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COMP3161

Course Title: 
Database Management Systems
Credits: 
3
Educational Level: 
III
Semester offered: 
II
Associated Programme: 
B.Sc. CS; B.Sc. IT
Core Course: 
yes
Course Aims: 

This course aims to introduce students to the principles behind Database Management Systems. Students will gain practical experience in designing a database driven application using current Database design techniques, as well as implementing, manipulating and maintaining, this application using current Database Management System Technology. In addition to this practical exposure, students should be able to discuss current trends in Database technology.

Syllabus: 
  1. Information Management Concepts: Basic information storage and retrieval concepts; Information capture and representation.
  2. Database Systems: Components of database systems; Database architecture and data independence; Use of a declarative query language (SQL).
  3. Data Modelling: Relational data models; Object-oriented models; Semi-structured data models.
  4. Relational Databases: Relational algebra; Relational database design; Functional dependency; Decomposition of a schema; Normal forms; Multi-valued dependency.
  5. Query Languages: Overview of database languages; SQL (data definition, query formulation, update, constraints, and integrity); Select-project-join; Subqueries; Querying XML; Stored procedures.
  6. Views and Indexes: Basic structure of an index; Creating indexes with SQL; Materialized Views.
  7. Transaction Processing: Transactions; Failure and recovery; Concurrency control.
  8. Distributed Databases: MapReduce processing model; NoSQL systems.
  9. Advanced Topics: Security and user authorization; Recursion; On-line analytical processing (OLAP); Query optimisation.
Course Assessment: 

  • Final Written Examination (2 hours) 50%

  • Coursework:      50%

    • 8 Quizzes (equally weighted)            5%

    • 1 In-course Test (1 hour)                10%
    • 4 Assignments (equally weighted)   10%
    • 1 Programming Project                    10%
    • 4 Assessed Laboratories (equally weighted)    15% 

Students will be required to pass both the coursework and the final examination to pass the course.

Course Prerequisites: 

COMP1126 - Introduction to Computing I, COMP1127 - Introduction to Computing I, COMP1210 - Mathematics for Computing AND COMP1161- Object-Oriented Programming.

 

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