Doctor of Philosophy - Comprehensive Exam (2008-2009)

 

Chairperson:


Dr. Lucian Ilie
Department of Computer Science
The University of Western Ontario
Middlesex College, Room 368
London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
Phone: (519) 679-2111 extension 86848
Fax: (519) 661-3515
Webpage: http://www.csd.uwo.ca/faculty/ilie
Email: ilie <at> csd.uwo.ca

Exams Schedule:


Wednesday December 10 2008 (First Day):
Time: From 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location: MC 320
First day Subjects:
  • Theory of Computation
  • Programming Languages
  • Algorithms
Friday December 12 2008 (Second Day):
Time: From 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Location: MC 320
Second day Subjects:
  • Computer Architecture
  • Software Engineering
  • Operating systems

Comprehensive Examination suggested reading list for 2008-2009:


Theory of computation:
John Hopcroft, Rajeev Motwani, and Jeffrey Ullman,
Introduction to Automata Theory, Languages, and Computation,
3rd Edition,
Addison-Wesley, c2007.
Library call number: QA267.H56 2007

Chapters 1-9

Computer Architecture:
Vincent P. Heuring and Harry F. Jordan,
Computer Systems Design and Architecture,
Addison-Wesley, c1997,
Library Call Number: QA76.9.S88H48 1997
N.B.: The 2nd edition of this book is ok as well.

Four main themes of Computer Architecture
  • Knowing what the standard vocabulary of describing computers means
  • Understanding the methodology of converting an algorithm into a hardware rather than a software implementation
  • Understanding the computer CPU as the hardware implementation of an instruction interpreter
  • Understanding how software performance arises from the underlying performance properties of the hardware

6 10-minute questions, pick 5 to do.

Question types:
  • modify this
  • trace the behavior of this
  • calculate this
  • define this

Converage of Heuring and Jordan Computer Systems Design and Architecture book

The Standard Example (to be included with exam)
  Appendix B, SRC Instruction Set on Back Cover,
  SRC Circuit Layout on Front Cover

See how to convert boolean functions to circuit diagrams
  A.1, A.2, A.3, A.4, A.5
Standard components
  A.9
Circuit performance
  A.11
Representing finite state machines in circuitry
  A.12, A.14, A.15
Registers and counters
  A.16, A.17
Chapter 2
Chapter 3.1, 3.2
Chapter 4
Chapter 6.1, 6.2, 6.3
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9

If I have not listed it above, I am not expecting you to have read it.

Highlights of the Readings

Algorithms:
T.H. Cormen, C.E. LEiserson, R.L. Rivest, and C. Stein,
Introduction to algorithms,
2nd edition,
MIT Press, c2001
Library call number: QA76.6.I5858 2001

Chapters 1-4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 22-25, 34.
Omit any sections that are marked with a star.

Programming Languages:
Michael Scott,
Programming Language Pragmatics,
2nd edition,
Morgan Kaufmann, c2006
Library call number: QA76.7.S38 2006

Chapters 1-4 and 6-10

Software Engineering:
Primary text
Richard C. Lee and William M. Tepfenhart
UML and C++ A Practical Guide to Object-Oriented Development
2nd edition,
Prentice Hall, c2001
Library call number: QA76.64.L45 2001

Selected chapters from:
Craig Larman
Applying UML and Patterns, An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and the Unified Process
2nd edition,
Prentice Hall, c2002
Library call number: QA76.9.O35L37 2002

Operating Systems:
Andrew S. Tanenbaum,
Modern operating systems,
3rd Edition,
Pearson Prentice Hall, c2008.
Library call number: QA76.76.O63T359 2008

Chapters: 1 (exclude 1.8), 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 13

The output of the Comprehensive Exam.


The results of the comprehensive exam will be on a PASS (>= 70%) / FAIL (< 60%) bases. If a candidate gets a mark between 60% and 70% in an area, an oral exam will be scheduled for that area. The result of this oral exam is a pass or a fail as well. The possible results of the comprehensive exam are:

The candidate passes all of the exams: the candidate passes the comprehensive exam.

The candidate fails 4 or more exams: the candidate must withdraw from the Ph.D. program.

The candidate fails at most 3 exams: for each failed exam (regardless written or oral), the candidate will be asked to take a course in that area. Note that, if a second failure (< 70%) occurs, the candidate must withdraw from the Ph.D. program.

 

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