COMP30020 Declarative Programming

University of Melbourne · Level 3 · 12.5 points · Not running in 2026.

• Final exam 70%: exam-heavy

Is COMP30020 hard?

COMP30020: About average. Not running in 2026, so it isn't on the lists. Makes it harder: Final exam 70%, You must pass the exam on its own, 1 other hurdle task.

What you learn

Functional and logic programming: recursion, strong types, higher-order functions, laziness, monads, backtracking.

After it you can

• Write medium-size programs in a declarative language
• Combine languages across parts of one project
• Choose the right language for each part of a task

What you need first

COMP20003 or COMP20007

• COMP20003 Algorithms and Data Structures
• COMP20007 Design of Algorithms
• COMP90038 Algorithms and Complexity

Can’t be taken together with

• COMP90048

How it’s assessed

Projects 30%, Final exam 70%

Student reviews and ratings

Summarised from 5 students on StudentVIP (2017–2022)

• Haskell and Prolog are very different from everyday languages, and the abstract concepts can be challenging.
• Since 2020 the module order was swapped without updating materials, which made the Prolog part confusing; this was still an issue in 2022.
• Opinions are split. Students who like pure programming and problem solving enjoyed it; others felt it had little practical use.
• Start projects early. Tutors and the online forum were helpful, and exams resemble the tutorials.

Read the reviews

A summary of public reviews, not scored here.

Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate COMP30020

Quick answers

When is COMP30020 offered?

Not running in 2026.

What do I need before taking COMP30020?

Needs COMP20003 or COMP20007.

Does COMP30020 have a final exam?

Yes, the final exam is 70% of the mark. You must pass the exam on its own. Assessment: Projects 30%, Final exam 70%.

Is COMP30020 hard?

From 5 student reviews on StudentVIP: Haskell and Prolog are very different from everyday languages, and the abstract concepts can be challenging.

What do students say about COMP30020?

Haskell and Prolog are very different from everyday languages, and the abstract concepts can be challenging. Since 2020 the module order was swapped without updating materials, which made the Prolog part confusing; this was still an issue in 2022. Opinions are split. Students who like pure programming and problem solving enjoyed it; others felt it had little practical use.

Can I take COMP30020 as breadth?

Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music.

Can I rate COMP30020?

Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.

Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026

Always confirm in the official Handbook.

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