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Course syllabus - Operating Systems

Scope

7.5 credits

Course code

DVA315

Valid from

Autumn semester 2026

Education level

First cycle

Progressive Specialisation

G2F (First cycle, has at least 60 credits in first-cycle course/s as entry requirements)

Main area(s)

Computer Science

Organisation

Department of Computer Science & Engineering

Ratified

2013-01-29

Revised

2025-11-03

Literature lists

Course literature is preliminary up to 8 weeks before course start. Course literature can be valid over several semesters.

    • Ratified date: 2015-12-15
    • Latest update: 2025-05-27

    Books

    Tanenbaum, Andrew S

    Modern Operating Systems: Global Edition

    ISBN: 9781292061429

    LIBRIS-ID: 18773920

    Pearson Education, 1136s.

Objectives

This course will provide an insight into what an operating system's purpose is and its fundamental building blocks and their structure. You also get practical experience of using an operating system from a programmer's standpoint. The course will provide a solid basis for advanced studies, such as real-time operating systems.

Learning outcomes

The student should, after completing the course, be able to:

  1. Describe an operating system (OS) core purpose and the different perspectives of an OS
  2. Describe the importance of common concepts, principles and theories of an operating system's internal structure and purpose of its various building blocks
  3. describe how some of these principles and theories are used in commercially available and commonly-used OSes
  4. Give examples and discuss trade-offs between an OS's various functions
  5. To use an OS API (programmer's point of view) to implement basic services

Course content

The operating system basics: processes, interprocess communication, scheduling, memory management, input and output, file system. System Programming of modern operating systems including. Studies of existing operating systems from both a construction standpoint and from a user perspective.

Specific requirements

Programming in C# 7,5 ECTS credits, Data Structures, Algorithms and Program Development 7,5 ECTS credits or corresponding.

Examination

Written examination (INL1), 3 credits, examines the learning objectives 3 and 5, marks Fail (U) or Pass (G)
Seminars (SEM1), 1 credit, examines the learning objectives 3 and 4, marks Fail (U) or Pass (G)
Examination (TEN1), written examination, 3,5 credits, examines the learning objectives 1-4, marks Fail (U), 3, 4 or 5

A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding disability study support, can request adaptions for the examination. It is the examiner who takes decisions on any adaptions, based on the certificate and other conditions.

Grade

Grading scale: 5, 4, 3

Interim Regulations and Other Regulations

The course overlaps with 2,5 credits with DVA272 Robotic Systems.