CS 6390 Programming Languages
CS 8803 Program semantics and LLMs
Fall 2026
Announcements:

Instructor:
Qirun Zhang,
Office: 2324 Klaus
Office Hours: Wednesdays 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM or by appointment
Email: qrzhang@gatech.edu

Teaching Assistants:
Ben Mikek,
Office: Open lounge area in front of KACB 2319
Office Hours: See Piazza
Email: bmikek@gatech.edu

Bhumika Mittal,
Office: Open lounge area in front of KACB 2319
Office Hours: See Piazza
Email: bmittal30@gatech.edu

Lectures:
Time: Mon/Wed 9:30 AM - 10:45 PM
Location: Mason 5134

Course Summary:
This course explores the foundations of programming languages and program semantics, with a particular emphasis on how large language models (LLMs) can support programming-language implementation and reasoning tasks. The class will cover the mathematical foundations of programming languages, operational and denotational semantics using the IMP language, and techniques for reasoning about program types, control and data flow, execution paths, functions, and pointers. Throughout the semester, students will apply these concepts through a sequence of programming projects that use LLMs to help implement, extend, and optimize an IMP interpreter.

References:

Assignments:
  • Homework 1
    • Deadline: 9/21/2026.

  • Homework 2
    • Deadline: 10/14/2026.

  • Homework 3
    • Deadline: 11/16/2026.

Grading:
Grading breakdown:
  • Written Homework: 15%
  • Programming Projects: 30%
  • Midterm Exam: 25%
  • Final Exam: 25%
  • Class Participation: 5%
  • Project BONUS: 5%

Schedule (tentative):

Date Topic Reference Remark
8/24 Course Logistics
8/26 Mathematical Background
8/31 IMP and Operational Semantics
  • [W93] Chapter 2
  • [W93] Chapter 3 (optional)
  • Homework 1 assigned
9/2 IMP and Operational Semantics
9/7 No class (school holiday)
9/9 IMP and Denotational Semantics
  • [W93] Chapter 5
9/14 IMP and Denotational Semantics
9/16 Project milestone 1
    LLM-assisted implementations for an IMP interpreter
9/21 Fixed-Width IMP
  • Class notes
  • Homework 1 due.
  • Homework 2 assigned.
9/23 Fixed-Width IMP
9/28 Applications for Fixed-Width IMP
  • Presentation
9/30 Reasoning about IMP Types
  • [MS18] Chapter 3
10/5 No class
10/7 Reasoning about IMP Flows
  • [MS18] Chapters 4 and 5
10/12 Midterm Exam
10/14 Reasoning about IMP Paths
  • [MS18] Chapter 7
  • Homework 2 due.
  • Homework 3 assigned.
10/19 Project milesone 2
    LLM-assisted implementations for extending the IMP interpreter (e.g., supporting fixed-width and type checking)
10/21 Reasoning about IMP Functions
  • [MS18] Chapter 7
10/26 Reasoning about IMP Pointers
  • [MS18] Chapter 10
10/28 Modern Topics: Symbolic Execution
11/2 Modern Topics: Taint Analysis
11/4 Modern Topics: Translation Validation
11/9 Project milestone 3
    LLM-assisted performance optimization for the exteded IMP
11/11 Final Exam
11/16 TBD
  • Homework 3 due.
11/18 TBD
11/23 TBD
11/25 No class
11/30 Final Project Presentation
12/2 Final Project Presentation

Misc:
If you have any concern, please send an email to the instructor. This link could help to send anonymous messages.