Overview
Relational databases are pervasive in information technology; designing and building these databases is a challenging yet rewarding occupation. This unit will introduce you to data modelling, relational database theory, and normalisation. These are essential skills for the design and implementation of relational databases. The problems associated with poorly designed and implemented databases are demonstrated. The important database language Structured Query Language (SQL) is taught in sufficient depth to allow you to appreciate its potential and limitations. In this unit, you will design and implement a small database application. The unit aims to give you a solid theoretical foundation while also providing you with an opportunity to apply the theory.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Anti-Requisite: COIT12167 Database Use and Design
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from UC's observation from invigilated exam answers
Students struggle to answer SQL questions in the final examination.
Emphasise the hands-on SQL query writing and problem-solving in tutorials, supported by guided instructions (either manual or using support tools such as CodeRunner) to solve exercises that are aligned with final examination requirements.
- Differentiate database applications, systems, and their role in supporting business processes
- Develop Structured Query Language statements
- Design and develop relational database models
- Implement database designs using a relational Database Management System (DBMS)
- Identify database issues related to ethical data management, concurrency, security and backup and recovery in a multi-user database environment.
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is adopted by organisations, governments and individuals in many countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles. ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile at https://www.acs.org.au/professionalrecognition/mysfia-b2c.html
This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA 8 (the SFIA code is included):
- Database Design (DBDS)
- Programming/Software Development (PROG)
- Database administration (DBAD)
- Data management (DATM)
- Security administration (SCAD)
- Data modelling and design (DTAN).
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 30% | |||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Textbooks
DATABASE CONCEPTS
Edition: 9th edn (2019)
Authors: David M. Kroenke, David J. Auer, Scott L. Vandenberg, Robert C. Yoder
Pearson Higher Education
Hoboken Hoboken , New Jersey , USA
ISBN: 9780135188149
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- MySQL Community Server 8
- MySQL Workbench 8
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
w.li@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Databases
Chapter
Chapter 1 Getting Started
https://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql-getting-started/en/
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Structured Query Language (SQL) Part 1
Chapter
Chapter 3 Structured Query Language
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Structured Query Language (SQL) Part 2
Chapter
Chapter 3 Structured Query Language
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Entity-Relationship Diagram Part 1
Chapter
Chapter 4 Data Modeling and the Entity-Relationship Model
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Entity-Relationship Diagram Part 2
Chapter
Chapter 4 Data Modeling and the Entity-Relationship Model
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Relational Model and Normalization
Chapter
Chapter 2 The Relational Model
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Database Design
Chapter
Chapter 5 Database Design
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Database Administration Part 1
Chapter
Chapter 6 Database Administration
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Database Administration Part 2
Chapter
Chapter 6 Database Administration
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Big Data, Data Warehouses, and Business Intelligence Systems
Chapter
Chapter 8 Data Warehouses, Business Intelligence Systems, and Big Data
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cloud Databases
Chapter
Chapter 7 Database Processing Applications
Chapter 8 Data Warehouses, Business Intelligence Systems, and Big Data
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete the unit and teaching evaluation.
Module/Topic
Exam Preparation
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete the unit and teaching evaluation.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
This is an undergraduate unit in the BIT course, covering the theory and practice of database and SQL programming. Your commitment is very important for success in this unit. Please attend each lecture and tutorial to build your knowledge and skills for database.
The unit coordinator contact information for this term:
DR Wei Li
School of Engineering & Technology
Central Queensland University
Rockhampton QLD 4702, Australia
Phone: + 61 7 4930 9686
Email: w.li@cqu.edu.au
1 Written Assessment
In this assignment, you are required to understand a database schema and, based on that understanding, implement SQL queries to answer the given questions. You must rigorously test your queries before submission. The detailed assignment specification is provided on Moodle.
AI ASSESSMENT SCALE - AI PLANNING
You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 5 Friday (10 Apr 2026) 11:59 pm AEST
Assignment 1 Due Online via Moodle
Week 7 Friday (1 May 2026)
Feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of the due date
You will be assessed on your ability to develop SQL statements that meet the business requirements, including:
- Using appropriate clauses such as SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING and ORDER BY
- Selecting relevant tables and joining them appropriately
- Reducing query complexity
- Differentiate database applications, systems, and their role in supporting business processes
- Develop Structured Query Language statements
2 Written Assessment
In this assignment, you will design a database to satisfy the requirements of the given application scenario. You will develop a conceptual data model, draw an ER diagram, and perform logical design using MySQL Workbench. You will then implement the database, populate it with sample data, and rigorously test it to validate your implementation. The detailed assignment specification is provided on Moodle.
AI ASSESSMENT SCALE - AI PLANNING
You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 10 Friday (22 May 2026) 11:59 pm AEST
Assignment 2 Due Online via Moodle
Week 12 Friday (5 June 2026)
Feedback will be provided within 2 weeks of the due date
You will be assessed on your ability to design and implement a database that meets the business requirements, including:
- Create appropriate Entity Relationship model diagrams using proper symbols
- Develop Relations by mapping ERDs and normalizing them
- Create tables and make appropriate relationships among them
- Document the database design and implementation
- Design and develop relational database models
- Implement database designs using a relational Database Management System (DBMS)
- Identify database issues related to ethical data management, concurrency, security and backup and recovery in a multi-user database environment.
Examination
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
