CS 466/666 is an introduction to formal language and automata theory. In this course we will examine methods for defining syntax of languages and recognizing patterns: the syntax of languages can be defined using grammars and patterns accepted by finite state machines. Along with presenting with fundamentals of these two topics, the course will develop and investigate the relationships between language definition and pattern recognition. The text will be the third edition of Languages and Machines: An Introduction to the Theory of Computer Science.