COSC264-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Introduction to Computer Networks and the Internet

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

This course covers principles of theory and practice of computer networks and the Internet, and it studies important Internet technologies and protocols, including: Ethernet / Local Area Networks, TCP/IP, Routing, and HTTP.

The topics covered include:
• Fundamental design principles of data networks and the Internet
• Selected data transmission and local area network technologies
• Internet architecture and protocols
• Routing protocols and algorithms
• Transport layer protocols: UDP and TCP
• Networked applications, socket programming, web-based systems

Students will be required to work in the Python programming language.

Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss fundamental design principles of data networks [WA1]
2. Discuss selected data transmission and local area network technologies [WA1]
3. Apply the Internet architecture and protocols, including routing and transport protocols [WA1, WA2, WA3]
4. Analyse the fundamentals of web-based applications and web / socket programming [WA1]
5. Design, implement and test simple networked applications using sockets [WA1, WA2, WA3, WA5]

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

Employable, innovative and enterprising

Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

Prerequisites

(1) COSC121 or COSC131; (2) COSC122; (3) EMTH119 or (MATH102 and MATH120) or (MATH102 and STAT101)

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 09:00 - 10:00 C3 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 11:00 - 12:00 E8 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Thursday 11:00 - 12:00 E8 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Computer Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 10:00 - 12:00 Jack Erskine 136 Lab 4
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
02 Monday 14:00 - 16:00 Jack Erskine 131 Lab 1
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
03 Tuesday 15:00 - 17:00 Jack Erskine 136 Lab 4
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
04 Tuesday 13:00 - 15:00 Jack Erskine 136 Lab 4
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
05 Wednesday 14:00 - 16:00 Jack Erskine 136 Lab 4
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct

Course Coordinator

Andreas Willig

Lecturers

Barry Wu and Mengmeng Ge

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Lab Quizzes 16% 11 Lab quizzes each worth 1.45%
Term One Super Quiz 7%
Mid-term Test 30%
Term One Assignment 10%
Term Two Super Quiz 7%
Final Exam 30%


Due dates for these assessment items are available on the LEARN page of the course.

In the case of an emergency that affects the whole course, the course coordinator may change the nature, weighting and timing of assessments. Please refer to the course page on AKO | Learn for all information about your course, including lectures, labs, tutorials and assessments.

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

• Robert G. Gallager. Principles of Digital Communication. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2008.  (focuses on physical layer only, requires some mathematical maturity).
• William Stallings. Data and Computer Communications. Pearson, tenth edition, 2013.
• Andrew S. Tanenbaum and David J. Wetherall. Computer Networks. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, fifth edition, 2010.

The COSC264 lecture notes and all additional material will be available via Learn.

Additional Course Outline Information

Grade moderation

The Computer Science department's grading policy states that in order to pass a course you must meet two requirements:
1. You must achieve an average grade of at least 50% over all assessment items.
2. You must achieve an average mark of at least 45% on invigilated assessment items.

If you satisfy both these criteria, your grade will be determined by the following University-wide scale for converting marks to grades: an average mark of 50% is sufficient for a C- grade, an average mark of 55% earns a C grade, 60% earns a C+ grade and so forth. However if you do not satisfy both the passing criteria you will be given either a D or E grade depending on marks. Marks are sometimes scaled to achieve consistency between courses from year to year.

Students may apply for special consideration if their performance in an assessment is affected by extenuating circumstances beyond their control.

Applications for special consideration should be submitted via the Examinations Office website within five days of the assessment.

Where an extension may be granted for an assessment, this will be decided by direct application to the Department and an application to the Examinations Office may not be required.

Special consideration is not available for items worth less than 10% of the course.

Students prevented by extenuating circumstances from completing the course after the final date for withdrawing, may apply for special consideration for late discontinuation of the course. Applications must be submitted to the Examinations Office within five days of the end of the main examination period for the semester.

Special Consideration Applications for the Final Exam

Please click HERE for the CSSE Department's policy for the academic remedy of applications for a special consideration for final exams.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $998.00

International fee $5,188.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Computer Science and Software Engineering .

All COSC264 Occurrences

  • COSC264-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025