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Unit of study_

ELEC3608: Computer Architecture

2025 unit information

This unit of study explores the design of a computer system at the architectural and digital logic level. Topics covered include instruction sets, computer arithmetic, performance evaluation, datapath design, pipelining, memory hierarchies including caches and virtual memory, I/O devices, and bus-based I/O systems. Students will design a pipelined reduced instruction set processor.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Engineering

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
? 
ELEC2602
Corequisites:
? 
None
Prohibitions:
? 
None
Assumed knowledge:
? 
ELEC3607. Knowledge of microprocessor systems (embedded systems architecture, design methodology, interfacing and programming) is required

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Understand the literature in computer architecture design
  • LO2. Develop communication skills through the assignment
  • LO3. Work in teams through assignments and deal with project managements issues of completing a design exercise
  • LO4. Understand how economic issues affect computer designers
  • LO5. Design a pipelined RISC processor with memory hierarchy
  • LO6. Critically evaluate different pipelining schemes, memory designs and instruction sets
  • LO7. Model and benchmark the performance of different computer architectures.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 2 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 2 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 2 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.