I took FoC (for Python) and BUSA20001 (which I had to self-learn pandas) a long time ago - not using them much until using them again in AT \~ so it was quite similar to start learning to compute again. For sure, it will take you a lot of effort to do it in AT but I'm sure you could do that if you can try to learn basic of Python.
_ The Python you use in AT 1st project (1st 2 tasks) may not be as you expect. Not sure how to describe that but from the language of my CS friend, the project uses dynamic programming - but basically (from my experience with AT), the order of code (order of methods in class) would not run as you expect they should. But for this, you can always email Nitin for help during the project.
_ I learnt the basics of OOP during the summer, found this course quite helpful (I would recommend learning the first 2 weeks of the course, you will not need the 3rd week of that course).
_ For the 2nd project (which doing analysis for a trading strategy), would recommend you team up with CS classmates backgrounds, they have their strength of coding, and you can give a hand with your finance/mathematics background.
_ Knowledge of time series forecasting: it depends on the strategy you choose to analyse for 2nd project. If you/ your team choose a statistic-heavy strategy to analyse, you need to understand TS quite well. Otherwise, if you decide to focus analysing in a financial way, I guess you may not need TS much.
Whether you choose to use TS or not, Nitin and Peter will go through some knowledge of TS during the course.
_ Knowledge of time series forecasting: it depends on the strategy you choose to analyse for 2nd project. If you/ your team choose a statistic-heavy strategy to analyse, you need to understand TS quite well. Otherwise, if you decide to focus on analysing in a financial way, I guess you may not need TS much.
_ Would recommend you learn a bit of Pandas if you still have time. You don't need this until project 2. Pandas can be used for trading data analysis/ research the data series trends, etc.