CSCI 4333 Design of Database Systems
Fall 2025
General Information and Course Policies

1. General Information

25322 CSCI 4333.1 Design Of Database Systems MW 10:00-11:20 Delta 136
25323 CSCI 4333.2 Design Of Database Systems MW 4:00-5:20 Delta 242

This is a first course in database for both BS CS students and MS DS students.

1.1 Instructor

Dr. Kwok-Bun Yue, Professor of Computer Science and Computer Information Systems, Chair, Data Science
Delta 163, 281-283-3864, yue at uhcl.edu; URL: http://dcm.uhcl.edu/yue/

My regular office hour will be held on 8/18/2025 to 11/24/2025: MW 11:20AM to 11:50AM, 2:50PM to 3:50PM. They will be conducted in person (Delta 163) and upon request, via Zoom meeting: 616 099 762. You can schedule a meeting with me outside my office hours by sending an email to me: yue @ uhcl dot edu. You are encouraged to communicate your questions with me through email. I usually respond quick.

1.2 Teaching Assistant

1.2.1 CSCI 4333.1, CSCI 4333.2

Kaveripakam, Naga Vishnu 

For regular correspondence with the TA, send it to UHCL Email Id: kaveripakam@uhcl.edu. Set up the UHCL spam filter server for your UHCL account to accept this email address as an approved sender. Otherwise, your email may be quarantined by the spam filter server. If you want me to be aware of any particular communications with the TA, you may copy the email to me.

Tentative TA Office hours: TBA

The TA will be stationed in the Delta Lab during his office hours. You may also request Zoom for TA: TBD

1.3 Laboratory Administrations

You may address account and software problems of the DCM server to the systems administrator, Ms. Krishani Abeysekera. and her assistants. Always copy your email to me.

1.4 Other Useful Information

• UHCL emergency hot line (to check weather related closing, for example): 281-283-2221.

1.5 Textbooks (Recommended, Optional)

Ricardo., Katherine, & Urban, Susan (2015) Databases Illuminated, 3rd Edition, Jones & Bartlett, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

1.6 Course Description

CSCI 4333:

From Catalog: Prerequisite: CSCI 2315. Design of database systems, data description and manipulation languages, data models, entity-relationship model, relational model, SQL, relational algebra, normalization theory, DBMS, Internet, data base design, data flow diagrams and implementation of data base systems. Laboratory instruction.

1.7 Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

1.7.1 Related Program SLO (ABET):

Computer Science (CS):

• CS 6.2 Demonstrate knowledge in SQL form manipulation and the construction of a relational database.

Computer Information Systems (CIS):

• CIS 1.6 Design and develop DBMS applications that use DBMS theories.
• CIS 2.5 Demonstrate knowledge in SQL for the manipulation and construction of relational database tables

1.7.2 Course SLO:

After completing the course, the students are expected to be able to

1. Describe the stages of database design, various database architectures and data models.
2. Explain the concepts of the object-oriented data model, such as using UML, and the relational model.
3. Explain the theoretical background of relational database.
4. Implement relational database systems and applications using DBMS, SQL, embedded SQL, including both data definition and manipulation languages.
5. Explain the importance of normalization of databases, and convert a given relational database into different normal forms.

1.8 Prerequisites

The following courses or their equivalent are required:

• CSCI 4333: CSCI 2315 Data Structures
• DASC 5333: DASC 4301 Python Programming for Data Science, or equivalent

Languages: The course uses SQL, Python and (MongoDB Query Language (MQL) with Javascript, and/or Cypher (for Neo4j)). No prior SQL, MQL or Cypher language knowledge is assumed. Students are expected to know an object-oriented language, such as Python, Java, C# or C++. Proficiency in Python is important in data science in general, and this course in particular.

1.9 Course Format

Traditional lectures, homework and programming assignments.

2. Course Policies and Guidelines

Please see: http://dcm.uhcl.edu/yue/course_policy.html

3. Grading Policy

Grades will be assigned based solely on homework and examination scores. No other factors will be considered. In particular, students have requested me to reconsider their grades using the following reasons in the past:

1. Expected a higher grade
2. Good course participation
3. Good improvement during the semester; better final grades than mid-term grades
4. Have put in extra efforts
5. Need to avoid probation
6. Financial needs
7. Loss of scholarship
8. Loss of job opportunity
9. Loss of practical training opportunity
10. Avoid probation; avoid suspension
11. Need to graduate
12. Company relocation
13. Immigration status needs
14. Family needs
15. Sickness during the semester
16. and many others.

These requests had all been declined politely but firmly in the past.

There will also be no 'special project' that you can work on to improve your grades after the final examination. Anything I offer to one student will be offered to the entire class.

The total score is computed using the following percentages:

Homework: 30%
Mid-term Exam: 30%
Final Exam: 40%

Last Day to Drop/Withdraw: November 3, 2025 (Monday)

Grade Assignment Table