CS365 Computer Systems Architecture

Monday 7:20pm -- 10:00pm

Prof. Songqing Chen
Office: ST II, Rm. 445
email: sqchen@cs.gmu.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 3:00pm - 5:00pm or by appointment

Course homepage: http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~sqchen/courses/CS365F07

Description

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts in computer architecture. Topics include:

Prerequisites

(Assembly Language Programming (CS 265) and Digital Electronics (ECE 301)) OR ECE 303. Students not satisfying the prerequisites will be dropped from the class.

Textbook

Computer Organization & Design: The Hardware Software Interface by D. Patterson and J. Hennessy (3rd Edition, Morgan Kaufmann, 2004).

Course notices and assignments will be provided via email. Students are responsible to have a GMU email account and check that account periodically. Course materials (for example, copies of slides) will be available on the course homepage 24 hours before they are presented in class. Students are responsible for assigned readings and all material outlined in lecture slides.

Grading Policy

Participation 5%, Midterm exam 20%, Assignments and quizzs 45%, Final 30%. All exams will be closed book. The final exam will be comprehensive, i.e., it will cover the entire course. Missed exams must be arranged with the instructor BEFORE the exam date. Late assignments lose 20% credit within 3 days after deadlines and will not be accepted three days after due, unless under prearranged conditions. All students are expected to abide by the Honor Code as stated in the GMU catalog and elaborated for Computer Science. Grading is proficiency-based, cutoffs will be in the vicinity of (but not higher than) A > 95%, A- > 90%, B+ > 85%, B > 80%, B- > 75%, C > 70%, and D > 60%.

School Calender

Honor Code

Disability

Songqing Chen
Dept. of Computer Science
George Mason University