Computer Architecture (Coursera)

Computer Architecture Coursera Course Overview

In the Computer Architecture Coursera course, you will learn to design the computer architecture of complex modern microprocessors. All the features of this course are available for free. It does not offer a certificate upon completion.

Course Syllabus

WEEK 1 – Introduction, Instruction Set Architecture, and Microcode

This lecture will give you a broad overview of the course, as well as a description of architecture, micro-architecture, and instruction set architectures.

Pipelining Review

This lecture covers the basic concept of pipelines and two different types of hazards.

WEEK 2 – Cache Review

This lecture covers control hazards and the motivation for caches.

Superscalar 1

This lecture covers cache characteristics and basic superscalar architecture.

WEEK 3 – Superscalar 2 & Exceptions

This lecture covers the common issues for superscalar architecture. Superscalar 3 This lecture covers different kinds of architectures for out-of-order processors.

WEEK 4 – Superscalar 4

This lecture covers the common methods used to improve the performance of out-of-order processors including register renaming and memory disambiguation.

VLIW 1

This lecture covers the basic concept of very long instruction word (VLIW) processors.

WEEK 5 – VLIW2

This lecture covers the common methods used to improve VLIW performance.

Branch Prediction

This lecture covers the motivation and implementation of branch predictors.

WEEK 6 – Advanced Caches 1

This lecture covers the advanced mechanisms used to improve cache performance.

Advanced Caches 2

This lecture covers more advanced mechanisms used to improve cache performance.

WEEK 7 – Memory Protection

This lecture covers memory management and protection.

Vector Processors and GPUs

This lecture covers the vector processor and optimizations for vector processors.

WEEK 8 – Multithreading

This lecture covers different types of multithreading.

Parallel Programming 1

This lecture covers the concepts of parallelism, consistency models, and basic parallel programming techniques.

WEEK 9 – Parallel Programming 2

This lecture covers the solutions for the consistency problem in parallel programming.

Small Multiprocessors

This lecture covers the implementation of small multiprocessors.

WEEK 10 – Multiprocessor Interconnect 1

This lecture covers the design of interconnects for a multiprocessor.

Multiprocessor Interconnect 2

This lecture covers the design of interconnects for multiprocessor and network topology.

WEEK 11 – Large Multiprocessors (Directory Protocols)

This lecture covers the motivation and implementation of the directory protocol used for coherence on large multiprocessors.

Teacher

• David Wentzlaff