syllabus for

Database Management Systems

CGS2545, 27500, Online, Full Term
Spring 2016 (201620) Term

(3 credit hours)

Note: passages shown with a wheat colored background are directly quoted from other Valencia documents.

Instructor: Steve Andrews

Contact Info
Office: None
E-mail: via Blackboard (preferred), or sandrews@mail.valenciacollege.edu
Phone: 407.310.2119 (voice messages only)
Office Hours: None
Course:
Database Management Systems
Principless of database systems, architecture of database management systems, relational model conceptual design and requirement analysis, database design and normalization, query languages, multi-user and distributed database issues; practical use of a DBMS and building of a database application.
(Special Fee: $42.00).
CRN: 27500
Credit: 3
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Meeting places/times: online, on your own schedule, one or more times per week
Course Outcomes

Topics/Concepts/Skills/Issues

At the end of this class, successful students will be able to:

Educational Materials
No Text Required
Required Software:
Note that you will need Visio early and Office early in the term, and SQL Server a bit later.
Optional Software:
MySQL, "the world's most popular open source database" (available for free at https://www.mysql.com/)
Assessment Methods and Evaluation
Assignments are the deliverables for this class. They're worth about 90% of the grade. They're the exercises and projects cited below.
Assignments:

This course is structured in three Learning Modules:

Each Learning Module is identically structured in three parts:

Attendance:
Online students are required to keep up with—and contribute weekly to—the Blackboard Message Board. In the "Roll Call" forum, some weeks I will ask pointed or leading questions, or direct you in some activity that requires a followup answer. These questions constitute the "roll call" for this class. Timely answers to these questions/directions will fulfill the weekly "attendance" obligation and add to your attendance grade. Attendance equates to roughly one letter grade.
Final Exam
The project (due 17 Apr) in the final Learning Module will be considered a final exam for college purposes.
Calculation of final grade
9 exercises at 10 points each: 90 points
3 exercises at 60 points each: 180 points
about 30 roll call questions: 30 points
total: 300 points
Grade Scale
points percent grade
0 - 179 0 - 59 F
180 - 209 60 - 69 D
210 - 239 70 - 79 C
240 - 269 80 - 89 B
270 - 300 90 - 100 A
Important Dates:
Full Term: 11 Jan - 1 May 2016 (Classes end 24 Apr; exams week begins 25 Apr.)
Drop/Refund/No Show Deadline: 11:59 p.m. 19 Jan
Withdrawal deadline for W grade: 11:59 PM, 1 Apr 2016
Classes Do Not Meet:
Other:

See the college calendar for important dates and final exam schedule at
http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar
No Show Policy:
Any student who does not attend class by the No Show/Drop/Refund deadline...(11:59 PM, 19 Jan) will be withdrawn by the instructor as a no-show. This will count as an attempt in the class, and students will be liable for tuition. If your plans have changed and you will not be attending this class, please withdraw yourself through your Atlas account during the drop period for this part of term. This is college policy.
No Show Procedure (Assignment):
This policy is regulated and demanded by the administration of the college. During the first weeks of class, one assignment, labelled a00, MUST be submitted to Blackboard by its cutoff date—midnight, 19 January. If you do not submit this assignment properly by its cutoff date, I will remove you from the class as a no show. You will become immediately responsible for payment of the class, but you will not be allowed to attend.
Course Progress:
You can work ahead in this class, though I won't grade your each assignment after its due date. DO NOT FALL BEHIND! Falling behind will lead to steep penalties. In order to keep up, you will need to log in every week to see what roll calls and assignments are due. In general, you must turn in one exercise or project each week, following the prescribed order and due dates. See Blackboard for specific due dates.
Withdrawal:
Per Valencia Policy 4-07 (Academic Progress, Course Attendance and Grades, and Withdrawals), a student who withdraws from class before the established deadline for a particular term will receive a grade of "W". A student is not permitted to withdraw after the withdrawal deadline (1 April 2016) See Important Dates for the Withdrawal Deadline for the part of term of this course. A student who is withdrawn by faculty for violation of the class attendance policy will receive a grade of "W". This class has no such withdrawal policy. Any student who withdraws or is withdrawn from a class during a third or subsequent attempt in the same course will be assigned a grade of "F". For a complete policy and procedure overview on Valencia Policy 6Hx28:4-07 please "go to"
http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy/.

See College calendar for important dates and final exam schedule at
http://valenciacollege.edu/calendar.

Note: Before choosing to withdraw from ANY course, [you] should speak first with your professor regarding your progress in the course AND with an Academic Advisor to discuss the impact of the W on your academic progress, future fees, and financial aid (and student visa, if any).

Please note also that the attendance policy for this class makes NO PROVISION for me to withdraw you after the withdrawal date. If you miss the withdrawal date for this class, you cannot withdraw, nor be withdrawn. You will have to take the grade you have earned.
Makeup/Late Assignment Policy:
"Classroom" Conduct:
Valencia College is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and learning and to the development of responsible personal and social conduct. By enrolling at Valencia College, a student assumes the responsibility for becoming familiar with and abiding by the general rules of conduct as listed in 6Hx28: 8-03 and the Student Handbook. Even though Faculty manage the classroom environment, the primary responsibility for maintaining a respectful and civil learning environment rests with the students. Students who violate the Student Code of Conduct may be referred to the Dean of Student's Office for disciplinary action, which may result in a sanction up to and including expulsion.
http://valenciacollege.edu/generalcounsel/policy

Since we do not meet in a classroom, I want to stress that your main requirements for conduct within this class are to respect your fellow students, your instructor, and yourself.
Academic Honesty:
Each student is required to follow Valencia policy regarding academic honesty. All work submitted by students is expected to be the result of the student's individual thoughts, research, and self-expression unless the assignment specifically states "group project." Any act of academic dishonesty will be handled in accordance with Valencia policy as set forth in the Student Handbook and Catalog.
College Policies:
A full description of all College policies can be found in
Student Assistance Program:
Valencia College is interested in making sure all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help with issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work. BayCare Behavioral Health Student Assistance Program (SAP) services are free to all Valencia students and available 24 hours a day by calling (800) 878-5470. Free face-to-face counseling is also available.
Office of Students with Disabilities:
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a Notification to Instructor (NTI) form from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities.
campus bldg room phone fax tty
East 5 216 407-582-2229 407-582-8908 407-582-1222
West SSB 102 407-582-1523 407-582-1326 407-582-1222
Osceola 1 140A 407-582-4167 407-582-4804 407-582-1222
Winter Park 1 212 407-582-6887 407-582-6841 407-582-1222
"Special" Rules (specific to my classes)
eMail
I prefer to keep all email internal to Blackboard, using the Blackboard "Messages" feature. When using this feature, there is no need to insert your name or the class id into the subject field. Please use the subject field to describe the purpose of the message.
Voice Mail
My phone is off most of the time, and I do NOT answer texts, but I do take voice mail at 407-310.2119.
Open Lab

The Academic Success Center (Building 4 second floor East Campus) now houses the Open Lab for Business, IT & Public Services Division. This area is located to your right after you enter the double doors.

Course Policies
See my Things You Ought to Know page, online.
Disclaimer Statement

This syllabus may be altered, at the instructor's discretion, during the course of the term. It is the responsibility of the student to make any adjustments as announced.

Weekly Activities & Assignments
The following list is only to give a general idea of how things MIGHT progress. It is ALWAYS subject to change.
Do not use this list to plan your semester. Consult Blackboard for an up-to-date listing of due dates.

  1. intros
    Read the "Welcome" and "Start Here" pages, review the course content, and complete and submit the "no show" assignment.
  2. Data Models - Diagrams
    Exercise 1.1
  3. Data Models - Business Rules
    Exercise 1.2
  4. Data Models - Constraints
    Exercise 1.3
  5. Data Models Project
    Project 1
    Work ahead.
  6. Data Structures & Normalization
    Keys and referential integrity; Exercise 2.1
  7. Data Structures & Normalization
    Dependencies; Exercise 2.2
  8. Data Structures & Normalization
    Normal Forms; Exercise 2.3
  9.  SPRING   BREAK
  10. Data Structures & Normalization
    Project 2
    Work ahead.
  11. Selected Subjects; install, configure, test your database;
    Work ahead.
  12. Database Design & Structured Query Language (SQL)
    Exercise 3.1 (CREATE and ALTER queries)
  13. Database Design & SQL
    Exercise 3.2 (INSERT and MODIFY queries)
  14. Database Design & SQL
    Exercise 3.3 (SELECT queries, JOINs)
  15. Database Design Project
    Project 3 (Build and populate a dB; create queries as stored procedures.)
  16. Selected Subjects, Finals Week

The final project will be due 17 Apr.

The newest version of this syllabus can be found at
faculty.valenciacollege.edu/sandrews/cgs2545/2016_spring/27500/