Syllabus for COS-330



Computer Architecture (COS-330) is an introduction to the organization and architecture of computer systems. The course begins with the standard von Neumann model and moves toward more recent architectural concepts. In line with ACM/IEEE-CS 2001 computing curriculum guidelines core areas for computer organization and architecture, this course covers:

These guidelines are produced jointly by the Computer Society of the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

This course should also provide a foundation for your studies of operating systems and other areas of computer science.

Advisory: It is advisable to have completed two computer science courses before taking this course. Also, it would be helpful (but it is not required) for students to take a course in discrete mathematics as co-requisite. However, it is expected that all students who are taking this course have the mathematical maturity gained in a year of college-level mathematics (such as calculus or discrete mathematics).


All computer science is based on the computer. Thus, to be a computer professional requires an understanding of what makes up a computer. This course provides an introduction to a computer’s components, characteristics, and interactions. The course deals with the interactions of programming with the underlying hardware. Tradeoffs, for example, among various components, such as CPU clock speed versus memory size, are covered.

Your overall goals will be to:

After completing this course, you should be able to: 

  1. Use mathematical expressions to describe functions of simple combinational and sequential circuits.
  2. Describe the physical limitations of electronic circuits.
  3. Explain the pros and cons of using different formats to represent numerical data.
  4. Convert numerical data from one format to another.
  5. Discuss effects of fixed-length number representations on accuracy and precision.
  6. Describe internal representation of characters, strings, records, and arrays.
  7. Explain the basic organization and major functional units of the von Neumann machine.
  8. Comprehend how an instruction is executed in a von Neumann machine.
  9. Summarize how instructions are represented at machine levels and in context of a symbolic assembler.
  10. Identify different instruction formats, such as addresses per instruction and variable length versus fixed length formats.
  11. Write simple assembly language program segments.
  12. Demonstrate how fundamental high-level programming constructs are implemented at the machine-language level.
  13. Comprehend basic concepts of interrupts and I/O operations.
  14. Explain how interrupts are used to implement I/O control and data transfers.
  15. Identify various types of buses.
  16. Describe data access from various drives, such as magnetic disks, optical disks, magnetic tape, and RAID drives.
  17. Compare alternative implementations of datapaths.
  18. Discuss control points and the generation of control signals using hardwired or microprogrammed implementations.
  19. Explain basic instruction level parallelism using pipelining and describe hazards that may occur.
  20. Implement parallel processing beyond the classical von Neumann model.
  21. Describe alternative architectures such as SISD (Single Instruction, Single Data), SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data), MISD (Multiple Instruction, Single Data), and MIMD (Multiple Instruction, Multiple Data), and VLIW (Very Long Instruction Word).



Required Textbook

ISBN-13: 978-1284045611

Accompanying Resources

Several types of resources are available as downloads from the textbook's companion Web site.

You will need the access code found in the insert to your textbook to view and utilize the resources on this site. You may also call your Jones & Bartlett representative at 1-800-832-0034 for information about access codes.

PowerPoint Presentations

On this site you will find PowerPoint presentations, prepared by the authors of your text, for each of the chapters covered in this course.

To view the presentations you will either need to have Microsoft PowerPoint installed on your computer or you will have to have downloaded the free viewer from Microsoft.





Consult the Course Calendar for assignment due dates.

Discussion Forums

In addition to an ungraded "Introductions" forum, Computer Architecture requires you to participate in six graded class discussions forums.




Review Forums

Each module of this course includes a Review Forum. This provides you with the opportunity to work collaboratively with your classmates to review material. This assignment is carried out on the class Discussion Board. Directions for the assignment are found in the individual modules.

Written Assignments

Computer Architecture has six written assignments. For the assignment topics and questions, see the individual Assignment Modules. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these modules and read through the written assignment questions before you begin each reading assignment.




You are required to take two closed-book, proctored online examinations: a midterm and a final. Each exam is two hours long. The midterm covers material in Modules 1 through 3.; the final covers all reading and assignments from Modules 4 through 6.  The exams include multiple choice, short answer, matching, and essay items. Both exams require that you use the College's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the "Examinations and Proctors" section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course Web site) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures.


Statement about Cheating




Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:































Below 60



First Steps to Success

To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Study Tips

Consider the following study tips for success:





Academic Dishonesty









Examples of Unintentional Plagiarism

When to Quote and When to Paraphrase

Writing Assistance at Smarthinking

Originality Report Checking at Turnitin

Disciplinary Process for Plagiarism




Possible sanctions include:
