CSEN 383: Syllabus (Fall 2026)
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Class Webpage and Communication
We will be using Canvas for assignment submission, announcements, course materials and discussion/help. Please use Discussion Board to ask questions!
Textbooks
Both are free online. No purchase required.
- Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces — Arpaci-Dusseau. Primary text.
- xv6: a simple, Unix-like teaching operating system — MIT. Used for the labs.
Assignments and Exams
You have three slack days that you can use on any one assignment. For group assignments, 1 day is assessed to each partner. Penalty is 15% per late day after that, and the submission portal will be closed three days after the deadline.
There will be two midterm exams. They are tentatively scheduled on Thursdays. No alternative makeup exam will be given without a documented excuse such as a major health issue. If a makeup exam is requested, it will be much harder.
Grade Breakdown
- Midterm 1: 25%
- Midterm 2: 30%
- Programming assignments: 25%
- Quizzes, participation: 20% Note: the grades will be assigned relative to the rest of the class.
Course Schedule
Please see Schedule page.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Upon successful course completion, students would achieve the following:
- Describe basic OS functionality and components: CPU scheduling, process management, main memory management, secondary storage management, I/O devices, file management, security.
- Ability to explain various scheduling algorithms and their relative merits and problems, including multi-processor scheduling challenges.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the tradeoffs involved in resource management.
- Demonstrate an understanding of memory management algorithms, including those applied to basic caching and buffering, as well as memory management in the context of varying memory technologies.
- Apply the concepts in file management, such as directory structure, layout management, buffering, and data space management in both uni-processor and distributed contexts.
- Understand performance measurements and the importance of performance evaluation in operating system design.
Academic Integrity
The Academic Integrity pledge is an expression of the University’s commitment to fostering an understanding of— and commitment to—a culture of integrity at Santa Clara University. The Academic Integrity pledge, which applies to all students, states:
I am committed to being a person of integrity. I pledge, as a member of the Santa Clara University community, to abide by and uphold the standards of academic integrity contained in the Student Conduct Code.
Academic integrity is part of your intellectual, ethical, and professional development. I expect you to uphold the principles of this pledge for all work in this class. I will clarify expectations on academic integrity – including the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT and course sharing sites for all assignments and exams in this course. If you have questions about what is appropriate on any assignment, please let me know before you hand in work. For more resources about ensuring academic integrity in your work, see this LibGuide on Academic Integrity.
Misunderstanding of the appropriate academic conduct will not be accepted as an excuse for academic misconduct. If a student is in doubt about appropriate academic conduct in a particular situation, he or she should consult with the instructor in the course to avoid the serious charge of academic misconduct.
Using AI
Cheating
Examples include but are not limited to:
- copying from another student’s examination, quiz, laboratory work, or homework assignment
- allowing others to conduct research or to prepare work for you
- submitting for academic advancement an item of academic work that you have previously submitted for academic advancement
Plagiarism
Includes the copying of language, structure, or ideas of another and attributing (explicitly or implicitly) the work to one’s own efforts. Plagiarism means using another’s work without giving credit. Examples include but are not limited to:
- copying information from computer-based sources, i.e., the Internet
- allowing another person to substantially alter or revise your work and submitting it entirely as your own This policy applies, in all respects, to CSEN383.