Introduction to Computer Systems
Overview
- Credit value: 15 credits at Level 4
- Module convenor and tutor: Keith Mannock
- Assessment: problem-solving worksheets (100%)
Module description
This is a first introduction to the principles and structures that underlie computing.
Indicative module content
- History of computing
- Structure of a computer
- Algorithms
- Databases
- Data storage
- Data manipulation
- Data abstractions
- Operating systems
- Networking and the internet
- Software engineering
- Theory of computation
- Number representations
- Boolean algebra
- File management
Learning objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- demonstrate a preliminary understanding of the basic structure of a computer
- understand and use basic binary representations of data
- understand and use the basic control systems in computer programs
- convert between decimal, binary and floating-point representations
- understand and use simple error-correcting codes
- construct simple logical circuits
- program in a simplified machine language
- recognise simple deadlock and race condition situations
- perform simple data modelling and simple queries in a relational database
- understand the concept of an algorithm and their properties
- explain the idea behind encryption and perform related calculations
- describe basic elements from software engineering methods.