SC4055 Introduction to Quantum Computing

Summary: Quantum computing is an emerging paradigm that leverages quantum mechanical principles to solve certain problems more efficiently than classical computers. This course provides a broad yet accessible introduction to quantum computing for undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those in computer science, mathematics, physics, and engineering. It covers key concepts such as qubits, quantum gates, quantum circuits, and foundational quantum algorithms, while also introducing contemporary applications in areas like

optimization and quantum machine learning. The course emphasizes both conceptual understanding and hands-on practice through programming assignments in quantum cloud computing platforms such as Qiskit from IBM and Braket from AWS.

This course is to help students grasp the fundamental principles of quantum computing and develop the ability to apply them to solve computational problems, particularly those arising in scientific computing and artificial intelligence. Students will learn the basic mechanism of quantum computing and the principle of designing quantum algorithms with advantages over classical algorithms. The course bridges simple theory and application, preparing students to critically engage with quantum technologies and their potential across computational science and AI.