IST365:  Database Systems
Course Syllabus
Fall 2003, MWF 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM, Prichard Hall 200

Instructor

:  Brian M. Morgan

Office

:  Prichard Hall 212

Phone Number 

:  (304) 696-6469

Fax Number

:  (304) 696-6533

Office Hours

:  MWF: 10:00 – 11:00

   MW: 2:15 – 3:00
   TR: 8:00 – 9:30

   TR: 2:00 – 3:00

   Other times by appointment ONLY

E-Mail

:  brian.morgan@marshall.edu

Textbooks:  
The following textbook is RECOMMENDED for the course:

Database Systems Design, Implementation and Management (5th ed.), by Rob and Coronel; Thomson Learning; ISBN:  0-619-06269-X, 2002.

Computer Requirements:
Supplemental materials can be found contained within the WebCT environment (http://webct.marshall.edu/).  I will be sending class announcements, updates, etc. using your WebCT account (will cover during the first lecture for those who have never used it).  Access to a WWW browser is required (Netscape 4.5 or higher or Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher) and Adobe Acrobat Reader (available for download through the course’s WebCT site). 

Course Description:
Covers the logical and physical structures of data stored and retrieved from a relational database. Exposure to distributed databases, database administration and structured query language will also be done.

Credit:
The course is three (3) credit hours. It includes classroom lectures, quizzes, exams, and homework assignments and projects. Students will participate in projects that illustrate the implementation of concepts in general applications. 

Pre/co-requisites:
N/A

Desired Objectives/Outcomes:
By the end of this course, you should be able to:

-          Identify problems for which database solutions are suitable

-          Construct conceptual and logical data models based upon a set of information requirements

-          Translate data model specifications for a relational database

-          Discuss and show and understanding of the fundamentals of SQL

-          Discuss the significance of database security and integrity

-          Implement a database application using mySQL

Instruction method:
There will be 3 contact hours of classroom lecture per week. Projects covering the major topics are part of the course.  Students may work on their assignments in University computing facilities or from home with an Internet connection.   

Evaluation method:
Evaluation of student's performance will be based on the quality of your performance on projects, quizzes, and exams.  

Grading Policy:

2 in-class Exams

30%

Final Exam

20%

Semester Project

40%

Attendance & Participation & previous Homework assignments 

5%

Midterm Exam

5%

 

Assessment of Projects:

The grading of all homework and projects will take into account the following:

1.      Although the most important attribute of an assignment is correctness, grading will take into consideration efficiency, documentation, etc. 

2.      Although interactions with other students are encouraged, you must compose your own answers, unless otherwise noted. 

 

Individuals who utilize other people’s thoughts or ideas must provide appropriate references to said resources.  Failure to provide such documentation will result in a failing grade for the assignment, and may result in a failing grade for the course.

 

In determining the overall grade for a project, you can expect the following grades based on performance:

A – Excellent work that meets and/or exceeds all of the requirements for the project, the project is well-documented and completed efficiently.

B – Good work that meets all of the requirements of the project, but may have errors in documentation or contains errors in logic.

C – Average work that meets all of the requirements of the assignment, but is missing one or more of the items in its entirety that is mentioned in terms of an A grade.

D – Below average work which fails to meet one or more of the requirements of the assignment.

F – Unacceptable work which fails to meet two or more requirements for the project.

Final letter grades are determined based on the following grading scale, or on the basis of an acceptable contract made between the individual student and the instructor on the first day of class: 

90-100% 

A

80-89%

B

70-79%

C

60-69%

D

Below 60

F

 

The instructor reserves the right to change these values depending on the overall class performance and/or extenuating circumstances.  

 

Policy Statement:
Assignments and Project:  The course includes a semester-based project. All assignments are due BY THE BEGINNING OF CLASS on their due date and must be submitted through the WebCT Dropbox. NO LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.  

Exams: There are THREE exams: The first will come today (your first day of class), the second a few weeks down the road, and a comprehensive Final exam (as scheduled). Exact dates and times of exams will be announced in class. 

Make-up Exams and Late Penalty:  Make‑up exams will not be given except under unusual circumstances and satisfactory written justification.  Any student who misses an exam due to an unexcused absence will receive a grade of zero for that exam with no opportunity for make-up or substitution.  University excused absences or those occurring with a good reason (and that reason must be given prior to missing the exam – call and leave a message if you have to) will be excused.  Make up exams must be taken within one week of the original scheduled date.  The decision whether to give a make up exam rests with the instructor.

Attendance Statement:
Because we only have a short time remaining, I am making attendance a part of your grade and asking that you attend each and every class session. If you miss class, it is your responsibility to catch up on material missed, and will not be the responsibility of the instructor to catch you up on material missed during my office hours.

Withdrawal Policy:
The University withdrawal policy is followed in this course. The last day to drop an individual course for the Fall of 2003 is October 31, 2003.  

University Holidays:
The class is officially dismissed on the following dates:
            Thanksgiving   November 26, 2002
                                    November 28, 2002

Topics and Methodology:
The following outline delineates the tentative class schedule with topics to be addressed during the remainder of the course.  Please note this is a tentative schedule and it may change upon class progress:

October 20

Cover Terminology and the Relational Database Model

Receive Take Home Exam

October 22

ERD Modeling

October 24

ERD Modeling

Project Deliverable 1 Due

Take Home Exam Due

October 27

ERD Modeling

October 29

ERD Modeling/Normalization

October 31

Normalization

November 3

Normalization

November 5

SQL

November 7

SQL

November 10

SQL

November 12

SQL

November 14

Database Design

November 17

Database Design

Project Deliverable 2 Due

November 19

Exam 2

November 21

Database Design Project – In Class

November 24

Database Design Project – In Class

December 1

Transaction Management and Concurrency

December 3

Transaction Management and Concurrency

Project Deliverable 3 Due

December 5

Review of course material and review for final exam

December 12

Final Exam

8:00 am – 10:00 am

For each topic discussed in the textbook, specific experience of other students and the instructor will be discussed to enhance the characteristics involved.  Hands-on projects for the course will be based on creating databases for either real-world or fictitious needs.  Additional material may also be covered in the class.

Every student is responsible for all materials presented in class, including lectures, notes, and handouts.  In case you are not present for a class, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor and receive information about the material presented in that class.  Class attendance is very important.  

Effort Required:
As a 300-level course, a considerable amount of work and research effort is required of the student.  For every one hour in class, the student is expected to put in an effort of at least 3 hours outside the class for studying and completing assignments and projects.  Upon background and preparedness, some students may have to put in additional effort.

Communication:
The Bulletin Board facility of WebCT and private E-mail will be used to make any general announcements, last minute changes, etc.  It is mandatory that you monitor your WebCT course messages at least once a day.