Fundamentals of Computer Engineering
Professor: Moisés M. Martínez | Year 2025/2026
Subject Overview
This subject lays the foundation for the entire degree, offering a journey from the theoretical origins of computing to practical software creation. We start by understanding the "machine" (Hardware, OS, Networks) and representing "reality" (Data & Info).
However, the core of the course is practical application. We transition from passive learners to active engineers adopting professional workflows using the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), managing our code with Git & GitHub, and configuring environments with VS Code.
Complete Syllabus Breakdown
| Module | Unit | Key Concepts |
|---|---|---|
| Mod 1: Context | Unit 1-2 | History (Turing, Von Neumann), Engineering vs Science, Ethics. |
| Mod 2: Core | Unit 4-5 | Hardware (CPU, Memory), Software (System vs App, Licensing). |
| Mod 2: Core | Unit 6-8 | OS (Kernel, File Systems), Networks (OSI, TCP/IP), Trends (AI, IoT). |
| Mod 3: Data | Unit 9-10 | Binary System, IEEE-754, Encoding (Unicode), Big Data Ethics. |
| Mod 4: Dev | Unit 1: Intro | Software Lifecycle (SDLC), Source Code, Repositories. |
| Mod 4: Dev | Unit 2: Tools | IDEs (Visual Studio Code), Version Control (Git), GitHub. |
| Mod 5: Web | Unit 3: Intro | Client-Server Architecture, WWW, HTTP Requests. |
| Mod 5: Web | Unit 4: HTML | DOM Structure, Tags, Semantic Web (HTML5). |
| Mod 5: Web | Unit 5: CSS | Styling, Box Model, Flexbox, Responsive Design. |
Practical Assignments
The course evaluation relies heavily on two major projects designed to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios:
| Assignment | Topic & Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Work I Research |
Ethical Hacking: A Business Perspective for SMEs. A group research project analyzing prevention tools (Firewalls, SIEM), the "Red vs Blue Team" strategy, and the ethical implications of cybersecurity in business environments. | Read Summary → |
| Practical Work II Development |
Personal Academic Website. Development of this portfolio using Semantic HTML5, CSS3, and Version Control (Git/GitHub), following strict clean code guidelines and responsive design principles. | View Home → |
Competencies & Skills
Engineering Foundation: Deep understanding of Hardware/Software interaction.
Dev Tools Mastery: Professional usage of VS Code, Git, and Terminal.
Web Development: Creating structured (HTML) and styled (CSS) websites.
Data Literacy: Understanding binary representation and Big Data impact.