This course is an introduction to database design and programming. You
will learn how to design effectively database applications and the fundamental
principles behind good design. You will also learn how to program your
databases applications using an open-source database system. As part of the course, you will design and implement a web site using the LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) platform.
Personnel
Name
Role
Office
Office hours
Phone
Email
Svetlozar Nestorov
Instructor
Ryerson 275-A
12-1pm, Tue & Thu
(773) 702-3497
evtimov at cs.uchicago.edu
Sonjia Waxmonsky
TA
Ryerson 178
3-4pm, Mon & Wed
(773) 702-4227
wax at cs.uchicago.edu
Prerequisites
CS 154 or equivalent.
Textbooks
The textbook for the course is A
First Course in Database Systems by Jeff Ullman and Jennifer Widom.
However, if you plan to study databases beyond this introductory course,
you may consider buying Database
Systems: The Complete Book by Hector Garcia-Molina, Jeff Ullman and
Jennifer Widom. This book contains our textbook as its first ten chapters.
The office hours are 12-1pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Svetlozar and 3-4pm on Mondays and Wednesdays for Sonjia.
Grading Policy
The grades for the class will be based on your results on the weekly homework, multipart project, midterm, and final. The approximate weights
are:
Homework: 20%
Project: 35%
Midterm: 15%
Final: 30%
Lateness policy
You have two 48-hour extensions. Using an extension allows you to turn
in your work on Thursday instead of Tuesday. You can use at most one extension
before the midterm, and at most one extension after the midterm.
Collaboration policy
We encourage you to
discuss the course material with you fellow students. However,
submitted assignments should be your own work. If you discuss
in details specific problems or assignments with other people, please,
acknowledge them on the front of the work that you turn in. You
should also read and understand the official University policy on Academic
Honesty. If you have any questions, please, discuss them the
instructor.
Syllabus
This schedule
of the lectures, readings, and assignments is tentative and may change as the class progresses.
Exams
Both the midterm and the final will be open-book.
The midterm will be held in class on Tuesday, November 1, 2005. Yes, you can come in your Halloween costume!
The date for the final is not available yet.
Resources
The textbook homepage
has a comprehensive list of relevant resources.
Last modified: Thu Nov 10 14:55:13 CST 2005