Overview
In this unit, you will learn how to model, design, and build relational databases and manipulate them using Structured Query Language (SQL) in a modern database management system (DBMS) such as MySQL Server. You will build a practical database that typically meets the requirement of a large-scale commercial-level DBMS. In this unit, you will also learn the features of the latest developments including data integrity, security, distributed system databases, data warehousing, and concurrency control in multi-user database systems.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Antirequisite: COIS20026
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 2 - 2024
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 Postgraduate 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 Unit Coordinator reflection
Students struggle with getting started with SQL and ERDs.
Add more self-driven practical Moodle activities to allow students to practice SQL queries and database design.
Feedback from Unit Coordinator reflection
Difficult to maintain academic integrity with the advances in GenAI.
Introduce invigilation to the final assessment.
Feedback from External Review
Good practices in database design and implementation are not always clearly shown.
Emphasise good practices to students and ensure examples follow those practices.
Feedback from External Review
Unclear breakdown of marks in assessments.
Revise the marking criteria to ensure expectations of students are clear.
- Explain the purpose of and technical foundations related to database technology
- Utilise the processes undertaken during the identification of functional dependencies and normalisation
- Design and develop a database application using a Relational Database Management System (DBMS)
- Identify issues related to data integrity, security, and concurrency control in a multi-user database environment
- Explain the fundamental concepts of distributed databases and data warehousing
- Evaluate and execute administration decisions for DBMS support and maintenance.
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.
This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA 7 (the SFIA code is included)
- Data Modelling and Design (DTAN)
- Systems Design (DESN)
- Database Design (DBDS)
- Testing (TEST)
- Release and Deployment (RELM)
- Applications Support (ASUP)
- Systems Integration (SINT)
- Database Administration (DBAD)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 35% | ||||||
| 3 - Online Test - 40% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
| 4 - Research | ||||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||
| 2 - Practical and Written Assessment - 35% | ||||||||
| 3 - Online Test - 40% | ||||||||
Textbooks
Modern Database Management
13th (GLOBAL Edition) (2019)
Authors: Hoffer J.,Venkataraman R. & Topi H.
Pearson
Harlow Harlow , Essex , England
ISBN: 9781292263359
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- MySQL Workbench 6.3 CE (https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/file/?id=474210)
- MySQL Community Server 8.0.29 from https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
m.li@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction of databases
Chapter
Textbook Chapter 1 & Week 1 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Entity-Relationship model - Basic
Chapter
Textbook Chapters 1, 2 & Week 2 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Entity-Relationship model - Enhanced
Chapter
Textbook Chapters 2, 3 & Week 3 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
The relational model and logical design
Chapter
Textbook Chapter 4 & Week 4 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Database design and normalization
Chapter
Textbook Chapter 4 & Week 5 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Create and use databases with MySQL
Chapter
Lecture Notes & Week 6 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Structured Query Language (1)
Chapter
Textbook Chapter 6 & Week 7 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Structured Query Language (2)
Chapter
Textbook Chapter 7 & Week 8 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Advanced SQL and transaction management
Chapter
Lecture Notes, Textbook Chapter 7 & Week 9 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Cloud-based databases
Chapter
Lecture Notes & Week 10 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Database administration
Chapter
Textbook Chapter 12 & Week 11 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Database advanced topics
Chapter
Textbook Chapters 9,11, Lecture Notes & Week 12 online materials
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Test
Unit coordinator: Dr. Michael Li
North Rockhampton campus, CQU
Phone:07 4930 6337
email: m.li@cqu.edu.au
Please note: re-attempts of assessments are not allowed.
1 Written Assessment
The purpose of this assignment is to assess your competency in data modelling using Entity-Relationship principles for the given business case study and optionally transforming the Entity-Relationship model to 3NF Relations. A case study will be available in the unit website for which you need to develop an appropriate Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) and then optionally convert your ERD into 3rd Normal Form Relations. The detailed assignment specification including the case study will be available from the unit Moodle site.
Week 5 Friday (9 Aug 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Your assignment must be submitted in Moodle in the format specified in the assignment. See Moodle unit website for details.
Week 7 Friday (30 Aug 2024)
We aim to return marks and feedback to you by this date.
The detailed marking criteria will be provided along with the assignment specification. Your assignment solution will be assessed mainly on the following:
- identifying suitable entities, identifiers & attributes, relationships, and cardinalities
- using appropriate symbols to represent the entities, relationships, and cardinalities
- specifying relevant assumptions and business rules
- converting the ERD into 3NF relations (optional)
Penalties related to late submission and plagiarism will be applied as per University policy.
Please note: re-attempts of this assessment are not allowed.
- Explain the purpose of and technical foundations related to database technology
- Utilise the processes undertaken during the identification of functional dependencies and normalisation
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
2 Practical and Written Assessment
The purpose of this assignment is to assess your competency in designing and implementing a relational database and your ability to solve simple or complex business logic/needs through the creation of SQL queries. During week 7, a model solution for Assignment 1 will be released in the unit Moodle site. Your task for this assignment is to perform logical design, physical design and implement a database based on the Assignment 1 model solution (released) including the creation of SQL queries, stored procedure, etc.,
Implementing the aforementioned database in MySQL:
This may require you to either undertake a demonstration (for on-campus students) or make an email submission (for distance students) as per the assignment specification.
The detailed assignment specification and submission details will be available on the unit Moodle site.
Week 10 Friday (20 Sept 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Your assignment must be submitted in Moodle in the format specified in the assignment. See Moodle unit website for details.
Week 12 Friday (4 Oct 2024)
We aim to return marks and feedback to you by this date.
The detailed marking criteria will be provided along with the assignment specifications.
In addition to evaluating your ability to perform the logical design, your assignment solution will be assessed mainly on your ability to create a relational database that contains the following:
- appropriate tables containing relevant attributes with suitable properties
- suitable relationships among the tables
- SQL statements relevant to the given business requests
- report object relevant to the given business requests
Penalties related to late submission and plagiarism will be applied as per University policy.
Please note: re-attempts of this assessment are not allowed.
- Design and develop a database application using a Relational Database Management System (DBMS)
- Evaluate and execute administration decisions for DBMS support and maintenance.
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
- Self-management
3 Online Test
The Online Test will have questions designed to test the topics covered in weeks 1-12 inclusive. You need to answer a number of questions in accordance with the given E-R diagram(s), convert/map E-R diagram(s) into a set of relations, answer a number of questions about normalization of the given relation(s), writing SQL query statements to answer the information requests in accordance with the provided tables, and answer a few database theoretical questions.
Review/Exam Week Thursday (10 Oct 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
The exact date and time of the Online Test will be announced via unit Moodle website.
Overall results including the result of the Online Test will become available on Certification Date (see Academic Calendar).
- Demonstrate deeper understanding on database design and implementation
- Correct use of SQL syntax to answer the information requests
- Demonstrate your understanding on multiuser database administration and database security features etc
- Demonstrate your understanding on a distributed database, cloud-based database architecture and applications
- Demonstrate your understanding on the concepts of data warehouse
- Explain the purpose of and technical foundations related to database technology
- Utilise the processes undertaken during the identification of functional dependencies and normalisation
- Design and develop a database application using a Relational Database Management System (DBMS)
- Identify issues related to data integrity, security, and concurrency control in a multi-user database environment
- Explain the fundamental concepts of distributed databases and data warehousing
- Knowledge
- Communication
- Cognitive, technical and creative skills
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?
