CSCI 320(171):  Computer Architecture

Registration Information

This course is also being offered as a special session, self-paced, archived course. If you are interested in signing up for this course as a distance education student, please contact the Center for Regional and Continuing Education (RCE) by sending e-mail to rce@csuchico.edu, or call 530 898-6105 for detailed registration information.

Information for local students:

Term/Year	Class   Number	Section	Act	Days	Time	Room	Instructor
Spring 2006	2224	CSCI 320-01	DIS	TR	1100-1215	YOLO 178	Dr. J

Prerequisites

Grade of C- or better in CSCI 221(51A), Assembly Language Programming

Current Catalog Description

(3.0 credit units)  The course introduces basic digital logic design techniques and integrates the topics of assembly language programming, computer organization, and computer design. Topics include the design of the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), hardware multiplication and division, multiple clock cycle implementations, pipelined implementations, hazard detection and forwarding, design of a memory hierarchy, system busses and the design of a direct memory access (DMA) controller, cache consistency in multiprocessor systems, and implementation of a snooping cache. Formerly CSCI 171.

Class/Laboratory Schedule

• One hundred fifty minutes a week lecture (DIS)

Textbook

Computer Organization and Design, 3/e David A. Patterson and John L. Hennessy, 2004. Elsevier Inc., Burlington, MA ISBN 1-55860-604-1 (Also available: PDF lecture notes to accompany the textbook.)

Recommended/Supplementary/Reference Material:

Introduction to RISC Assembly Language John Waldron, 1999. Addison Wesley, Inc., Reading, Massachusetts ISBN 0-201-39828-1 (Also available: Author's website regarding the textbook,    sample code, and lecture slides.)

See MIPS Run Dominic Sweetman, 1999. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, San Francisco, California ISBN 1-55860-410-3

Additional Requirements

	Students officially registered for the course will have their own Chico State Connection (CSC Portal) account.
	Students are responsible for regularly checking their WebCT account (automatically generated through the CSC Portal) to access an up-to-date on-line calendar of events, current scores, on-line quizzes, etc.

Course Objectives

The objectives of this course are to:

1. help students learn the fundamental elements of computer architecture from a functional, hardware perspective;
2. foster an appreciation of organizational models and design decisions that determine the overall performance, capabilities, and limitations of a computer system; and
3. help students understand the interdependencies among assembly languages, computer organization, and design.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student shall be able to:

1. apply learned fundamental elements of computer architecture to hardware design and functional analysis;
2. understand and appreciate various organizational models and design decisions that determine the overall performance, capabilities, and limitations of a computer system; and
3. clearly understand the interdependencies among assembly languages, computer organization, and design.

Relationship of Course to Program Objectives

This course supports the achievement of the following program objectives:

• Problem Analysis and Solution Design: Significant
• Oral and Written Communication: Some
• Social and Ethical Issues: Minimal
• Applicability to Future Endeavors: Significant

Relationship of Course to Program Objectives

This course supports the achievement of the following program outcomes:

• Outcome A: An ability to apply knowledge of math, science, and engineering.
• Outcome B: An ability to design and implement programs as well as to analyze and interpret code and data.
• Outcome C: An ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs.
• Outcome E: An ability to identify, formulate, and solve computing problems.
• Outcome F: An understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities.
• Outcome H: The broad education necessary to understand the impact of computing solutions in a global and societal context.
• Outcome J: A knowledge of contemporary issues.
• Outcome K: An ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern computing tools necessary for computing practice.

Grade Evaluation

This course is designed to give students an equal opportunity of exposure to both Theory and Practice. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency on both the theoretical and practical aspects of this course.

Theoretical Component  (50%)
	40%		Midterm Exam
	60%		Final Exam (as scheduled in the Class Schedule)
Practical Component  (50%)
	40%		(In-class or online) Quizzes
	60%		Written Homework and/or Programming Assignments
				- professor reserves the right to grade only a subset of assigned homework

Students are required to earn a C- (70%) or better in both the Theoretical and the Practical components; otherwise, the minimum of the scores of the two components will be used to calculate the student's final grade.

Final Grades

Final grades shall be expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible score of all evaluated materials. Letter grades will be given according to the following scheme:

Real Interval	Letter Grade	University Definition
[96,100]	A	Superior Work
[90, 96)	A-
[87, 90)	B+	Very Good Work
[83, 87)	B
[80, 83)	B-
[77, 80)	C+	Adequate Work
[73, 77)	C
[70, 73)	C-
[66, 70)	D+	Minimally Acceptable Work
[60, 66)	D
[ 0, 60)	F	Unacceptable Work

Note:  It is Dr. J's policy not to assign a final grade of D or D+ to graduate students. Hence,
graduate students with a class standing less than C- (70%) earn a final grade of F.

General Policies

Dr. J has some general policies (see http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~juliano/Teaching/Policies.html) that apply to all courses that he teaches. Students are expected to read and understand these policies upon registration of the course.

Please note that these policies are designed specifically for all Dr. J's on-site courses; not all policies may apply to this course, particularly if you are registered through the Center for Regional and Continuing Education (RCE) as a remote student. You must contact Dr. J if you have any questions or concerns regarding the applicability of a policy to this course.

Written Homework

The professor reserves the right to grade only a subset of assigned homework. However, it is the student's responsibility to prepare for and participate in class discussions regarding all homework-related material. During class, students may be called at random to present lecture-related ideas and/or their own homework solutions. If a student is not present during any of these random selections, points will be deducted from that students' overall Homework score.

Tentative Schedule

The following tentative schedule is subject to change without notice:

Week	Chapter	Coverage/Comments
1	1	Introduction, Background Material
2	2,3	Performance; Instructions
3	3	Instructions, continued ...
4	A	Assemblers
5	B	Logic Design
6	4	Binary Arithmetic
7	4	Binary Arithmetic, continued ...      Midterm Exam, class time
8	5	The Processor
9	5	The Processor, continued ...; Mapping Control
10	6	Pipelining
11	6	Pipelining, continued ...
12	7	Memory hierarchy
13	8	Interfacing and I/O
14	9	Parallel Processors
15		Miscellaneous topics and catch-up
16		Final Exam, as scheduled (see Class Schedule)