39 hours lectures, 13 hours tutorials, 26 hours practicals. Semester 1.
Development of computer architecture; computer organisation; central processing units; memory organisation; interconnects; I/O and peripheral devices; computer performance and cost; assembly coding. Impact on performance issues and system design considerations.
Learning Objectives:
understand the overall architecture and organisation of contemporary computers;
understand the functions and operation of the key components of contemporary computers;
understand the connections and relationships between the key components of contemporary computers;
be able to make judgements regarding performance and cost of alternative computer architectures.
Assessment by end-of-semester examination (70%); quizzes/tests (10%); assignments (15%); laboratory (5%).
