This upper-division text surveys many of the topics of modern computational physics from a computational science point of view. Its emphasis on learning by doing is assisted by many available model programs, using Python. The text is designed for a one- or two-semester undergraduate or beginning graduate course. The text overlaps the lower-division "A First Course in Scientific Computing" by Landau,  to provide computational science/physics materials at all levels of undergraduate curriculum.

Of particular note is the eTextBook's links to video-based lecture modules specifically created for most every topic in the text. Individual lectures can be streamed for viewing on the web. The video modules contain a video picture-in-picture of a lecture or demonstration, along with active slides coordinated with the lecture, a dynamic table of contents, and links to codes, applets, and slides. The set of lectures makes the text particularly useful for a blended or online course where an instructor can use some or all of the text's lectures or slides, or even insert his or her own materials within the text and lectures.

The Table of Contents (440 KB) and the full textbook (22 MB) are available for download.