# Programs and Courses

**Source**: https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/major/COMS-MAJ
**Parent**: https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/AACOM

- Total units
  48 Units

- Areas of interest
  Computer Science, Information Technology, Intelligent Systems, Computer Systems, Computer Engineering
- Major code
  COMS-MAJ

- Academic career
  Undergraduate
- Academic Contact
  [Antony Hosking](mailto:U1817699@anu.edu.au)

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Computer Systems Major

- [Introduction](#introduction)
- [Learning Outcomes](#learning-outcomes)
- [Other Information](#other-information)
- [Requirements](#requirements)
- [Relevant Degrees](#relevant-degrees)

Computer systems have transformed our society in many ways, from global-scale platforms that enable us to video conference, to access and share information, and design new drugs using computational simulation and modeling. The recent deep learning ("AI") revolution has been built on innovations in computer systems. Computer Systems have provided the software and hardware foundations upon which these transformational applications run. As we push the limits of what can be done, these foundations are also strained and pushed to their limits. This major focuses on computer systems as artefact of study and research, exploring how operating systems, networking, computer architecture, concurrency, parallelism, and high performance computing come together to make the powerful computational infrastructure on which our world runs.

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Depending on the chosen courses, students will learn about:

- operating systems
- networking, network layers and protocols
- programming language design and implementation, compilers and run-time systems
- memory management
- file systems
- computer architecture and micro-architecture
- micro-processors and FPGAs
- multi-core, multi-processor and distributed systems
- concurrency and the design and implementation of concurrent programs
- parallelism and high-performance computing
- process scheduling
- algorithms and programming models for high-performance computing
- parallel computing accelerators (GPUs, TPUs)
- numerical computation
- modelling and simulation and the limitations and design of such systems

## Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the various components of a computer system and how they work together
2. Demonstrate a deep understanding of a variety of computer system approaches
3. Choose an appropriate computer system approach and architecture to solve a given problem
4. Design, implement, test and evaluate different computer system approaches.

## Other Information

This Major is incompatible with the Systems and Architecture Specialisation (SYAR-SPEC).

## Relevant Degrees

- [Bachelor of Computing (BCOMP)](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/program/BCOMP)

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## Requirements

The COMS major requires the completion of 48 units, of which:

A maximum of 18 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

A minimum of 18 units must come from completion of 3000 and 4000-level courses

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24 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

[COMP2310](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP2310) Systems Networks and Concurrency

[COMP3300](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP3300) Operating Systems Implementation

[COMP3310](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP3310) Computer Networks

[ENGN4213](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/ENGN4213) Digital Systems and Microprocessors

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A minimum of 6 units from the completion of a course from the following list:

[COMP3320](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP3320) High Performance Scientific Computation

[COMP3610](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP3610) Principles of Programming Languages

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A maximum of 18 units from completion of courses from the following list:

[COMP4045](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP4045) Advanced Topics in Computer Systems

[COMP4300](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP4300) Parallel Systems

[COMP4712](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/COMP4712) Compiler Construction

[ENGN1218](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/ENGN1218) Introduction to Electronics

[ENGN2218](https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/2027/course/ENGN2218) Electronic Systems and Design

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This Major is incompatible with the Systems and Architecture Specialisation.

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