COMP 173: Operating Systems (Spring 2026)
Course Description
Students are introduced to the fundamental concepts of modern operating systems. Topics include an overview of the computer hardware that supports the operating system, process management, threads, and CPU scheduling. Students also study process synchronization that uses primitive and high-level languages, virtual memory management, file systems, system protection, and distributed systems.
Prerequisites: Completion of all Fundamental Skills; COMP 053;
COMP 175 or ECPE 170 with a "C-" or better or permission of instructor.
When enrolling in this course, you should already understand the basics of binary numbers,
digital electronics, and serial and parallel digital communications. Further, you should
be comfortable programming in a high-level language such as C, C++, Python, or Java and
understand the basics of loops, arrays, structures, pointers, and function calls.
Website: Syllabus, Canvas LMS
Credits: 4 units
Course Catalog: https://catalog.pacific.edu/search/?search=comp+173&caturl=%2F
Administration
Instructor: Sepehr Amir
Email: 
Class time/location: MWF 11:00 – 12:15, Chambers 114
Office hours: MW 14:00 – 15:15, Chambers 122
Teaching Assistant: Qazi Haad
Email: q_haad@u.pacific.edu
Learning Objectives
The vision for this course is: What do I, as a computer scientist, need to understand about the fundamental concepts of modern operating systems and what are the the strategies that the operating systems implement to manage computer hardware resources in an effective way?
You will have many different opportunities to gain this knowledge through:
- Labs
- Homework assignments
- Course projects
- Getting exposed to new operating systems
- Class discussions and reading assignments
After taking this course, you should be able to:
- Describe and comparing modern operating system architectures.
- Understand basic concepts of processes and threads
- Write simulators to demonstrate your understanding of essential process management techniques, including process creation and termination, inter-process communication and synchronization, CPU scheduling, multithreaded programming, and deadlock handling.
- Describe how various memory management schemes, such as paging and segmentation, work and write simulators to demonstrate your understanding of these schemes.
- Understand the function of file systems, describe the interfaces to file systems, and discuss file-system design tradeoffs.
University of the Pacific Core Competencies: This course reflects the following university‑wide core competencies:
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Quantitative Reasoning
Outcomes for COMP program: Assessed outcomes per ABET:
- Outcome 1: Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
- Outcome 2: Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program's discipline.
- Outcome 5: Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program's discipline.
- Outcome 6: Apply computer science theory and software development fundamentals to produce computing-based solutions.
Course Material
We will use the following zyBook along with additional resources that are referred through the semester. In order to use the zyBook follow these steps:
- Sign in or create an account at learn.zybooks.com.
- Enter zyBook code: PACIFICCOMP173Amir-MohammadianSpring2026.
- Subscribe. Note that a subscription is $69. Students may begin subscribing on Dec 29, 2025 and the cutoff to subscribe is Apr 22, 2026. Subscriptions will last until May 20, 2026.
- Operating System Concepts, 10th edition, by Abraham Silberschatz, Peter Baer Galvin, and Greg Gagne.
Slides, assignments, and supplementary material will be posted on Canvas.
Major topics include:
- OS architectures: Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Parallel and Distributed Computing
- Process Management: Concepts, Threads, Scheduling, Interprocess Communication, Synchronization, and Deadlocks.
- Memory Management: Basics, Paging, Segmentation
- File System: Directories, Access Methods, Free Space Tracking, File Allocation, and Mounting.
Grading and Attendance Policy
Grades are assigned on the scale below:
| A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | C- | D+ | D | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [93,100] | [90,93) | [87,90) | [83,87) | [80,83) | [77,80) | [73,77) | [70,73) | [67,70) | [60,67) | [0,60) |
Final grades are based on:
- Reading assignments: 10%
- Homework assignments: 20%
- Course projects: 20%
- Labs: 20%
- Exams: 15%
- OS Days: 10%
- Attendance: 5%
Attendance:
- Class attendance and participation is required. There will be numerous labs in class, and doing the labs in the class boosts the quality of learning. Participation requires that you are properly prepared for classroom discussions and activities, and have completed all reading assignments before each class session.
- Students are expected to arrive prepared, having completed all required work (including the assigned reading through zyBook) before class begins. Failure to do so may impact both participation and overall performance.
- You will only be allowed three excused or unexcused class misses during the semester. Excuses for professional, academic or athletic activities must be approved by the instructor in advance.
- Students missing a class are responsible for making up the material studied in that class on their own. Students are responsible for being aware of any announcements made during their absence.
Exams
THree exams will be conducted during the semester. The schedule will be announced in class and content and format will be discussed prior to the exams. Make up exams will only be scheduled in emergency situations.
Assignment Guidelines
Release and Submission
- Reading Assignments: Reading assignments will be released on the course Canvas page at most one or two days before each lecture session. Students must study the referred material before each class session, and accomplish all of the requested participation and challenge activities. zyBook traces your activities and numerically reports how much you have progressed in reading the (sub)sections precisely by date/time. Those evaluations will be used as your grades for reading assignments, considering the due dates which are based on PST. Each lecture session accompanies a reading assignment, which must be done until that day. There will be no due date extensions on reading assignments. Reading assignments are considered as individual efforts.
- Labs: Labs will be released on the course Canvas page for each lecture session. The goal is to accomplish all class activities and submit in Canvas until end of lecture day. Late submissions will not be accepted. Lab assignments are considered to be group-based.
- Homework Assignments: Homework assignments will be released on the course Canvas page with a clearly indicated due date. Timely submissions are accepted until 11:59PM on the due date. Homework assignments are considered as individual efforts.
- Course Projects: Course projects will be released on the course Canvas page with a clearly indicated due date. Timely submissions are accepted until 11:59PM on the due date. These assignments are considered to be group-based.
- Operating System Day Assignment: This assignment involves introducing a new operating system during a full class session. Each group (3-4 students, formed during the first week of the semester) will prepare and deliver content covering the OS's features, architecture, design goals, live/conceptutal demonstration, etc. ensuring all members actively contribute to both preparation and delivery. Detailed requirements and grading criteria will be provided in advance. This assignment is considered group-based. Each OS day accompanies a required graded survey, gathering feedback on the quality of that OS day. This feedback survey is required and individual.
| Assignment Type | Score (%) | Group Sizes | Due Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 10% | Individual | Before each session (through zyBook) |
| Labs | 20% | Up to 2 | 11:59 PM same day (unless extended) |
| Projects | 20% | Up to 2 | 11:59 PM on due date |
| Homework | 20% | Individual | 11:59 PM on due date |
| OS Day | 10% | 3-4 | Presentation day |
| Exams | 15% | Individual | Scheduled date |
| Attendance | 5% | Individual | Each session |
Solutions: Solutions to homework assignments and labs will be submitted via Canvas.
Late policy: Course project and homework deliverables accepted up to 3 days late at −5% per day penalty.
All work is individual unless otherwise specified, and subject to the Academic Honesty Policy.
Academic Honesty
The Honor Code calls upon each student to exhibit maturity, responsibility, and integrity. Students are expected to:
- Act honestly in all matters
- Encourage academic integrity
- Discourage cheating or dishonesty
- Inform the instructor/administration with good‑faith evidence of violations
Violations are referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and may result in penalties up to failure/suspension/dismissal. See Tiger Lore and online policy.
Course‑specific policy:
- Collaboration on planning/strategy/debugging is encouraged.
- Do not submit someone else's work.
Marginal cases may be resolved via oral examination to assess individual understanding.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
If you require accommodations, visit pacific.edu/disabilities to contact SSD and request services.
- New students: apply via New Students Apply Here.
- Returning students: request letters each semester via Returning Students Login Here.
SSD: McCaffrey Center (2nd Floor) • 209‑946‑3221 • ssd@pacific.edu • website
Nondiscrimination Policy
The University of the Pacific does not discriminate in the administration of its programs/activities based on race, color, national and ethnic origin, handicap, sexual orientation or preference, sex, or age.
The instructor reserves the right to change these policies and guidelines at any time, and students agree to abide by the most recent version of this syllabus.