This undergraduate Year 3 (Junior) Database Systems course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles; design; and implementation of database systems. Students will learn the foundational concepts of data modeling; relational database theory; and structured query language (SQL) for efficient data retrieval and manipulation. The course emphasizes practical applications; enabling students to design; develop; and optimize databases for real-world scenarios. Key topics include entity-relationship modeling; normalization techniques; transaction management; and concurrency control. Students will explore advanced SQL features such as subqueries; joins; and stored procedures to enhance database functionality. The course also introduces emerging trends in database technologies; including NoSQL systems and distributed databases; preparing students for modern data management challenges. Through hands-on projects and assignments; students will gain experience with industry-standard database management systems (DBMS) like MySQL; PostgreSQL; or Oracle. These practical exercises reinforce theoretical knowledge while developing problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Collaborative projects encourage teamwork and communication; essential for professional environments. By the end of the course; students will be proficient in designing efficient; scalable databases and writing complex queries to support business and scientific applications. They will understand the trade-offs between different database architectures and be prepared to apply best practices in data integrity; security; and performance tuning. This course serves as a strong foundation for advanced studies in data science; software engineering; or information systems; as well as careers in database administration and development.
