ARST 554 (3) Database Design [cross-listed with LIBR 554]

PREREQUISITES:

MAS and Dual students: Completion of the “Term 1” MAS Core courses

MLIS students should take LIBR 554

GOAL: The goal of this course is to provide students with knowledge and skills necessary to produce a well-designed database that enables the timely delivery of accurate information in a useful form

OBJECTIVE:

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

  • Explain basic database concepts and terminology [1.4, 2.1]*
  • Identify information needs within an organization [1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 5.3]*
  • Formulate user and organizational requirements for a database [1.1, 2.1, 3.2]*
  • Design a conceptual model that satisfies these needs and requirements using a relational data / entity relationship model [1.1,1.2, 2.1, 3.2]*
  • Normalize this relational data / entity relationship model [1.2, 1.3, 2.1]*
  • Implement the corresponding logical model in a relational database management software (e.g. MS ACCESS, MS SQL Server, etc.) [1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 5.3]*
  • Design SQL queries for a relational database to satisfy users’ information needs [1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3.1]*

* Course objectives are stated in terms of student learning outcomes and reference the iSchool Statement on Graduate Competencies.

CONTENT:

  • Overview of databases and database design
  • Components of a database
  • Conceptual design and Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)
  • The relational model
  • Normalization
  • Logical design
  • Querying a database using SQL
  • Issues and Trends in DBMS
  • Creating a database
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