Module Code - Title:
ET4011
-
FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER ORGANISATION
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
Students will gain a familiarity with the architecture, design and organisation of
modern machines.
Students will become familiar with Boolean algebra and digital logic gates, as the
building blocks of a computer.
Students will conduct basic arithmetic with binary and hexadecimal numbers,
learn how coding systems allow different representations of data as binary numbers,
understand the importance of memory organisation and caching on machine
performance and learn how the computer goes about executing programs.
Syllabus:
History of computing: topics include Van Neumann's architecture, 0th to 5th
generation languages;
Data representation and binary arithmetic including floating point representation;
Introduction to Boolean algebra and digital logic with topics ranging from truth
tables, dualities, and De Morgan's Law, to circuits such as decoders and full adders,
flip-flops and registers.
Multi-level machine and translation of high-level language programs to the execution
stage;
Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle and data path, simple CPU and computer block
diagrams, and memory hierarchy
Evolution of computing models such as IoT, cloud, GPUs, multicore,
embedded systems etc
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
1. Describe a computer system as a general purpose stored program machine
2. Apply the methods of Boolean algebra to develop simple gate level digital circuits
3. Explain how a computer is built using digital logic building blocks
4. Discuss program execution concepts
5. Discriminate between high-level and assembly languages and machine code
6. Distinguish between different types of memory.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
None
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
None
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The computing environment is continuing to change rapidly. This new module takes
into account recent developments such as multicore computing, energy efficiency
requirements etc, giving students an appreciation of how these developments have
changed the computing landscape.
Graduate Attributes:
Group project work allows student to develop collaborative skills;
Showing the relevance of the module to new developments allows students to
appreciate the need for lifelong learning and continuous acquisition of new skills
The requirement for energy efficient computing fosters a sense of responsibility in
students, who learn to design systems with a view to their energy use.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
D.A. Patterson & J.L. Hennessy (2017)
Computer Organization
and Design,
ARM Edition
(or 5th Edition)
, Morgan Kaufmann
A.S. Tanenbaum (2013)
Structured Computer
Organization
, Pearson
Other Relevant Texts:
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
BSCOTEUFA - Computing Technologies
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Autumn
Module Leader:
gabriel.leen@ul.ie