Why should i care?: making programming assignments relevant for non-majors

Introductory courses in computer science are increasingly being offered as electives to non-majors. Many of these students do not find programming examples that involve math, science, or business topics compelling, and would be better reached by applications that deal with concerns relevant to college life. This article presents several examples of programming assignments that have met with approval from non-majors, draws the connection to the college experience, and gives implementation guidelines for instructors.