Toy CPU: An innovative curriculum design

University education is vitally important to all students. However, the traditional university education has some defectives, especially in education of science and engineering. For example, the teachers´ indoctrinating lecture model and students´ passive study lead to students´ lack of self-learning and innovation ability, which will do harm to students´ understanding of abstruse knowledge. In this paper, we discuss characteristics and advantages of an innovative curriculum design pattern based on introducing a simple CPU model design process according to the course of Computer Organization, hoping to promote the reform of university education to a certain extent. The education reform can bring a positive effect on improving teaching quality, enhancing students´ learning interests and training students´ research ability.