Computer Science (Machine Structures) OpenCourseWare: UC Berkeley's Free Undergraduate Computer Science Course

Published Feb 14, 2009

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The fundamentals of machine structure are explored in 'Computer Science (Machine Structures),' OpenCourseWare offered by the University of California Berkeley. The classes cover various topics from fundamental logic components through the various aspects of high-level programming. The course content is centered on the various ways machines execute the programs that computer programmers write. This free online course would be helpful for someone pursing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.

Computer Science (Machine Structures) OpenCourseWare: Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes Yes Yes No

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
Yes No No

Computer Science (Machine Structures) OpenCourseWare: Course Description

Successful computer programmers need a solid background in CPU design, fundamental logic components and machine design that this online course provides. This free webcast course, taught by Professor Michael J. Clancy and Professor David Culler, is about machines and the execution of computer programs. The key topics covered in this course examine the organization of hardware systems, system software at a lower-level and computational operations carried out by the circuits. The MIPS R3000 processor and the design of its on-chip mechanisms are analyzed. Assembly language is studied as software programs, for cell phones, car computers and general operating systems, are still created in assembly language. In addition, assembly language is needed to write compilers, design computers, build operating systems and optimize a computer's performance. Anyone interested in taking this course should be familiar with a C-type language (i.e. C#, Java, C++ or C), link-list processing and recursion. The course strengthens students' programming skills and machine architecture knowledge. The replication of hardware using hardware description languages (HDLs) is also covered. Keep listening and discover virtual memory, pipelining, assembly language pointers and number representation, among other topics.

This OpenCourseWare features recorded lectures. To listen to the course materials and to learn further information about this OpenCourseWare, visit the Machine Language course page.

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