Module Specification
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
1. Module Title Computer Systems
2. Module Code COMP124
3. Year Session 2023-24
4. Originating Department Computer Science
5. Faculty Fac of Science & Engineering
6. Semester Second Semester
7. CATS Level Level 4 FHEQ
8. CATS Value 15
9. Member of staff with responsibility for the module
Dr S Thomason Computer Science S.Thomason@liverpool.ac.uk
10. Module Moderator
11. Other Contributing Departments  
12. Other Staff Teaching on this Module
Mrs J Birtall School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science Judith.Birtall@liverpool.ac.uk
13. Board of Studies
14. Mode of Delivery
15. Location Main Liverpool City Campus
    Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
16. Study Hours 11

     8

   16

 35
17.

Private Study

 115
18.

TOTAL HOURS

 150
 
    Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other
19. Timetable (if known)            
 
20. Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):

 
21. Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

 
22. Co-requisite modules:

 
23. Linked Modules:

 
24. Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a mandatory basis:
25. Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:
26. Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:
27. Aims
 

To introduce how computers function at the instruction operation level.
To introduce the relationships between the instruction operation level and both the higher (software) and lower (hardware) levels.
To introduce students to the structure and functionality of modern operating systems.
To explain how the principal components of computer-based systems perform their functions and how they interact with each other.

 
28. Learning Outcomes
 

(LO1) Describe the structure and operation of computer hardware at the register transfer level.
 

(LO2) Implement and reason about simple algorithms at the level of machine code.
 

(LO3) Describe the overall structure and functionality of a modern operating system and its interactions with computer hardware and user processes.
 

(LO4) Explain how modern operating systems and programming languages implement concurrency and the issues that arise when working with concurrent processes.
 

(LO5) Use the Linux command line and describe how files, devices and processes are managed by the Linux kernel.
 

(S1) Numeracy/computational skills - problem solving
 
29. Teaching and Learning Strategies
 

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: Mix of on-campus/on-line synchronous/asynchronous sessions
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Teaching Method 2 - Laboratory Work
Description: One assisted lab session per week starting from Week 3
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Standard on-campus delivery
Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: Mix of on-campus/on-line synchronous/asynchronous sessions
Teaching Method 2 - Laboratory Work
Description: On-campus synchronous sessions
 
30. Syllabus
   

Machine architecture and instruction execution; Structure of the CPU; Stored program concept and program execution; Basic instruction-level operations (using a limited set of instructions); Machine-level correspondence to higher level constructs, such as expressions, variables, loops and conditions; Subroutines and subroutine calling mechanisms; Stacks and recursion; Operating system managers; Time-sharing and concurrency; Interrupt mechanism; Processes and process scheduling; Resource allocation; Semaphores and deadlocks; Memory management; Segmentation and paging; File management and file systems; Device management; Interpreters, compilers and code generation.
 
31. Recommended Texts
  Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
 

Assessment
32. EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
  (124) Multiple choice examination. There is a resit opportunity. 120 50
33. CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
  (124.2) Class Test Multiple choice class test. There is a resit opportunity. 120 30
  (124.1) Programming assignment. There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is not an anonymous assessment. 10 20