Professor : Ted Pedersen

• Office Hours : Mon 2:00 - 2:50 pm (on Google Meet), Tue 2:30 - 3:20 (HH 309), and Thur 2:30 - 3:20 (HH 309) 

• Office Hour Google Meet link : https://meet.google.com/atm-ghsh-jup

• email : tpederse@d.umn.edu (however, please use the Canvas discussion for general course questions)

There is no TA for this class.

Course Description 

Broad coverage of computer architecture, with a focus on the development of the stored program computer and the historical evolution of architectures. Includes coverage of significant architectures based on vacuum tubes, transistors, and integrated circuits. Impact of Moore’s Law and possible paradigms for the future including quantum and molecular computing.

Course Goals (informal)

This course will focus on three key moments in the history of Computer Architecture - the Analytical Engine of the 1830s, the minicomputer of the 1970s, and the quantum computer of the future. We will spend approximately 5 weeks on each of these topics. In addition to discussing the underlying architecture and technology of these machines, we will also discuss their larger impacts on individuals, organizations, and society.

Course Outcomes:

Course outcomes are listed (C1-C3) and mapped to their corresponding UMD campus student learning outcomes (UMD SLOs),  ABET student outcomes (ABET SOs), and ABET curriculum topics (ABET-C).

A student who successfully completes this class will be able to :

• C1. Analyze, compare, and discuss Computer Architectures characteristic of the different eras of computing. 

  • UMD-SLO 2: Construct, integrate, and apply knowledge from instruction and experience / Goal 1: Knowledge 

  • UMD- SLO 6: Communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and interpersonal group interactions / Goal 4: Relationships

  • ABET-SO 3: Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.

• C2. Analyze and discuss the local and global impacts of  advances in Computer Architecture over time on individuals, organizations, and society. 

  • ABET-C 3 : Local and global impacts of computing solutions on individuals, organizations, and society.

  • UMD-SLO 2: Construct, integrate, and apply knowledge from instruction and experience / Goal 1: Knowledge 

  • UMD- SLO 6: Communicate effectively through writing, speaking, and interpersonal group interactions / Goal 4: Relationships

  • ABET-SO 3: Communicate effectivey in a variety of professional contexts.  

• C3. Analyze and compare Instruction Set Architectures from different eras and types of computers. 

  • UMD-SLO 3 : Think critically and creatively in seeking solutions to practical and theoretical problems. / Goal 2: Thinking 

  • ABET SO 6 :  Students can apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.

Class Schedule

The Class Schedule is where you can find our schedule for assignments and class meetings. Please check this page frequently as it is updated throughout the semester 

Required Textbooks

There are three required textbooks (pictured at the bottom of this page). We will read all of these, so it will be important to have copies of each. The good news is that none of these are particularly expensive, the first is under $25 and the second and third are both under $20, so your total cost should be around $60 (new). You may want to shop around to find the best price. Or, if you are participating in Course Works you should all three books through that program. You can see the front covers of our textbooks at the bottom of this page.

1. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage : The (Mostly) True Story of the First Computer

By Sydney Padua

ISBN: ‎ 978-0274811533

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pantheon; Illustrated edition (April 21, 2015)

2. The Soul of a New Machine

by Tracy Kidder

ISBN ‏: ‎978-0316491976

Publisher ‏: ‎Back Bay Books (June 1, 2000)

3. A Shortcut Through Time : The Path to the Quantum Computer

by George Johnson

ISBN ‏: ‎978-0375726187 

Publisher ‏: Penguin Random House (Feb 10, 2004)

Please make sure you bring your copy of whatever book we are reading to class as we are likely to refer to it during our discussions.

Prerequisites

You should have already taken CS 2521 (Computer Organization) and either CS 2531 (Discrete Structures) or CS MATH 3355 (Discrete Mathematics). 

Grading Basis

• Participation : 20%

• Personal Essays : 20%

• Midterm Exam 1 (based on Week 1 - 5, roughly) : 20%

• Midterm Exam 2 (based on Week 6- 10, roughly) : 20%

• Final Exam (based on Week 1 - 15) : 20%

Participation

Your participation in class is important for your learning and that of your classmates. Participation is measured via engaged attendance, where you are not just present but also willing and able to engage with the class in a constructive fashion. You may be considered absent if you miss a considerable portion of a class period (due to arriving late, leaving early, etc).

You are allowed 3 unexcused absences. After that each additional unexcused absence results in a 1/2 point deduction in your participation grade for the semester (of a possible 10). For example, after 4 unexcused absences your participation grade for the semester would be 9.5, after 5 it would be 9, and so on. Excused absences do not count against this limit, and are defined by the UMD policy on excused absences.

Personal Essays

You will write five or six Personal Essays connected to our readings or class discussions during the semester. 

Midterm and Final Exams

We will have two Midterm exams, one around Week 6 and the other around Week 11. We will also have a Final exam during finals week.

No Use of Automated Writing / AI Tools

You may not use automated writing / AI tools like Gemini, CoPilot, ChatGPT, Grammarly, Claude, Jasper, DeepSeek, etc. at any point in developing any work for this class. 

I follow this same policy. I do not use AI in any aspect of this class. I do not use it to prepare for class. I do not use it to create lectures, discussion questions, or exams. I do not use it for any part of grading. 

Late Work

Personal Essays and take home exams may be submitted late. However, any late work submitted 1 - 24 hours after the deadline will receive an automatic 20% penalty. Any work submitted 1 - 8 school days after the deadline will receive an automatic 10% penalty per (full) school day. Any work submitted 9 or more school days after the deadline will receive a score of 0.

Example 1 : Suppose a Personal Essay (worth 5 points) is due on Sunday at 11:59 pm. If you turn it in on Monday at 11:00 am (11 hours after the deadline) you would receive a 20% penalty which would be 1 of 5 points, meaning your maximum possible grade would be 4 of 5 points. 

Example 2 : Suppose a Midterm Exam is take home and is due Tuesday at 11:59 pm. If you turn it in on Wednesday at 6:00 am (6 hours after the deadline) you would received a 20% penalty which would be 4 of 20 points, meaning your maximum possible grade would be 16 of 20.

Example 3 : Suppose a Personal Essay is due on Wednesday at 11:59 pm. If you turn it in on Tuesday of the next week at 5:00 am this would be considered 3 days after the deadline (Thursday, Friday, and Monday but not Tuesday since that is not yet a full school day). You would lose 20% for Thursday, 10% for Friday, and 10% for Monday so you would receive a 40% penalty which would be 2 of 5 points, meaning your maximum possible grade would be 3 of 5 points.

Example 4 : Any work submitted 9 school days or more after the deadline will receive a score of 0.

Grading Scale

• 93 - 100 = A, 90 - 92 = A-

• 87 - 89 = B+, 83 - 86 = B, 80 - 82 = B -

• 77 - 79 = C+, 73 - 76 = C, 70 - 72 = C -

• 67 - 69 = D+, 60 - 66 = D

• 0 - 59 = F

UMD-wide syllabus policies

For anything not mentioned above, this class will follow the policies described in the UMD-wide syllabus.

Front Covers of our Textbooks