CSC321 Syllabus

  1. Course number and name

    CSC321 – Database Management Systems

  2. Credits and contact hours

    3 Credit Hours

  3. Instructor’s or course coordinator’s name

    Instructor: Dr. Zhen Jiang, Associate Professor of Computer Science

  4. Text book, title, author, and year

    G. Shelly, T. Cashman, P. Pratt, M. Last, "Access 2007 Comprehensive Concepts and Techniques", Course Technology, 2007, ISBN 1418843415.

    Other Supplemental Materials

    Ramez Elmasri, Fundamentals of Database Systems, Fourth Edition, Addison Wesley, 2003

  5. Specific course information

    1. brief description of the content of the course (catalog description)

      Characteristics of generalized database management systems. Surveys of different database models that are currently used. The design and implementation of a database system.

    2. prerequisites or co-requisites

      Prerequisite: CSC241 Data Structures.

    3. indicate whether a required, elective, or selected elective course in the program

      Elective course.

  6. Specific goals for the course

    1. specific outcomes of instruction

      • Students will be able to understand what a database management system is and what different models are available.
      • Students will be able to understand the theoretical and practical aspects of relational databases.
      • Students will be able to understand the basics of SQL.
      • Students will be able to understand the concept of normalization as it relates to database tables.
      • Students will be able to understand various issues regarding large databases and multi-user environments.
      • Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to design a database.
      • Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to create a database application.

    2. explicitly indicate which of the student outcomes listed in Criterion 3 or any other outcomes are addressed by the course.

      Course addresses Student Outcomes (a), (b), (c), and (i).

  7. Brief list of topics to be covered
    • Access
    • SQL and nested SQL
    • Normalization
    • UML design
    • Portal design and implementation (JDBC-SQL, MySQL)