Module Descriptors
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE SYSTEMS & NETWORKS
COCS40232
Key Facts
Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Sciences
Level 4
15 credits
Contact
Leader: Christopher Howard
Email: C.Howard@staffs.ac.uk
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 48
Independent Study Hours: 102
Total Learning Hours: 150
Assessment
  • CLASS-TEST weighted at 34%
  • CLASS-TEST - SECOND CLASS TEST weighted at 33%
  • CLASS-TEST -THIRD CLASS TEST weighted at 33%
Module Details
Module Learning Strategies
Contact time will be split between lectures that present new material and supervised practicals with access to the required hardware and software.
Independent study will involve reading course notes prior to delivery and attempting exercises designed to demonstrate new theoretical topics
2 lectures and 2 tutorial/practicals per week.
Tutorials/practicals normally delivered in groups of 20 students.
(1:n)2 (1:20)2
Module Indicative Content
Simple Logic Gates
Structure & components of a typical modern PC, from processors to secondary storage & I/O
Elementary concepts of Data Communications and networks from Modems to Gateways
Structure & role of a modern PC based operating system
Module Additional Assessment Details
3 Class Tests 45 minutes each worth 34%, 33% and 33% on Weeks 4, 8 and 12 assessing learning outcomes 1-4

Module Special Admissions Requirements
None.
Module Resources
Tutorial Room, Lecture Theatre, Electronics or Technology Lab.
Module Texts
Computer Systems Architecture. A Networking Approach. Rob Williams. 2001 Addison Wesley ISBN0 201 64859 8.
Computer Systems Architecture. Robert M Newman, Elena Gaura, Dominic Hibbs.2002 Crucial.ISBN 1 90333707 0.