Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The course is an introduction to principles and practice of the design of distributed systems. The course covers fundamental models for distributed systems, distributed middleware with the focus on object-based middleware and component-based architectures, distributed algorithms for consensus and other underlying problems, and modern-day challenges of distributed processing technology such as cloud, multimedia and IoT. The course includes mandatory programming exercises.

Learning outcome

After having completed the course you will:

  • understand the basic principles and concepts of distributed systems
  • understand the workings of the most important types of distributed systems
  • be able to program with selected software platforms for distributed processing
  • have knowledge about and be able to apply important distributed algorithms
  • acquire deeper knowledge about advanced communication paradigms
  • have knowledge about standards for distributed processing
  • have knowledge about key requirements and challenges for the construction of modern distributed systems

Admission to the course

PhD candidates from the University of Oslo should apply for classes and register for examinations through Studentweb.

If a course has limited intake capacity, priority will be given to PhD candidates who follow an individual education plan where this particular course is included. Some national researchers’ schools may have specific rules for ranking applicants for courses with limited intake capacity.

PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must apply for a position as a visiting student within a given deadline.

Overlapping courses

Teaching

2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of group meetings per week. There exist mandatory programming assignments in the course. All mandatory assignments must be approved prior to the exam.

Examination

Written or oral exam. The form of the exam will be announced at the beginning of the semester and will depend on the number of admitted students.

Mandatory assignments must be approved prior to the exam.

It will also be counted as one of your three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: IN5020 – Distributed Systems, INF5040 – Open distributed processing (continued), INF9040 – Open distributed processing (continued)

Examination support material

No examination support material is allowed.

Language of examination

You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a pass/fail scale. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester. Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Nov. 5, 2026 7:25:42 PM

Facts about this course

Level
PhD
Credits
10
Teaching
Autumn
Examination
Autumn
Teaching language
Norwegian (English on request)

Contact

Department of Informatics