Department of Computer Science

           CSC 137: Computer Organization

           Summer 2025 Syllabus

Part 1: Course Information

Instructor Information

Instructor: Bang Tran
Office: RVR 5042
Office Hours: Monday, 2:00 p.m.– 4:00 p.m. https://csus.zoom.us/j/82362752866 

More Information for your reference: Faculty Office Hours Policy ]
Office Telephone: 916-278-6088
E-mail: s.tran@csus.edu

Course Description

Introduction to computer organization and architecture. Topics include combinational devices, sequential and synchronized circuits, memory organization, CPU architecture and organization, bus structures, input/output, interrupts, DMA, memory hierarchy, introduction to instruction level parallelism, multithreading, and multiprocessing; exposure to hardware security issues. 

Prerequisite

• • • • CSC 28, CSC 60, and CSC 130

Statement of Respect & Inclusion

We look forward to creating spaces where bidirectional learning, between learners and instructors, can occur. We must strive to affirm and value each individual’s beliefs, backgrounds, and experiences. Every member of this learning community must be treated with dignity and respect. (Note: This can be edited/updated to your individual preference as faculty).

Land Acknowledgment

Sacramento State is proud to recognize the California Native Nations, communities, and peoples throughout the state and acknowledge the diverse Indigenous peoples connected to this territory.

Our campus operates on the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Miwok, Wintu, Maidu, Nisenan (Southern Maidu), and Patwin Native peoples.

Course Structure

CSC 137 is a fully online (E-Learning policy for faculty additional reference)] course accessed through Canvas. Students will expect to spend about 6 hours of course content each week during this [6-week course (to total = 36 hours)] plus an additional 1.5 hours a week in independent study, per the CSU Credit hour policy.

This course is designed to provide a hybrid experience, including both face-to-face and online activities.

Contact time will be divided in the following way:

Final exam 100% face-to-face (Brighton Hall 115)

Lectures 100% online via Zoom

Online sessions will be a blend of self-paced and group activities using Canvas and other Web sites. Activities will consist of chat, blogs, discussion forums, email, journaling, blogging, wikis, and web posting. Add and remove listed activities as appropriate to your course.

Face-to-face sessions will be held on campus at Sacramento State in Birghten Hall 115.

Required Course Materials

Required Textbook

• • • • • Digital Design and Computer Architecture, 2^nd Edition, David Harris and Sarah L. Harris.

Recommended Texts & Other Readings

• • • • • Introduction to Computing Systems, 3^rd Edition, Y.N. Patt and S.J. Patel.
        • Digital Logic Design and Computer Organization with computer architecture for security, Nikrouz Faroughi, McGraw Hill.

Technological Requirements

• • • • • For this course, you are encouraged to have access to [a properly functioning personal device, stable high-speed Internet connection, video camera, microphone, and access to Canvas throughout the semester. You will need your device(s) to download, complete, and upload assigned work on Canvas.]
        • List other tools, resources, and materials the student needs for success in the course. Access to: Sac State e-mail, and TurnItIn, Microsoft Word, and Adobe Acrobat Reader.
        • If you do not have a computer, information on checking out a laptop (short-and long-term) can be found on the IRT webpage. 
        • You can download free software from theSacramento State Information Resources and Technology website. 
        • Technical Skills, including how to navigate Canvas.

Technical Assistance

• • • • • If you need technical assistance at any time during the course or to report a problem with Canvas, you can:
        • Submit a Ticket to Report a Problem to the Information Resources and Technology Support Team
        • Call the Canvas Support line at Sac State: M–F 8a.m. – 5p.m. (916) 278-2450.
        • Schedule a Consultation to get assistance with Canvas and other Academic technologies.
        • Visit the Canvas Student Video Guides
        • Visit the Canvas Student Web Tutorials

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Part 2: Student Resources

Inform Your Instructor of Any Accommodations Needed

Sacramento State is committed to ensuring an accessible learning environment where course or instructional content are usable by all students and faculty. If you believe that you require disability-related academic adjustments for this class (including pregnancy-related disabilities), please immediately contact Disability Access Center (DAC) to discuss eligibility. A current accommodation letter from DAC is required before any modifications, above and beyond what is otherwise available for all other students in this class will be provided. Please be advised that disability-related academic adjustments are not retroactive. DAC is located on the first floor of Lassen Hall 1008. Phone is 916-278-6955 and e-mail is dac@csus.edu. For a complete listing of services and current business hours visit the Disability Access Center website.

Sac State’s Commitment to Basic Foundational Needs:

If you are experiencing challenges with food, housing, financial or other unique circumstances that are impacting your education, help is just a phone call or email away. The Crisis Assistance and Resource Education Support (CARES) office provides case management support for any enrolled student.

Wellness: Student Health and Counseling Services

Your physical and mental health are important to your success as a college student. Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) in The WELL offers medical, counseling, and wellness services to help you get and stay healthy during your time at Sac State. SHCS offers: Primary Care medical services, including sexual and reproductive healthcare, transgender care, and immunizations; urgent care for acute illness, injuries, and urgent counseling needs; pharmacy for prescriptions and over-the-counter products; mental health counseling, including individual sessions, group counseling, support groups, mindfulness training, and peer counseling; athletic training for sports injury rehabilitation; wellness services, including nutrition counseling, peer-led health education and wellness workshops, and free safer sex supplies; violence and sexual assault support services. Most services are covered by the Health Services fee and available at no additional cost.

Title IX

Sac State is committed to supporting students and fostering a campus environment free of sexual misconduct and gender-based discrimination. If a student chooses to disclose to a faculty or staff member an experience related to sexual misconduct which includes, but is not limited to rape, relationship violence, or stalking, all faculty and staff members are obligated to report this disclosure to the university’s Title IX Coordinator. Contact Sac State’s Title IX Coordinator, Skip Bishop, at (916) 278-5770 or email at william.bishop@csus.edu. Upon receipt of the report, the Title IX Coordinator will contact you to inform you of your rights and options as a survivor and connect you with support resources, including resolution options for holding accountable the person who harmed you. Students who elect not to discuss their experience with the Title IX Coordinator can speak confidentially to the following confidential resources:

Student Health & Counseling Services at The WELL

On Campus Phone Number: 916-278-6461

Website: www.csus.edu/shcs 

Campus Confidential Advocate – Laura Swartzen

Email: weave@csus.edu  

On Campus Phone Number: 916-278-5850 (during business hours)

WEAVE 24/7 Hotline: 916-920-2952*

Building Relationships & Communication

If you find that you have any trouble keeping up with assignments or other aspects of the course, make sure you let your instructor know as early as possible. As you will find, building rapport and effective relationships are key to becoming an effective professional. Make sure that you are proactive in informing your instructor when difficulties arise during the semester so that they can help you find a solution.

Understand When You May Drop This Course

The University has specific deadlines for a student to drop and withdrawal from a course. According to the University’s Drop and Withdrawal Policy, it is the student’s responsibility to understand when they need to consider disenrolling from a course. Academic counselors can help you make the right decision for your circumstances and academic progress. Refer to the Sac State Course Schedule for dates and deadlines for registration. After this period, a serious and compelling reason is required to drop from the course. Serious and compelling reasons includes: (1) documented and significant change in work hours, leaving student unable to attend class, or (2) documented and severe physical/mental illness/injury to the student or student’s family. Communicate any conflicts or challenges early so I can support your success.

Respectful Use of Technology in the Classroom

Students who utilize computers during class should use them for class activities and be considerate and respectful of classmates around them. Students may be asked to shut down computers if such use becomes a distraction to other learners.

No recording of any kind (e.g., digital, photograph, audio, video) is permitted during any class activities.

For asynchronous zoom classes (if applicable) students must have access to a working speaker and microphone. Webcam use is preferred but optional.

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Part 3: Course Objectives

            Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. 1. 1. Demonstrate the ability to use logic minimization techniques to design combinational and sequential circuits, calculate performance parameters such as signal propagation delay and maximum clock frequency to run a digital circuit.
         
         
      2. Demonstrate the ability to design and analyze complex digital circuits including CPUs
      3. Distinguish basic and modern CPU architectures and processor organizations, basic memory organizations, memory interface, memory access, and be able
         to design simple memory units
      4. Analyze modern synchronous memory organizations, read/write access, and be able to determine performance parameters such as peak bandwidth
      5. Compare and contrast the evolution of modern personal computers from processor, memory, and I/O devices interconnections points of views
      6. Analyze input/output device interface mechanisms and access protocols including
         programmed and interrupt driven access, DMA, and USB host controller, spatial and temporal access localities to design a more efficient and cost effective memory systems and be able to estimate average memory latency
      7. Analyze cache memory design and write policies as they impact performance, Analyze virtual memory from hardware points of view

You will meet the objectives listed above through a combination of the following activities in this course:

Objectives in this course will be met through written assignments, individual and group quizzes, and participation (in-person, and online).   Keeping up with the scheduled due dates will support your successful completion of this course. If you are struggling to keep up with the schedule, please reach out to me as soon as possible. Together we can strategize solutions.

Assessments / Assignments

Required assignments for COURSE CSC 137 are described briefly below, please see Canvas for more detailed assignment information.*

Discussion board postings

                 Discussion board postings meet course objectives 2-3

5 required discussion board postings will be assigned throughout the course. Specific instructions and resources needed to support your success will be provided with each discussion board. Read the directions for each discussion board thoroughly. Complete a thoughtful and well-written response to the prompt and to classmates’ postings when required (see rubric for further information on what is considered “thoughtful” and “well-written responses).

Class Activities

Class activities meet course objectives 1-3

Class activities are designed to connect your learning from the course materials and create a collective learning space for all. Coming prepared to each class allows us to learn from each other and help us reach our goals for this course. Instructions for class activities are provided in Canvas and during class.

Quizzes

The quizzes meet course objectives 1

There are 5 quizzes that will help me assess your comprehension of material. You (will be / will not be) permitted to use material to complete the quizzes online.* 

Exams

The exams meet course objectives 6

There is one exams, one mid-term exam and a final exam, that will help me assess your comprehension of material from the course. The exams are cumulative on all content prior to the exam date. Exams will be on campus/online and proctored/timed. You will/will not be allowed to use material to complete the exams.*

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Part 4: Topic Outline/Schedule

Important Note: Refer to the course calendar for specific meeting dates and times. Activity and assignment details will be explained in detail within each week's corresponding module. If you have any questions, please contact your instructor.

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Part 5: Attendance & Grading Policy

Attendance

Some of our collaborative learning and class activities involve group discussions and interactions that could only happen in a group setting; therefore, attendance is necessary to support your successful completion of the course. All class sessions that require synchronous attendance is listed on the course calendar. Attendance at class meetings and participation in course activities is not only important for your own learning, but also critical to everyone's learning and growth.

Excused Absences

You must complete all work, including in-class activities, to receive credit for this course. Please refer to the course schedule to see the required class activities, which include class discussions, group activities, presentations, laboratory or clinical activities, and exams.

You will be able to make up work for a missed class without a penalty only if you have received permission from faculty prior to the class meeting where possible, and submit evidence, and only for reasons according to the University excused absence policy.

Please notify me if you have an excused absence as soon as possible. I understand that in some cases, such as emergencies or hospitalizations, you may not be able to notify me until after the missed class. I also understand that in some cases, it may be difficult to talk about the reason why you are unable to attend class. If it is a personal reason, such as health-related or family, you do not need to provide private information, but you can provide evidence of an appointment made with a health professional without any sensitive details. Please contact me with as much information as you feel comfortable sharing, and I will let you know what type of documentation you should provide to make up for the missing required assignment. The sooner you let me know about your excused absence, the more options for class adjustments we may have for you.

Assignment Completion & Late Work

Assignment due dates are planned to help me check your learning and support your learning success. Completing all assignments by the due dates will help you plan and pace your semester.

Late Work Policy

                   Second-day submission: 20% off the assignment grade. Third-day submission: 50% off the assignment grade

                 You are required to submit an independent solution for all assignments and quizzes unless teamwork is explicitly specified in assignments. Similar solutions may be viewed as violating Academic Integrity.  For Academic Honesty, Policy & Procedures refer to:

                 https://www.csus.edu/umanual/student/stu-100.htm.

Commit to Academic Integrity & Honesty 

As a student in this course (and at this university) you are expected to maintain high degrees of professionalism, commitment to active learning and participation in this class and also integrity in your behavior in and out of the classroom. Practicing academic honesty shows your commitment to the Hornet Honor Code.

At Sacramento State, academic dishonesty is defined as any act of cheating or plagiarism, *including the use of artificial intelligence or ChatGPT to generate or complete work*. All students are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the Academic Honesty Policy. Violations of the policy will result in disciplinary action and/or academic sanctions. Academic sanctions may include an oral reprimand, reduction in an assigned grade or failing grade, or a referral for administrative/disciplinary sanctions.

Graded Course Activities

Visit the Assignments link in Canvas for details about each assignment listed below. Click on Quizzes to access quizzes and exams.* See the Canvas Overview video for students for help navigating Canvas.

Viewing Grades in Canvas

Points you receive for graded activities will be posted to the Canvas Grade Book. From a computer or mobile device, select the Grades option from course navigation to view your grades.

I will provide feedback on assignments in a timely matter. You can expect feedback on discussion boards, in-class assignments, and one-page assignments within # week(s) and other written assignments such as papers or essays within # week(s). I will notify you if I am unable to provide feedback within that timeframe and provide a new time that students should expect to receive feedback. You will see a visual indication of new grades posted on your Canvas home page under Recent Feedback and/or next to the Grades link on course menu.

Letter Grade Assignment

[Include an explanation between the relationship of points earned and final letter grade. Letter grade and percentage alignment may vary according to department and program policy. Refer to the university’s grading policies and contact your Department Chair for further clarification. Example: Final grades assigned for this course will be based on the percentage of total points earned and are assigned as follows:]

*Incompletes*

*According to the University’s Grading Policy, it is the student’s responsibility to request a grade of Incomplete. An instructor may or may not grant this request and will consider such factors as student’s work to-date and amount of work still to be completed in making a determination. I follow the details of the university’s grading policy for incompletes. *Please communicate with me as soon as possible so we can discuss strategies to meet your goals.*

*Grade Appeals

Students who wish to appeal their grade must follow Sacramento State’s Grade Appeal Policy and Procedures.*

*Important Note: Any form of academic dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism, may be reported to the Office of Student Conduct.

Course policies are subject to change. It is the student’s responsibility to check Canvas for corrections or updates to the syllabus. Any changes will be posted in Canvas.*

Important note: For more information about grading at Sac State, visit the academic policies and grading section of the university catalog.*

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