Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Database Systems

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

COSC2406

City Campus

Undergraduate

140H Computer Science & Information Technology

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

COSC2406

City Campus

Undergraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021

COSC2406

City Campus

Undergraduate

175H Computing Technologies

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2022

COSC2407

City Campus

Postgraduate

140H Computer Science & Information Technology

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013,
Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

COSC2407

City Campus

Postgraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

 Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2021

COSC2449

Taylors College KL

Undergraduate

140H Computer Science & Information Technology

Face-to-Face

 Offsh 1 11

Course Coordinator: Xiuzhen Jenny Zhang

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2774

Course Coordinator Email: xiuzhen.zhang@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 14.09.05

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment.


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Enforced Pre-Requisite Courses

Successful completion of the following course/s:

AND

Note: it is a condition of enrolment at RMIT that you accept responsibility for ensuring that you have completed the prerequisite/s and agree to concurrently enrol in co-requisite courses before enrolling in a course.

For your information go to RMIT Course Requisites webpage.

 

If you have completed prior studies at RMIT or another institution that developed the skills and knowledge covered in the above course/s you may be eligible to apply for credit transfer.

Alternatively, if you have prior relevant work experience that developed the skills and knowledge covered in the above course/s you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning.

Please follow the link for further information on how to apply for credit for prior study or experience.


Course Description

The course aims to deepen your knowledge of database systems. You will cover the design and implementation of file structures, indexing and analytical details that will enable you to understand efficiency in query evaluation. The concept of the transaction is introduced along with the necessity of concurrency control and serialisability. Issues of backup and recovery for databases are also introduced.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

Program Learning Outcomes

This course is an option course so it is not required to contribute to the development of program learning outcomes (PLOs) though it may assist your achievement of several PLOs.

For more information on the program learning outcomes for your program, please see the program guide.


Upon successful completion of this course you should have gained a thorough understanding of the file structures and advanced concepts in database systems. In particular, you should be able to:

  1. Explain data structures and algorithms used to efficiently store and retrieve information in database systems;
  2. Evaluate and compare alternative designs for implementation of database systems, including data models, file structures, index schemes, and query evaluation;
  3. Analyse techniques for transaction processing, concurrency control, backup and recovery that maintain data integrity in database systems;
  4. Design and implement significant software components of a database system (such as file structures and index schemes) according to specified requirements and constraints.


Overview of Learning Activities

This course includes lectures, tutorials and laboratory classes. Lectures will cover the various concepts, techniques and algorithms used in database systems. Your understanding of the lecture material is complemented by online assessment tests and deepened through problem solving and critical analysis exercises during tutorial classes and the assignments. The laboratory classes will develop programming skills that you can apply when implementing components of a database system in the assignments.

Private study is expected, including working through learning materials both before and after classes, gaining practice at solving conceptual and technical problems, participating in online discussion forums, and undertaking assessment activities outside of class time.

Attendance:

While a minimum attendance standard is not compulsory, non-attendance may seriously jeopardise the chances of success in this course. Clearly, non-attendance at an assessment may result in failure of that assessment. Where visa conditions apply, attendance is compulsory.


Overview of Learning Resources

You will make extensive use of computer laboratories and relevant software provided by the School. You will be able to access course information and learning materials through Canvas and may be provided with copies of additional materials in class or via email. Lists of relevant reference texts, resources in the library and freely accessible Internet sites will be provided.


Overview of Assessment

This course has no hurdle requirements.

Assessment tasks

Assessment Task 1: Formative weekly online quizzes
Weighting: 15%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 3

Assessment Task 2: Assignment 1
Weighting: 20%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 4

Assessment Task 3: Assignment 2
Weighting: 45%
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2 & 4

Assessment 4: Assignment 3 (take-home 24 hour exercise)
Weighting: 20% 
This assessment supports CLOs 1, 2 & 3

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.