Software Development MSc
Systems And Networks COMPSCI4043
- Academic Session: 2026-27
- School: School of Computing Science
- Credits: 10
- Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
- Typically Offered: Semester 1
- Available to Visiting Students: No
- Collaborative Online International Learning: No
- Curriculum For Life: No
Short Description
To introduce the structure and function of computer systems, in particular:
To introduce the concept of representation of data.
To provide a general understanding of what computers are and how they work.
To provide background helpful for better understanding the behaviour of programming languages, compilers, and operating systems.
To convey understanding of descriptions of computer systems and projections of future trends.
Timetable
Two one-hour lectures, one-hour tutorial, one-hour lab session per week.
Excluded Courses
None
Co-requisites
None
Assessment
Examination 75%, coursework 25%
Main Assessment In: December
Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? No
It is the default expectation that all courses will offer opportunities for reassessment or deferred assessment. Where it is not possible to offer this in some assessment components, the grade achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade, and any exceptions for this course are described below.
[No exceptions]
Course Aims
To introduce the structure and function of computer systems, in particular:
To introduce the concept of representation of data.
To provide a general understanding of what computers are and how they work.
To provide background helpful for better understanding the behaviour of programming languages, compilers, and operating systems.
To convey understanding of descriptions of computer systems and projections of future trends.
Intended Learning Outcomes of Course
By the end of the course students will be able to:
1. Describe the main components of a computer system;
2. Describe the concepts of digital representation, bits and words;
3. Work with the binary and two's complement representation of numbers and convert between these and decimal numbers;
4. Explain how the behaviours of signed and unsigned operations are caused by the underlying representation;
5. Describe of how basic control constructs and algorithms are translated to machine language;
6. Compare critically two machine architectures at the instructions set level;
7. Describe the central functions of an operating system;
8. Describe how virtual memory works, together with its benefits and limitations;
9. Describe how end systems and routers are connected in the Internet;
10. Explain the main levels of abstraction in computer networks.