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Unit of study_
ELEC9608: 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 | Postgraduate |
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| Academic unit | School of Electrical and Computer Engineering |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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ELEC3608 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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ELEC9602. Knowledge of digital logic (logic operations, theorems and Boolean algebra, number systems, combinational logic analysis and synthesis, sequential logic, registers, counters, bus systems, state machines, design of a simple computer, and using hardware description languages such as VHDL or Verilog) is required. ELEC9607. 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 ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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