The goal of the course is to convey the fundamental concepts that enable programs to execute on real hardware. Those concepts include how the operating system virtualizes the hardware to provide basic services and abstractions to enable a user program to effectively use the available hardware resources. The course also addresses how different programming constructs and idioms work.
The basic abstraction of a program running as one or more threads of control in a single flat address space (a Unix process) is the key to the course. Emphasizing that abstraction as the underlying model for understanding how a program works, from both the user program and hardware perspective (with the OS in between), runs as a theme through all topics in the course. Examples include C pointers (to data and functions), function calls and runtime stack management, dynamic memory management in the heap, and the fork/exec system calls.
Prerequisite → C- or better in CMSC132 and
MATH 141
Credits → 4
Visit this link for details.
This is a very demanding course. You will need to complete many programming assignments. The due times for programming assignments are 11:00 PM on the day they are due. They are to be submitted electronically according to instructions given with the assignments. Late submissions will be strictly penalized -- e.g., if you submit at 11:01 pm, it is a late submission. It is strongly encouraged to submit frequently instead of submitting once at the last minute. Exceptional circumstances will be considered only if discussed with the instructor at least 48 hours before the assignment due date/time. Late submissions will have points deducted as follows:
You can submit your work multiple times to the submit server. Once again, do not wait until the assignment due date/time. We strongly encourage you to submit multiple times before the due date/time.
Programming assignment descriptions will be shared in ELMS, and programming assignment starter files will be posted in a directory (folder) in the grace machine. In a lab (discussion hour), you will learn how to set up your work environment, how to access files on the cluster using ssh, and how to submit your work from your work directory to the submit server.
Grades will be computed using the following weights:
| Evaluation Components | Percentage (tentative) |
| Programming Assignments (Projects (up to 6) / Exercises (up to 6)) | 22% |
| Written Homework (Problem Solving (up to 10)) | 3% |
| Quizzes (9/16, 10/14, 11/11), in-class | 12% |
| Exam 1 (9/28, in-class) | 15% |
| Exam 2 (10/26, in-class) | 15% |
| Exam 3 (12/2, in-class) | 15% |
Exam 4 (Final)
|
18% |
| Max. Points Possible | 100% |
Note that academic dishonesty includes not only cheating, fabrication,
and plagiarism, but also includes helping other students commit acts of
academic dishonesty by allowing them to obtain copies of your work.
In
short, all submitted work must be your own. Cases of academic
dishonesty
will be pursued to the fullest extent possible as stipulated by the
Office of
Student Conduct.
It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. If the student is found to be responsible for academic dishonesty, the typical sanction results in a special grade "XF", indicating that the course was failed due to academic dishonesty. If you have any doubt as to whether an act of yours might constitute academic dishonesty, please contact your TA or the course coordinator.
The CS Department takes academic integrity seriously. Information on how the CS Department views and handles academic integrity matters can be found at Academic Integrity.
On any graded projects or written homework, you are NOT allowed to collaborate or exchange work. We compare each student's work with every other student's work to check for similarities. Every semester, we catch an embarrassingly high number of students that engage in cheating and we have to take them to the Honor Council.
We encourage students to talk about course material and help each other out for better understanding the course topics in group chats. However, this does NOT include graded assignments. For example, talking about implementation of the programming assignments or release tests is NOT okay.
There have been a couple instances in the past where students have posted pictures/source files of their code, or earlier sections have given away exam questions to later sections. Not only did this lower the curve for the earlier section because the later one will do better, the WHOLE group chat had to pay a visit to the Honor Council. It was an extremely ugly business.
You may post your project code to private Github (or similar service) repository, only after the semester ends. The Honor Council can retroactively give an XF (even to students who have already graduated) if your code is then used by another student to cheat. So just be careful. Posting graded code to a public repo will give you a free ticket to the Honor Council.
Creating collaborative study guides on Google docs is OK. Encouraged, even. Just do this before the exam, and don't bring the study guide to the exam. Don't add exam questions to the study guide after the early section's midterm.
Totally cool. Highly encouraged to co-create and share (with the same caveats as study guides).
The following are just a few examples of academic integrity violations:
Additional information can be found in the sections titled "Academic Integrity" and "Code of Student Conduct" available at Course Related Policies.
For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Office of Student Conduct, visit https://studentconduct.umd.edu.
In case academic accommodations are needed, you must provide a letter of accommodation from the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS) within the first two weeks of the semester. For details, see the section titled "Accessibility" available at Course Related Policies.
Although lecture and lab attendance is highly encouraged, you do not need to submit documentation if you must miss a regular lecture or lab.
However, missing a quiz or an exam for reasons such as illness, religious observance, participation in required university activities, or family or personal emergency (such as a serious automobile accident or close relative's funeral) will be excused only when you request the absence in writing (and in advance, if possible) and submit documentation showing that the absence qualifies as excused. A self-signed note is not sufficient for quizzes or exams because they are Major Scheduled Grading Events.
For a medical absence from a quiz or exam, you must submit documentation from the health care professional who treated you. The documentation must clearly include verification of (1) treatment dates and (2) the time period for which you are unable to meet academic responsibilities. In addition, it must contain the name and phone number of the medical service provider to be used if verification is needed. No diagnostic information will ever be requested. Note that simply being seen by a health care professional does not constitute an excused absence; the document must clearly state that you were unable to perform your academic responsibilities.
Providing false information to University officials is prohibited under Part 9(i) of the Code of Student Conduct (V-1.00(B) University of Maryland Code of Student Conduct) and may result in disciplinary action. For additional details, see the section titled "Attendance and Missed Assignments" available at Course Related Policies
As a faculty member, I am considered as a Responsible University Employee, and I must report all disclosures of sexual assault, sexual harassment, interpersonal violence, and stalking to UMD's Title IX Coordinator per University Policy on Sexual Harassment and Other Sexual Misconduct.
If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, please contact one of UMD's confidential resources, such as CARE to Stop Violence (located on the Ground Floor of the Health Center) at 301-741-3442 or the Counseling Center (located at the Shoemaker Building) at 301-314-7651.
You may also seek assistance or supportive measures from UMD's Title IX Coordinator, Angela Nastase, by calling 301-405-1142, or emailing titleIXcoordinator@umd.edu. To view further information on the above resources, please visit the Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct's website at ocrsm.umd.edu.
The department and faculty take student feedback seriously. At the end of the course visit https://www.courseevalum.umd.edu/ to complete your course evaluations.
If you have any class concerns, please feel free to contact the instructor. If an issue arises with the instructor, report it using the form available at https://www.cs.umd.edu/classconcern.
All course materials are copyright UMCP, Department of Computer Science © 2026. All rights reserved. Students are permitted to use course materials for their own personal use only. Course materials may not be distributed publicly or provided to others (excepting other students in the course), in any way or format.
Although every effort has been made to be complete and accurate, unforeseen circumstances arising during the semester could require the adjustment of any material given here. Consequently, given due notice to students, the instructor reserves the right to change any information on this syllabus or in other course materials.