CSC1032 : Computer Systems Design and Architectures
- Offered for Year: 2019/20
- Module Leader(s): Miss Laura Heels
- Lecturer: Dr Nick Cook, Dr Sadegh Soudjani
- Owning School: Computing
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
Aims
On completion of this module students will, from a high level perspective, be able to
• describe the purpose of, and the interaction between, the functional hardware and software components of a variety of computer systems
• identify the principal hardware components and software services which provide infrastructure for the Internet from the global scale down to the desktop
• describe how networks interact with operating systems and applications to provide services and share resources among individual systems.
Outline Of Syllabus
• An overview of current computer systems architecture.
• Introduction to Operating Systems: what they are and what they do, management of resources.
• Processes, scheduling. Interprocess communication (IPC).
• Memory, virtual memory and memory management. Files, file systems.
• An introduction to Linux and system administration
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Examination |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 24 | 1:00 | 24:00 | Lecture follow-up |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 24 | 2:00 | 48:00 | Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Preparation for Formative assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | Formative assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 44 | 0:30 | 22:00 | Revision for exam |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 24 | 2:00 | 48:00 | Computer classroom |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 46 | 1:00 | 46:00 | Background reading |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will be used to introduce the learning material and for demonstrating the key concepts by example. Students are expected to follow-up lectures within a few days by re-reading and annotating lecture notes to aid deep learning.
This is a very practical subject, and it is important that the learning materials are supported by hands-on opportunities provided by practical classes, and on the related Programming Portfolio modules.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 100 | N/A |
Formative Assessments
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC Examination | 1 | M | MCQ 1 hour Mock Exam |
| PC Examination | 2 | M | MCQ 1 hour Mock Exam |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Formative practical exercises are set during lab practical classes. Practical assessment is carried out in project modules in a synoptic manner across the stage.
Written examination assesses students’ formal understanding of subject.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- CSC1032's Timetable