What I mean is, you should give your full attention to the whole course.
Don't assume that, just because you can't see the immediate use of something, it isn't important/useful; otherwise, later in the course (or later in your career), you'll get to something really useful that relies upon it - and then it'll be too late!

As in this exchange from The Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy:

Arthur: It's at times like this that I wish I'd listened to what my mother told me.

Ford: Why? What did she tell you?

Arthur: I don't know - I didn't Listen!


In particular, as Steve has already said, just because its a programming class, don't assume that you can skip the stuff about the hardware.