George Mason University

Department of Computer Science

CS 550: Database Systems

Fall 2017

Professor Jessica Lin

News & Announcements

8/31: Welcome to class! 9/9: HW1 posted. Due date 9/21 at 4:30pm. 9/21: Project posted. Phase 1 due on 10/5 at 4:30pm. 10/5: Corrections made on Relational Algebra 1 & 2 slides. 10/6: Revised Relational Algebra 2 slides (correction made on slide 15 and added more slides to reflect the lecture). 10/6: HW3 Part1 posted. Due date 10/19 at 4:30pm. Part 2 will be released next week after the lecture. 10/21: HW4 posted. Due date 10/28 at 11:59pm. 10/23: HW4 Testbed is here. 11/18: HW5 posted. Due date 11/30 at 4:30pm. 11/18: Project Phase 3 and report due 12/10 at 11:59pm. 12/1: HW6 posted. It will not be graded but we will go over the problems next week. 12/9: Project phase 3 deadline postponed to 12/11 at 11:59pm.

Course Description

An introduction to database management with focus on architecting databases and using them in applications. Topics to be covered include: data modeling with the Entity-Relationship model; the relational model and its formal languages; SQL and application programming and protocols; the theory of database design; object databases; and XML and Web data.

Class Time and Location

Thursday, 4:30-7:10 pm
Innovation Hall 204

Instructor

Dr. Jessica Lin
Office: Engineering Building 4419
Phone: 703-993-4693
Email: myfirstname [AT] gmu [DOT] edu
Office Hours: Thursday 2-4pm

GTA

Hamed Sarvari
Office: TBA
Email: hsarvari [AT] gmu [DOT] edu
Office Hours: Tuesday 4-6pm

Prerequisites

1. CS 310 (Data Structures) AND CS 330 (Formal Methods and Models), or
2. INFS 501 (Discrete Mathematics), 515 (Computer Architectures/Organization), 519 (Program Design / Data Structures), AND SWE 510 (Object-oriented Programming in Java)

Prerequisites are strictly enforced!

Grading

Assignments: 20%
Project: 15%
Midterm: 30%
Final: 35%

Homework

There will be seven assignments. However, two of them will not be graded (they are assigned to familiarize you with Oracle and to help you study). Solutions will be posted on Blackboard including the ungraded assignments.

Exams

There will be one midterm exam and one final exam covering lectures and readings. All exams are in class, closed-book. The final exam is comprehensive. Exams must be taken at the scheduled time and place, unless prior arrangement has been made with the instructor. Missed exams cannot be made up.

Textbooks

1. (Required) Database Systems - An Application-Oriented Approach, Complete Version, 2nd Edition
   Kifer, Bernstein, and Lewis
   Addison-Wesley/Pearson, 2005
   ISBN-10: 0321268458
   ISBN-13: 9780321268457
2. (Recommended) Oracle 10g Programming: A Primer
   Sunderraman
   Addison-Wesley, 2008
   ISBN-10: 0321463048
   ISBN-13: 978-0321463043

Honor Code Statement

The GMU Honor Code is in effect at all times. In addition, the CS Department has further honor code policies regarding programming projects, which are detailed here. Any deviation from the GMU or the CS department Honor Code is considered an Honor Code violation. All assignments for this class are individual unless otherwise specified.

Learning Disability Accommodation

If you have a documented learning disability or other condition which may affect academic performance, make sure this documentation is on file with the Office of Disability Services and then discuss with the professor about accommodations.

Tentative Schedule