Program Overview

Course Overview

The course TDT4260 Computer Architecture is a second-degree level course offered at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The course is taught in English and is worth 7.5 credits.

Course Details

• Course Start: Spring 2026
• Duration: 1 semester
• Location: Trondheim
• Examination Arrangement: School exam

Course Content

The course covers computer architecture, trends, and quantitative principles. Specific topics include:

• Instruction-level parallelism, out-of-order execution, and examples
• Memory hierarchy design
• Multiprocessors, thread-level parallelism, and multithreading
• General-purpose graphics processor units (GPGPUs) and accelerators
• Hardware security and side-channel attacks

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

• Current technology trends and their impact on computer architecture design
• Detailed understanding of how high-level building blocks are assembled into a complete computer system
• Understanding of modern memory systems
• Understanding of parallel computer architectures
• Familiarity with hardware security measures

Skills

• Evaluate architectural choices using simulation and draw conclusions
• Differentiate between general-purpose central processing units (CPUs), general-purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs), and application-specific accelerators

General Competence

• Leverage knowledge of computer architecture at all levels of abstraction

Learning Methods and Activities

• Lectures
• Exercises
• Mini-project
• Report writing
• Peer-evaluation

Compulsory Assignments

• 2 assignments
• 2 peer evaluations

Evaluation

• Compulsory assignments must be approved to access the exam
• The exam will be in English, with the option to answer questions in Norwegian or English
• In the event of a re-sit exam, the examination form may be changed to an oral examination

Recommended Previous Knowledge

• Documented knowledge in the construction and functionality of simple processors, such as through the course TDT4160 Computer Fundamentals or equivalent

Course Materials

• "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach" by John L. Hennessy and David A. Patterson
• Potentially additional text announced at the start of the semester
• All teaching materials will be in English

Credit Reductions

The course has academic overlap with the following courses:

• SIF8064
• DT8803 If overlapping courses are taken, a credit reduction will be applied to the course with the lowest grade or the most recently completed course if grades are the same

Subject Areas

• Computers
• Computer Systems
• Informatics
• Technological subjects

Department with Academic Responsibility

• Department of Computer Science

Examination Details

• Examination Arrangement: School exam
• Grade: Letter grades
• Ordinary Examination - Spring 2026:
  • School exam
  • Weighting: 100/100
  • Examination aids: Code D
  • Date and Time: 09:00
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Exam system: Inspera Assessment
• Re-sit Examination - Summer 2026:
  • School exam
  • Weighting: 100/100
  • Examination aids: Code D
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Exam system: Inspera Assessment