CSCI 4333
Design of Database Systems
Fall 2020
General Information and Policies

by K. Yue

1. General Information

CSCI 4333.1 Class number: 21736 MW 1:00-2:20 Online Synchronous
CSCI 4333.2 Class number: 21738 MW 4:00-5:20 Online Synchronous

1.1 Instructor

Dr. Kwok-Bun Yue, Professor of Computer Science and Computer Information Systems
Delta 163, 281-283-3864, yue at uhcl.edu; URL: http://dcm.uhcl.edu/yue/
Office hour:MW 2:20-4:00pm, 5:20-6:00pm; R 2:20-3:40pm, via Blackboard Collaborate

1.2 Teaching Assistant

Mardani, Sahar

All homework should be submitted through UHCL's blackboard.

For regular correspondence with the TA, send it to Mardanis5877 at UHCL dot 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.

Office hours via Zoom:

Monday: 5:00 pm - 8:00pm
Tuesday: 4:00pm - 8:00 pm
Friday: 8:00am -  3:00pm

1.3 Applied Critical Thinking (ACT)

This is UHCL ACT endorsed course. For details, see ACT.html

1.4 Laboratory Administrations

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

1.5 Other Useful Information

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

1.6 Textbooks (Recommended)

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

1.7 Course Description

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.

1.8 Student Learning Outcomes (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 concept of entity-relationship model, and relational model.
3. Explain the theoretical background of relational database: relational algebra and relational calculus.
4. Implement relational database systems using DBMS, SQL, including both data description and manipulation languages.
5. Explain the importance of normalization of databases, and convert a given relational database into different normal forms.

SLO #1, #2 and #4 are selected and restated using the vocabularies of Applied Critical Thinking (ACT SLO):

1. Describe the stages of database design, various database architectures and data models. Clearly elaborate these fundamental relational database concepts.
2. Explain the concept of entity-relationship (ER) model, and relational model. Apply ER modeling concepts to precisely capture problem requirements.
3. Implement relational database systems using DBMS, SQL, including both data description and manipulation languages. Construct accurate SQL solutions to queries.

Note: The italicized portion of the SLOs are related to critical thinking. These ACT SLOs will be assessed. Please see act.html for more details.

1.9 Prerequisites

The following courses or their equivalent are required:

• CSCI 3333 Data Structures

Languages: The course uses SQL and Python. No prior SQL language knowledge is assumed. Students are expected to know Python, or Java/C#.

1.10 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:

• Expected a higher grade
• Good course participation
• Good improvement during the semester; better final grades than mid-term grades
• Have put in extra efforts
• Need to avoid probation
• Financial needs
• Loss of scholarship
• Loss of job opportunity
• Loss of practical training opportunity
• Avoid probation; avoid suspension
• Need to graduate
• Company relocation
• Immigration status needs
• Family needs
• Sickness during the semester
• and many other.

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 (Parts A and B): 35%
Final Exam: 35%

Last Day to Drop/Withdraw: November 9, 2020 (Monday)

Grade Assignment Table