Graduate Certificate in Systems and Architecture

This certificate provides students with knowledge in the underlying architecture of computers. Students may choose either the hardware track or the software track. In the hardware track, students gain more in-depth knowledge of the field. Students in this track will develop skills to perform system and component design, quality assurance, and test. In the software track, knowledge in the underlying architecture helps in generating and understanding optimized software. Students in this track will develop skills that will help them perform systems programming, language processing, and system administration.

Course Requirements    A student wishing to obtain a Certificate in Systems and Architecture must complete the following courses (3 semester hours each). Choose electives from either those for the hardware track or the software track.

Required core courses - 6 semester hours

• CSCI 8150 — Advanced Computer Architecture
• CSCI 8530 — Advanced Operating Systems

Hardware track elective courses (select two) - 6 semester hours

• CSCI 8160 — Introduction to VLSI
• CSCI 8170 — VLSI Testing
• CSCI 8610 — Fault-tolerant Distributed Systems
• CSCI 8626 — Computer Graphics

Software track elective courses (select two) - 6 semester hours

• CSCI 8550 — Advanced Operating System Theory
• CSCI 8706 — Compiler Construction
• CSCI 8610 — Fault-tolerant Distributed Systems
• CSCI 8626 — Computer Graphics

Hardware track prerequisite courses (select one) - 3 semester hours

• CSCI 3710 — Introduction to Computer Organization and Architecture (or equivalent)
• CSCI 4350 — Computer Architecture (or equivalent)

Software track prerequisite courses - 6 semester hours

• CSCI 4220 — Programming Languages (or equivalent)
• CSCI 4500 — Operating Systems (or equivalent)