Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2025 - CMPT 354 D100

Database Systems I (3)

Class Number: 5514

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2025: Mon, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

    Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2025: Wed, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 14, 2025
    Sun, 12:00–3:00 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    CMPT 225 and (MACM 101 or (ENSC 251 and ENSC 252)), all with a minimum grade of C-.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Logical representations of data records. Data models. Studies of some popular file and database systems. Document retrieval. Other related issues such as database administration, data dictionary and security.

COURSE DETAILS:

The global database market has over 50 billion U.S. dollars in size. Millions of web/mobile applications are using database systems to manage their data. SQL has become a prerequisite skill for being a data scientist or a data engineer. Now is the most exciting time to learn database systems. In this first database course, we will teach you how to use database systems, with a short introduction to the internals of database systems. After this course, you should be able to master essential skills to query a relational database or a NoSQL database, design a database for applications, and have a basic understanding of how database systems work.

Topics

  • Database History
  • Data Model
  • Relational Algebra
  • SQL
  • Storage and Indexing
  • Database Design
  • Query Processing
  • Transaction Processing
  • NoSQL given time

Grading

NOTES:

WIll be discussed in the first class

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Reference Book:
Database Systems: The Complete Book, Second Edition, Hector Garcia-Molina, Jeffrey D. Ullman, Jennifer Widom, Prentice Hall, 2008, 9780131873254

RECOMMENDED READING:

Database Management Systems, Third Edition., Raghu Ramakrishnan/Johannes Gehrke, McGraw Hill, 2002

ISBN: 9780072465631

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

The following are default policies in the School of Computing Science. Please check your course syllabus whether the instructor has chosen a different policy for your class, otherwise the following policies apply.
 
  • Students must attain an overall passing grade on the weighted average of exams in the course in order to get a C- or higher.
  • All student requests for accommodations for their religious practices must be made in writing by the end of the first week of classes, or no later than one week after a student adds a course. After considering a request, an instructor may provide a concession or may decline to do so. Students requiring accommodations as a result of a disability can contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca).

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.