Spring 2010

Database Concepts - 13751 – CS 450 - 001

Prerequisite:  C or better in CS 310 and CS 330.

Instructor:  Prof. Harry Wechsler http://cs.gmu.edu/~wechsler/

Day, Time, and  Venue: TR, 10:30 am - 11:45 am, Art and Design Building 2026

[first day of classes, Tuesday, January 19]

[no classes on March 9 and 11, Spring Break]

[last  day of classes, Thursday, April 29]

http://registrar.gmu.edu/calendars/2010Spring.html

Office Hours: Tuesday, 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm (ENGR - 4448)

Textbook (required):  Elmasri and Navathe,   Fundamentals of Database Systems, 5th Edition, Pearson / Addison Wesley, 2007

Textbook (recommended):  Sunderraman, Oracle10g Programming, Pearson / Addison Wesley, 2008

This upper-level undergraduate course is an introductory course in the area of databases, with a focus on database models and languages. Topics to be covered include: database design with the Entity-Relationship (ER) and Enhanced-Entity-Relationship (EER) models, the relational data model and its algebra, SQL and database programming, the theory of relational database design; security,  privacy, and ethics. Additional topics, e.g., data warehousing, data mining, and active database concepts, will be covered as time permits.

 

Course Outcomes

1.                Knowledge of fundamental concepts of file  and database management.

2.                Knowledge of database design principles, and ability to model real-world environments using the ER model.

3.                Knowledge of the formal principles of the relational database model and its query languages, and ability to design relational databases and express queries in the relational algebra and calculus.

4.                Knowledge of the Structured Query Language (SQL) and database programming principles, and ability to author SQL queries and implement Java database applications using the Oracle database system.

5.                Knowledge of the basic principles of the mathematical theory of database design, and ability to design databases that adhere to Boyce - Codd Normal Form.

6.       Experience in the complete database creative process: from database design, to database construction, to database programming.

Grading:

·        Homework Assignments 20 %

·        Mid Term March 18 20 %

·        Term TEAM Project 20 %

·        Final  http://registrar.gmu.edu/calendars/2010SpringExam.html

              Thursday, May 6    40 %

Honor Code

You are expected to abide by the GMU honor code. Homework assignments and exams are individual efforts. Information on the university honor code can be found at http://academicintegrity.gmu.edu/honorcode/.

Additional departmental CS information: http://cs.gmu.edu/wiki/pmwiki.php/HonorCode/CSHonorCodePolicies