Computer Architecture (CSCI 0202), Fall 2026

who	Peter C. Johnson (pete@midd)
where	75 Shannon St, Room 224
when	Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 11:15–12:05 AM

Schedule (tentative)

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14 Sep	Introduction Phase 1 Tier 2 Problem 0: Welcome to Weathertop
16 Sep	Boolean logic and transistors

Coursework & Grading

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This class uses a non-traditional approach to coursework and grading. Please first read the full description here; the text on this page is meant as a summary for reference during the semester.

The course material falls into three phases: circuits (weeks 1-3), microarchitecture (weeks 4-7), and software (weeks 8-12). Within each phase, coursework falls into three tiers: mechanical skills, simple applications, and tasks requiring creation & analysis. Mechanical skills will be assessed by weekly quizzes; simple applications by regularly-posted homework problems; and creation & analysis by three large implementation projects (one for each phase). In addition, there will be three exams: again, one for each phase. In all cases, coursework requirements will be clearly specified and submissions will be graded on a sufficient/insufficient basis. Students will have opportunities to re-take quizzes and to resubmit homework problems.

To earn a C, a student must:

• correctly answer 3 of 4 questions, within a single quiz, for EVERY mechanical skill.

To earn a B, a student must:

• do all required to earn a C,
• complete 9 of 12 homework problems in each of the three phases,
• and correctly answer 9 of 12 Application questions across the three exams.

To earn an A, a student must:

• do all required to earn a B,
• complete all three projects,
• and correctly answer 6 of 9 Analysis questions across the three exams.

Half-grades will be assigned at the discretion of the professor based on work completed that does not fully satisfy the requirements of the next full grade.

Re-taking quizzes

Once each weekday, you may re-take all quiz questions that you have yet to complete. You may only re-take one quiz per day (though the quiz will contain questions for all definitions and mechanical skills that have not yet been marked complete).

Eligible times for re-takes:

• my office hours (listed here)
• Smith’s office hours (listed here)

You must email me 12 hours before you intend to re-take the quiz so that I can have it ready for you. Then just show up at the time you’ve chosen, pick up the quiz, fill it out, and hand it back.

Software

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We’ll be using Logisim-Evolution to create and simulate circuits in this course. Please install Version 5.0.0 by downloading the correctly numbered file that ends in .dmg (Mac) or .msi (Windows) and installing it in the normal way. If you need help with this, please talk to the course assistants.

On a Mac, when opening the Logisim program for the first time after installation, MacOS is likely to complain about the developers not being verified and refuse to launch the program. To get around this, go to "System Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> General tab" and click "Open Anyway".

Downloading circuit files from the course notes is a bit tricky because web browsers (Firefox, Chrome, Safari, …) often just show you the raw content of the file instead of saving it as a file for you. To download it instead of viewing the uninteresting XML, right-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac) and select the "Save File…" (or similar) option.

VPN

To access weathertop from off-campus, you will need to use the College VPN. Instructions for setting it up are available here:

VPN Setup Instructions

References

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There is no required textbook. I will make suggestions for readings (both online and dead-tree) while covering specific topics.

• ARM32 instruction reference

Academic Integrity

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All work submitted in this course must be your own and no-one else’s. On all coursework, any assistance that is not explicitly allowed is prohibited; ask me for clarification if there is confusion at any point. You may discuss homework problems and projects with other students, but you may not view other students’ solutions, no matter how preliminary. Rule of thumb: never talk to another student about coursework with a computer screen open.

If I determine that the work you submit is not your own, you will earn no credit for that piece of work and you will not be permitted to resubmit it. Such work includes, but is not limited to, solutions that are in any way informed by large language models such as ChatGPT.

When in doubt, ask.

Getting help

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The material in this course is not easy, even for students who have significant prior background in computer science, there is a lot of it, and we move quickly. Some people learn by locking themselves in their room and banging their head against the wall, but many do not. Talking about the course material is a great way to solidify and reinforce your own understanding, to identify gaps in your knowledge that need filling in, and to see the same material from new perspectives (which further improves understanding).

• You are welcome to discuss the lecture material and assignments with your classmates, but do keep in mind the academic integrity policy above.

• Drop-in help sessions, in which students who have taken the course previously are available to answer questions and provide guidance: schedule TBA.

• Smith Gakuya’s office hours: schedule here.

• My office hours: schedule here.

• We can also find time to meet outside office hours: email me with some times you’re free.

• You can also email me questions about the material/coursework.

ADA

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Students who have Letters of Accommodation in this class are encouraged to contact me as early in the semester as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. For those without Letters of Accommodation, assistance is available to eligible students through the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Please contact ADA Coordinators Jodi Litchfield, Peter Ploegman, and Deirdre Kelly of the DRC at ada@middlebury.edu for more information. All discussions will remain confidential.