops
  • Searching, counting, summing, averaging, minimum, and maximum
  • Reading and processing structured text data

ArrayLists and 2D Arrays

  • Wrapper classes, autoboxing, and unboxing
  • add, get, set, remove, and size
  • Safe traversal and modification
  • Row-major, column-major, and nested-loop traversals

Searching, Sorting, and Recursion

  • Linear and binary search
  • Selection, insertion, and merge sort
  • Base cases, recursive cases, call stacks, and tracing
  • Recursive binary search and merge sort
Exam note: Recursion is assessed only in the multiple-choice section.

Required Laboratory Component

The course must include at least 20 hours of structured, hands-on laboratory work. Students should design solutions, write programs, compile and execute code, test with multiple data sets, correct errors, compare solutions, collaborate, and document their work.

College Board Aligned Labs

Suggested Yearlong Sequence

Grading PeriodInstructional Focus
FirstUnit 1: Java foundations, variables, expressions, objects, and methods
SecondComplete Unit 1 and begin Unit 2
ThirdUnit 2: conditionals, Boolean logic, loops, and algorithm efficiency
FourthUnit 3: class design, constructors, methods, scope, and access
FifthUnit 4: data ethics, arrays, text files, wrapper classes, and ArrayLists
SixthUnit 4: 2D arrays, searching, sorting, recursion, and exam preparation
Final weeks before examTimed multiple-choice questions, free-response questions, and practice exams
After AP ExamFinal Java project, game, simulation, or data-analysis project

2027 AP Computer Science A Exam

Exam date: Wednesday, May 12, 2027 — Session 2

Section I: Multiple Choice

  • 42 questions
  • 90 minutes
  • 55% of the final score
  • All four units and all five computational thinking practices may be assessed

Section II: Free Response

  • 4 questions
  • 90 minutes
  • 45% of the final score
  • All questions assess the development of Java code
QuestionFocusPoints
1Methods and Control Structures7
2Class Design7
3Data Analysis with ArrayList5
4Two-Dimensional Array6

Students receive the College Board Java Quick Reference during both exam sections.

Important Changes and Instructional Priorities

Older AP CSA resources based on ten units do not exactly match the current framework. The revised course places greater emphasis on:

Inheritance and polymorphism are no longer organized as separate required units. Instruction and exam review should be aligned with the current Course and Exam Description rather than relying exclusively on older materials.

Official College Board Resources