Advanced Operating Systems in 2001?

However, I am making special arrangements for high-performing students interested in doing a thesis with me in 2002. The arrangements are as follows:

• Some students will be given the opportunity to do Advanced OS in two parts: the project in S2/2001, and the theory (lectures) and exam in S2/2002.
• The project to be done in 2001 is essentially the same as in 2000. Students will work in pairs on the project.
• A great deal of independence will be expected from students. I will designate some research students to be available for consultation, but they will be clearly told not to spend too much time on it.
• There will be weekly milestones to demonstrate, as in 2000. Also, the final submission deadline will be before the end of S2/2001, and will be hard.
• The project will be assessed by me (upon my return from SSP). I will tell students their project mark as soon as it is assessed, but the mark is only unofficial at that time.
• Students can then officially enrol in COMP9242 in S2/2002. As they will not be doing a project at that time, the actual load of COMP9242 will be much less than a normal (6UoC) course, so doing Thesis part B and one other course at the same time shouldn't be a problem. Their assessment will be as for others taking the course, except that they will already have their project mark from the previous year.
• No-one who has submitted a COMP9242 project in 2001 will be allowed to submit another project in 2002.

Obviously, the level of independence required from students choosing this approach will be very high, and therefore, everyone requires my specific permission to do it. I do not expect to allow more than about 6 students do the project in 2001. I will only consider giving permission to students who satisfy the following conditions:

• they will complete their undergraduate program not earlier than S2/2002,
• they will not take on more than 18UoC (three normal courses) of official load in S2/2001 (besides the COMP9242 project, which doesn't count as official load),
• they have obtained a mark of at least 80 in COMP3231,
• they are seriously interested in doing their thesis in operating systems.

Gernot