Course Number and Name Computer Organization

Course Coordinator Haidar Harmanani CSC320

Class Time and Location MWF 9:00 – 10:00 am - Online
Credits and Contact Hours 3
Semester Spring 2022

INSTRUCTOR
Name: Ruwayda Takchi
Office: 808B block A, Ext. 2321
Email: [email protected]
Course web Page: The course will be using blackboard for assignments, project and
hand-ins. (http://www.lau.edu.lb/blackboard/)

Office Hours: R 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Or by appointment

CURRENT CATALOG DESCRIPTION

Overview of the history of the digital computer, representation of numeric data, introduction to
digital logic, logic expressions and Boolean functions, logic functions minimization. Processor and
system performance, Amdahl’s law. Introduction to reconfigurable logic and special-purpose
processors. Introduction to instruction set architecture, and microarchitecture. Processor
structures, instruction sequencing, control flow, subroutine call and return mechanism, structure of
machine-level programs, and low level architectural support for high-level languages. Memory
hierarchy, latency and throughput, cache memories: operating principles, replacement policies,
multilevel cache, and cache coherency. Register-transfer language to describe internal operations
in a computer, instruction pipelining and instruction-level parallelism (ILP), overview of superscalar
architectures. Multicore and multithreaded processors.

COURSE PREREQUISITE

Co-requisite: CSC 245: Objects and Data Abstraction, MTH 207: Discrete Structures

TEXTBOOK

D. Patterson and J. Hennessy, Computer Organization and Design: The Hardware/Software

Interface, ARM Edition.

References: R. Katz and G. Borriello, Contemporary Logic Design, Pearson Education,

COURSE TYPE

Required Elective Selective Elective

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1) Students shall demonstrate an understanding of the internal organization of a computer

system through assembly language
2) Students shall design and simulate the data path and the control unit of a simple computer
based on an instruction set
3) Students shall demonstrate an understanding of pipelining including instruction sequencing,
register value forwarding, data interlocking
4) Students shall demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts of multiprocessor and
multi-core designs.
5) Students shall demonstrate an understanding of the history and possible future of the field
necessary for staying at the forefront of computing systems development (life-long
learning)
STUDENT OUTCOMES ADDRESSED IN THIS COURSE
Outcome 1 contributes to SO.9, and SO.10
Outcome 2 contributes to SO.1, SO.2, SO.6, SO.9, and SO.10
Outcome 3 contributes to SO.10
Outcome 4 contributes to SO.10
Outcome 5 contributes to SO.7, and SO.8

COURSE GRADING AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Test 1 20%
Test 2 25%
Final Exam 35%
Assignments and Participation: 10%
Project 10%

Late Policy:
Programming projects and assignments must be submitted on the due date. No assignment will be
accepted late. It is best to turn in whatever work you have accomplished for partial credit. Do not
count on extensions. Assignments due dates are absolute. Late submission of class work is
not allowed and such work is not graded.

Exams Make-up:
Make-up tests will not be without a valid excuse. Tests missed due to a valid excuse must be made
up within one week of the absence. The student is responsible for arranging the make-up with the
course instructor.

TOPICS COVERED IN THE COURSE

 Introduction to computer design and technology, Performance (6 hours)

 Numbering systems (6 hours)
 Instruction set principles and examples (9 hours)
 Computer arithmetic (3 hours)
 Modeling digital systems design behavior using register transfer level (6 hours)
 Pipelining, advanced pipelining and instruction level parallelism (6 hours)
 Memory Hierarchy Design (6 hours)
 Storage Systems (3 hours)

ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR THE COURSE

Embedded assessment and/or scoring rubrics

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STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT - ACADEMIC VIOLATIONS

The following table defines the sanction(s) associated with each violation. In some cases and when the
violation is too general, a range of sanctions is set for the pertinent committee to choose from depending on the
specifics of each case. As for the second offense, the set sanctions apply regardless whether the violation has
taken place in the same course or a different one, within the same semester or not.

Code # Violation First Offense Second

Offense
Cheating
2.2.1 Using material or equipment (including mobile phones, zero on the F on the course
electronic tablets, i-pads, calculators, and other devices) deliverable with with a warning
that is not authorized by the instructor in an examination, a warning
project, or graded assignment
2.2.2 Cheating, copying, collaborating with or aiding another zero on the suspension
Student in a manner not permitted by the instructor on an deliverable with
examination, project, or other graded assignment a warning
2.2.3 Distributing or aiding in the distribution of previous double warning suspension –
exams without authorization of the instructor – suspension expulsion
2.2.4 Stealing, reproducing, or circulating an examination or suspension expulsion
other graded assignment before it has been administered
2.2.5 Impersonating another Student or allowing another suspension expulsion
Student to impersonate one’s self during an examination, for both
presentation, or other graded assignment
2.2.6 Impersonating an assistant, staff member, or faculty suspension – expulsion
member for the purpose of (a) proctoring examinations expulsion
without authorization or permission or (b) obtaining
confidential information regarding coursework or
examinations
2.2.7 Receiving, purchasing or selling a project, paper, or any suspension – expulsion
academic document and presenting it as work other than expulsion
that of the author
2.2.8 Submitting identical papers or coursework for credit in zero on the F on the course
more than one class without the permission of the deliverable with with a warning
instructor a warning
Plagiarism and Copyright Violations
2.2.9 Failing to attribute language or ideas to their original zero on the F on the course
source by not crediting the original author with an deliverable with with a warning
appropriate acknowledgement or citation a warning
2.2.10 Using photocopied or electronic copies of textbooks, warning double warning
compact disks, films, music, online course materials, and
other content beyond the fair use policy within University
Premises
2.2.11 Using copyrighted materials, including in written research warning double warning
reports and papers, without obtaining required
permission, if any, from the rights holder
Unauthorized Sale, Distribution, or Use of Course Materials
2.2.12 Recording any lecture or presentation for personal use or warning double warning
public distribution without the prior consent of the course
instructor. This applies to the unauthorized use of any
medium including but not limited to mobile phones,
electronic tablets, i-pads recorders, films, and other
devices
2.2.13 Selling academic materials by any Student, club, or group. warning double warning
This includes but is not limited to lectures, course
recordings, class notes, and previous exams

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UNIVERSITY ATTENDANCE POLICY
1. Students are expected to attend all classes.
2. For valid reasons, students may miss classes for a maximum that is equivalent to two regular
weeks.
3. When exceeding the maximum number of absences, it is the instructor’s prerogative to ask
the concerned student to stop attending and drop the course. In this case, it is the student’s
responsibility to drop the course, otherwise a grade of “F” or “NP” will be given.
4. In exceptional justified cases (long illness, etc…), where absences exceed the maximum, the
student has to petition to the department Chair to be allowed to stay in the course.
5. Students are held responsible for all the material presented in the classroom, even during their
absence.

WITHDRAWAL POLICY

WI is equivalent to Early Withdrawal, WP is equivalent to Withdrawal/Pas, WF is equivalent to

Withdrawal/Fail
1. A student who withdraws after the Drop/Add period and by the end of the 5th week of classes
(10th day of classes for Summer Modules) will obtain a “WI” on that particular course.
The student may process such request directly through the Registrar’s Office.
2. A student who withdraws from a course between the 6th week and the end of the 10th week of
classes (18th day of classes for Summer Modules) will receive either a “WP” or a “WF”. “WP” or
“WF” will be determined by the instructor based on the achieved academic performance in that
course till the time of withdrawal.
3. The “WI” and the “WP” will not count as a Repeat; whereas the “WF” will count as a Repeat.
4. “WI”, “WP” and “WF” will not count towards the GPA calculation.
Deadline for the “WP” and “WF” withdrawal from courses: check university
calendar (It is the student’s responsibility to drop the course)

COURSE ONLINE EVALUATIONS

Completion of the online course evaluations is important for feedback and improvement. Students
are highly encouraged to complete the course evaluations at the end of the semester.

ADDITIONAL REMARKS
 Deadlines for the assignments must be respected.
 Make-ups and Incomplete: students are not automatically entitled to make-ups; F will be
given until reasons (in writing and within one week of absence) are presented and approved.
 Some of the exam questions will be based on class discussion and assignments.

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