Computer Architecture
	            CMSC 411-03 	Mark E Woodcock  (woodcock@cs.umbc.edu)
		    Spring 2026		410-455-3554
		    MW 1430-1545	ITE 216
		    FINA 014		OH: M 1300-1400, R 1100-1200		    
			     
	  Monday                      Wednesday
January
26      SNOW DAY                      SNOW DAY
February
 2      Boring introduction(1)        Semantics  (2.1-5)            
 9	Addressing (2.10)             Performance Eval (1.6) HW1-A       
16 	Perf Benchmarks  Quiz1        ALU (3.2)         HW1-D            
23      Mult/Div (3.3-4)              Flt Pt Ops (3.5) 
March			   
 2      Single-Cycle   Quiz2          Multi-Cycle       HW2-A             
 9      Micro-Programming             Pipelining (4.5)  HW2-D        
16      SPRING BREAK                  SPRING BREAK
23      Review                        MIDTERM                         
30      Return                        Datapath (4.6)    HW3-A 
April
 6      Pipeline Hzrd (4.7)           Parallel (4.10)   HW3-D        
13      Dynamic Sched                 Memory Hierarchy (5.2)        
20      Caching (5.3-5) HW4-A         Virtual Memory (5.7) 
27      I/O Arch (5.8) HW4-D          Bus       
May
 4      I/O Intf   Project Due        Multi-Processors (6.3-6)
11      Review
18      FINAL


READINGS
(N) - Chapter number in the Patterson/Hennessy Book.
also:  check the main page for more resources

EXAMS
Exams will be comprehensive and closed-book.  The midterm will be held during regular
class time (25 March).  The final exam will be held in the usual room on Friday, 15 May, 1300-1500.

HOMEWORK 
There will be several homeworks and a project during the semester.  Homeworks
will be weighted according to their difficulty and importance.  You may discuss assignments with
others, but you are only permitted to hand-in individual effort (e.g. solutions, programs).  
Late homeworks will be discounted 5% for one day, 25% for two days and 50% for three days.  After that, 100%.

GRADES	
Course grades will generally be determined using the following components and weights:
	Midterm		25 
        Homework        20
        Project         15
	Final Exam	40
That said, the numbers are a measurement tool; the question is whether you have mastered
the material by the end of the final exam.
While a normal (boring) Bell Curve is expected, the instructor reserves the 
right to construct one, to consider class participation, relative improvement,
to give all A's or flunk the whole class (where appropriate).

CONTACTING THE INSTRUCTOR/Office Hours
My email, office phone and location are listed above.  Ask a question or come by and chat.
Folks who schedule ahead will be given priority, but walk-ins are just fine.		   
OH:  M 1300-1400, R 1100-1200		    

TEACHING ASSISTANT
TA-- Emmanuel Ugwuabonyi  (jn21295@umbc.edu)
Office:  W, 1300-1400, ITE 344
			   
UPDATES
Keep track of revisions to this syllabus at 
http://www.cs.umbc.edu/~woodcock/cmsc411/syl26_03.html