ENGS 116: Computer Engineering: Computer Architecture

Offered

11F, 12F: 10

Prerequisites

ENGS 31 and COSC 51 (formerly 37); COSC 57 (formerly 48), COSC 58, or equivalent recommended

Instructors

Berk

Textbooks

Fall 2011: see list

Course Websites

Fall 2011

Identical to COSC 251 (formerly 107)

The course provides an introduction to the field of computer architecture. The history of the area will be examined, from the first stored program computer to current research issues. Topics covered will include successful and unsuccessful machine designs, cache memory, virtual memory, pipelining, instruction set design, RISC/CISC issues, and hardware/software tradeoffs. Readings will be from the text and an extensive list of papers. Assignments will include homeworks and a substantial project, intended to acquaint students with open questions in computer architecture.