School of Computer Science BCS accreditation 2021 - 2026

Artificial Intelligence MEng (Hons) - COMP15212 Operating Systems

2.1.1 Knowledge and understanding of facts, concepts, principles & theories

Covers the architecture of principles of modern operating systems, including memory, processes, security, virtualisation, file systems. High level concepts cover abstraction, caching, hashing. Introduces the C programming language as a vehicle for exploring these concepts at OS level.

Assesement : Examination, Individual coursework

2.1.2 Use of such knowledge in modelling and design

Students design, implement and analyse memory caches

Assesement : Individual coursework

2.1.3 Problem solving strategies

The course emphasises an operating system as a series of problems that need to be solved, with solutions considering the trade-offs (typically between speed and size) of various solutions.

Assesement : Examination, Individual coursework

2.1.4 Analyse if/how a system meets current and future requirements

The course covers the evolving needs of users compared with the affordances / cost of the technology; for example the change in ratio between the address size and cost/availability of physical memory and backing store.

Assesement : Examination

2.1.6 Recognise legal, social, ethical & professional issues

Covers the concept that 'every line of code is an ethical decision', e.g. implications for OS security and performance (which in turn has implications for energy consumption)

Assesement : Examination

2.1.7 Knowledge and understanding of commercial and economic issues

Covered indirectly through consideration of performance / cost of OS/hardware.

Assesement : Not Assessed

2.1.9 Knowledge of information security issues

Security is considered throughout, including as a specific topic on malware analysis.

Assesement : Examination

2.2.1 Specify, design or construct computer-based systems

By it's nature, the course only goes as far 'up' as operating systems, however the design of these is the core topic.

Assesement : Examination

2.2.2 Evaluate systems in terms of quality and trade-offs

Explicitly analyses different algorithms for various OS components, e.g. caching and scheduling strategies

Assesement : Examination, Individual coursework

2.2.3 Recognise risk/safety for safe operation of computing equipment

Covered indirectly through the perspective of system security and the risks and costs associated with that.

Assesement : Examination

2.3.2 Development of general transferable skills

Students report on their analysis of caching strategies.

Assesement : Individual coursework

3.1.3 Knowledge of systems architecture

The core topic of this course is the architecture of operating systems.

Assesement : Examination, Individual coursework

3.2.2 Defining problems, managing design process and evaluating outcomes

Students design and implement a strategy for analysing the performance of various caching algorithms.

Assesement : Individual coursework

4.2.2 Defining problems, managing design process and evaluating outcomes

Students design and implement a strategy for analysing the performance of various caching algorithms.

Assesement : Individual coursework