CS4202: Computer Architecture
This module is offered in 2024-25.
Aims
The aims of this module are:
- To develop an appreciation of why computers are constructed as they are.
- To study the trade-offs between cost and performance in computer design.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module, the student should:
- Understand the fundamentals of computer organisation and instruction set architectures.
Syllabus
- Fundamentals of computer design; measuring and reporting performance, benchmarks; Von Neumann architecture; instruction set design; MIPS as example architecture; memory hierarchies; cache organisation and performance analysis; main memory organization; pipelining, hazards, various design approaches.
Compulsory Elements
This module has no compulsory elements beyond those common to all modules (mark of 4 in each assessment component).