Fall 2026

Advanced Computer Architecture I

Advanced Computer Architecture I covers processor design, pipelining, cache memories, and instruction set design.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Fall 2026 Joshua San Miguel3.7/5

Summary

1 / 6

Reviewers describe the class as having a heavy workload with significant reading and difficult exams, though one notes the instructor curves grades to historical averages.

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Graduate/professional standing

  • Graduate/professional standing
COMPSCI/ECE 752

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Graduate/professional standing

Professors

Fall 2026
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.73/5 from 15 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

No course-specific feedback yet.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Matthew Sinclair provides clear lectures and is accessible, with a heavy workload and tough grading that curves to historical averages. However, one historical review criticizes his depth and reliance on external sources, while others praise his sincerity and student care.

DAVID A. WOOD is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2008, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MATT SINCLAIR is recorded teaching in Fall 2018, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2024, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Fall 2026

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction7 / 500
LEC 001Classroom Instruction37 / 500

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Historical reviews for Matthew Sinclair present a polarized experience, with students praising his accessibility and effort while others criticize his lecture quality and course design.

Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 3.50 GPA, 77.4% A/AB (n=31 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.36 GPA, 63.6% A/AB (n=11 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.58 GPA, 81.6% A/AB (n=38 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Reviewers describe the class as having a heavy workload with significant reading and difficult exams, though one notes the instructor curves grades to historical averages.

Historical reviews of Matthew Sinclair: Students report that Matthew Sinclair is extremely accessible and cares about student understanding, providing good feedback and support outside of class.

Topics

  • Processor design and computer arithmetic
  • Pipelining and control units
  • Memory hierarchies and I/O structures

Skills

  • Design and analysis of advanced processor components, including pipelining, vector processing, and cache memories.

Grades

Latest available · Fall 2025— not enough history to project Fall 2026.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Fall 2025

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Fall 2025 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1320 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

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Selected offering source records
COMPSCI/ECE 752 · Fall 2026

Advanced Computer Architecture I

Recorded 2026-09-07
COMPSCI/ECE 752 · Fall 2026

Advanced Computer Architecture I

Recorded 2026-09-07
Raw records 
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    "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 752",
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    "term_id": "1272",
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    "source_subject_id": "266",
    "title": "Advanced Computer Architecture I",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Occasionally"
  },
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    "offering_id": "1272:320:006497",
    "course_id": "COMPSCI/ECE 752",
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    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "006497",
    "source_subject_id": "320",
    "title": "Advanced Computer Architecture I",
    "credits_min": 3,
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    "typically_offered": "Occasionally"
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]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-09-07

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "ec979a3e226010eb67454a3e061fa18837a2666762b2b6040bf4fa36da1f1d33",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}