6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL
Undergraduate - Unit
Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.
Faculty
Organisational Unit
Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering
Chief examiner(s)
Coordinator(s)
Not offered in 2018
Synopsis
This unit builds upon earlier studies in computer organisation and engineering. The unit will explore the structures, techniques and trade-offs implicit in the study of high performance computer architectures. The focus will be on exploring all aspects of exploitable concurrency in computer systems and the applications they support. This will include considerations of data path design, memory structures, resource allocation and scheduling, threading, branch prediction; alternative application specific computer architectures; implementation using reconfigurable devices and high-level languages.
Outcomes
- To design and construct application specific solutions in the field of computer architecture
- To appreciate that the solution to any problem in computer architecture is likely to be quickly invalidated by time and to strive for solutions that minimise the effects of this reality
- To develop confidence in specifying computational requirements and formulating original solutions in a timely manner.
Assessment
Continuous assessment: 40% + Examination (2 hours): 60%
Students are required to achieve at least 45% in the total continuous assessment component (assignments, tests, mid-semester exams, laboratory reports) and at least 45% in the final examination component and an overall mark of 50% to achieve a pass grade in the unit. Students failing to achieve this requirement will be given a maximum of 45% in the unit.
Workload requirements
2 hours lectures, 3 hours laboratory and practice classes and 7 hours of private study per week
See also Unit timetable information