This course is also posted in Simple Syllabus.
| Class Number: 27221 | Section: 7LL9 |
Class Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 2nd Period (8:30 AM to 9:20 AM)
Location: Malachowsky Hall, MALA 1000
Exams: Exam 1 on Wed, Oct 14; Exam 2 on Wed, Nov 18; Final Exam on Fri, Dec 11, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in MALA 1000
Dr. Christan Grant
Ray Chen (Teaching Assistant)
Any email without this string in the subject line will likely be filtered as junk. You may also contact class members through the course Canvas.
This course covers the principles and practice of managing large-scale databases. Students will study the relational model, query languages, storage structures, indexing, query processing, query optimization, transaction management, concurrency control, and recovery. The course balances theoretical foundations with hands-on experience using PostgreSQL and DuckDB, giving students practical exposure to both transactional (OLTP) and analytical (OLAP) database systems.
Topics include:
Prerequisites: COP 3530 (Data Structures and Algorithms) and COP 4600 (Operating Systems), or equivalent. Students should be comfortable with programming and have a basic understanding of computer architecture and operating systems concepts. Familiarity with SQL is helpful but not required.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
Through participation of the course, students will be able to design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline. (ABET Criterion 3.2)
Outcomes will be evaluated through assignments, projects, and examinations.
Required:
Per 8.003 Instructional materials for this course consist of only those materials specifically reviewed, selected, and assigned by the instructor(s). The instructor(s) is only responsible for these instructional materials.
The course will require the use of GitHub and other cloud services that will be provided without additional fees.
uv package managerUF student computing requirement: https://news.it.ufl.edu/education/student-computing-requirements-for-uf/. You will need an electronic device while attending lectures.
Lectures combine traditional instruction, live SQL demonstrations, class discussions, and hands-on exercises. Participation is required to get the most out of the class. Many of the graded class activities will not be announced.
| Week | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome (Aug 21 only) |
| 2 | Database History, Relational Model, Data Types, Algebra |
| 3 | Relational Algebra, ER Modeling, ER to Relations |
| 4 | Functional Dependencies and Normalization |
| 5 | SQL Fundamentals |
| 6 | Advanced SQL I: Subqueries, CTEs, Window Functions |
| 7 | Advanced SQL II: Window Frames, Recursive Queries, Views |
| 8 | Programming with Python, psycopg, DuckDB, Visualization |
| 9 | Exam 1 (Oct 14), Storage Hierarchy |
| 10 | Row vs Column Stores, B+ Trees |
| 11 | Hash Indexes, PostgreSQL Index Types, External Sorting |
| 12 | Join Algorithms and Iterator Model |
| 13 | Vectorized Execution and Query Optimization |
| 14 | Transactions, Exam 2 (Nov 18), Two-Phase Locking |
| 15 | Thanksgiving Break |
| 16 | MVCC, Recovery, Distributed and Modern Systems |
| Finals | Final Exam (Exam 3) and Final Project Presentations |
See the Schedule page for detailed week-by-week topics and deliverables.
Students are expected to attend class and participate regularly.
The grade breakdown will be as follows:
| Percentage | |
|---|---|
| Quizzes (drop lowest) | 15% |
| Project 1 (Schema + SQL) | 4% |
| Project 2 (Advanced SQL) | 6% |
| Project 3 (Indexing + Query Plans) | 10% |
| Final Project (capstone) | 15% |
| Exam 1 (Oct 14) | 15% |
| Exam 2 (Nov 18) | 15% |
| Final Exam (Exam 3, finals week) | 20% |
| 100% |
Projects increase in weight as the semester progresses, reflecting growing scope and difficulty. Project 0 is a pass/fail setup check; failure to submit reduces the final grade by one full letter.
Quizzes are short in-class quizzes that discuss important concepts from the lectures. Each quiz asks questions about the section just completed. There are five quizzes across the semester; the lowest score is dropped and the best four count toward the quiz weight. Quiz dates are listed on the Schedule page.
Projects are individual and modeled on real industry tasks.
Each student creates a private GitHub repository on their own account named cop5725fa26-project and adds cegme (instructor) and rkc8626 (TA) as Admins so the TA and instructor can review.
Each student claims a unique dataset from the approved roster, and successive projects build on the same dataset.
Project 0 is setup and dataset claim (P/F).
Project 1 is schema design and SQL ETL (“load this new source”).
Project 2 is advanced SQL analytics (“write the metrics”).
Project 3 is indexing and query optimization (“this dashboard is slow”).
The Final Project ships a complete artifact (analytics report, data API, dashboard, or pipeline).
Each project has a public rubric and a peer-grading rubric subset.
After each deadline, students present in small breakout groups; the highest-scored student in each group then presents to the full class.
Exams cover conceptual understanding of database internals, algorithms, and tradeoffs. Exam 1 covers Sections 1-3 (foundations, SQL, programming). Exam 2 covers Sections 4-5 (storage, indexing, query processing). The Final Exam is cumulative, weighted toward Sections 6-7 (transactions, concurrency, recovery, distributed and modern systems).
All assignments must be completed and submitted before their due date. Exceptions can be made for significant hardships as dictated by university policy (e.g. medical issues, hurricanes, death in the family, etc) with supporting documentation.
Late policies are often at odds with the ability of students to receive feedback. I strongly encourage all students to submit assignments at the posted due date. If assignments are not completed on time, the frequency of assignments will mount, causing an undue burden on students and staff. After the due date, students may submit assignments until they are graded. This typically means students will have 1-3 days to complete the assignment. If the assignment is submitted after grading starts, it will not be accepted. The grading time will not be announced, and we will not accept assignments after grading begins.
If a mistake was made on one of your grades, or if you feel a question on an exam was in error, you have one (1) week to bring it to our attention. This is to avoid a wave of requests for changes to be made at the end of a semester, long after that part of the class has passed. All regrade requests must be delivered electronically. In your regrade request, carefully describe why you feel that you were scored unfairly and/or incorrectly. Even if you discussed the grading issue orally with someone, the written discussion must be self-contained and be able to be evaluated based only on what is included in the email. Please note that when an exam/assignment is brought with grading questions, we may examine the entire assignment, and your final grade may end up lower.
Grade cut-offs will be at or below the scale published by the University of Florida.
| Grades | Percentage (>) |
|---|---|
| A | 94 |
| A- | 90 |
| B+ | 87 |
| B | 84 |
| B- | 80 |
| C+ | 77 |
| C | 74 |
| C- | 70 |
| D+ | 67 |
| D | 64 |
| D- | 61 |
| E | 0 |
Grading questions for assignments should first be brought to the TA that initially did the grading. If talking to the TA does not resolve your question, please see one of the instructors. All grading questions must be brought to our attention within one week of the release of the grades. Please note that when an exam/assignment is brought with grading questions, we may examine the entire assignment, and your final grade may end up lower.
Excused and make-up assignments will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Exceptions can be made for significant hardships as dictated by university policy (e.g. medical issues, hurricanes, death in the family, etc) with supporting documentation.
Below is a selection of example situations on the border of being or not being an academic integrity violation. Note that this is not an exhaustive list, and the instructors will report any potential integrity violations https://teach.ufl.edu/resource-library/academic-integrity-at-uf/.
Use of CoPilot, ChatGPT, and other generative AI systems should be clearly declared. Any prompt used should be preserved and clearly included. Failure to do so will be considered an academic integrity violation.
| Situation | Integrity Violation? |
|---|---|
| Students A and B meet and work on their assignments together. Neither student prepared anything in advance, and the resulting work is identical. | Yes |
| Students A and B create drafts of their assignment independently and get together to compare answers and discuss their understanding of the material. Each person decides independently whether to make changes that are discussed. | No |
| Students A and B agree to prepare drafts of their assignments independently, but only Student A does. Student A shares her draft with Student B, who reviews it and offers suggestions for improvement. | Yes |
| Students A and B agree that student A will work the even problems and Student B will work the odd problems. They share their work. | Yes |
| Students A and B agree that Student A will work on a read function, and Student B will work on the sorting function. They share their solutions. | Yes |
| Student A has completed a project and is helping Student B complete the same project. Student A explains to Student B what Student B’s code actually does, which is different than what Student B thinks the code does. Student B determines how to modify the code independently. | No |
| Student A has completed a project and is helping Student B complete the same project. Student B is having trouble getting one part of the program to work, so Student A texts Student B three lines of their solution. | Yes |
| Student A has completed a project and is helping Student B complete the same project. Student B has difficulty getting the program to work, so student A tells student B exactly what to type for several lines. | Yes |
| Student A has completed a project and is helping Student B complete the same project. Student B has difficulty getting the program to work, so Student A suggests that Student B use a specific debugging strategy (e.g., “Print out the contents of the variable”). | No |
| Student A has completed a project and is helping Student B complete the same project. Student A shows Student B an example program in the online textbook that will be helpful in figuring out the solution to the problem. | No |
| Student A publishes solutions to an assignment on a public Internet page. | Yes |
| Students A and B work on a project together. After they have finished it, student A takes the code and modifies it so the programs do not appear to be identical. | Yes |
| Student A copies and pastes code from a public Internet page but changes the variable names. | Yes |
| Student A uses a public Internet page to help them understand a concept and then writes their own code to implement it. | No |
| Student A uses an AI system to generate an idea or solution without proper attribution. | Yes |
Students with disabilities who experience learning barriers and would like to request academic accommodations should connect with the Disability Resource Center by visiting https://disability.ufl.edu/students/get-started/. It is important for students to share their accommodation letter with their instructor and discuss their access needs, as early as possible in the semester.
Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via GatorEvals. Guidance on how to give feedback in a professional and respectful manner is available at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students/. Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens, and can complete evaluations through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or via https://ufl.bluera.com/ufl/. Summaries of course evaluation results are available to students at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results/
Students are allowed to record video or audio of class lectures. However, the purposes for which these recordings may be used are strictly controlled. The only allowable purposes are (1) for personal educational use, (2) in connection with a complaint to the university, or (3) as evidence in, or in preparation for, a criminal or civil proceeding. All other purposes are prohibited. Specifically, students may not publish recorded lectures without the written consent of the instructor. A “class lecture” is an educational presentation intended to inform or teach enrolled students about a particular subject, including any instructor-led discussions that form part of the presentation, and delivered by any instructor hired or appointed by the University, or by a guest instructor, as part of a University of Florida course. A class lecture does not include lab sessions, student presentations, clinical presentations such as patient history, academic exercises involving solely student participation, assessments (quizzes, tests, exams), field trips, private conversations between students in the class or between a student and the faculty or lecturer during a class session.
Publication without permission of the instructor is prohibited. To “publish” means to share, transmit, circulate, distribute, or provide access to a recording, regardless of format or medium, to another person (or persons), including but not limited to another student within the same class section. Additionally, a recording, or transcript of a recording, is considered published if it is posted on or uploaded to, in whole or in part, any media platform, including but not limited to social media, book, magazine, newspaper, leaflet, or third-party note/tutoring services. A student who publishes a recording without written consent may be subject to a civil cause of action instituted by a person injured by the publication and/or discipline under UF Regulation 4.040 Student Honor Code and Student Conduct Code
UF students are bound by The Honor Pledge which states, “We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honor and integrity by abiding by the Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.” The Honor Code (https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/process/student-conduct-code/) specifies a number of behaviors that are in violation of this code and the possible sanctions. Furthermore, you are obligated to report any condition that facilitates academic misconduct to appropriate personnel. If you have any questions or concerns, please consult with the instructor or TAs in this class.
The Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering values broad diversity within our community and is committed to individual and group empowerment, inclusion, and the elimination of discrimination. It is expected that every person in this class will treat one another with dignity and respect regardless of gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. If you feel like your performance in class is being impacted by discrimination or harassment of any kind, please contact your instructor or any of the following:
All faculty, staff, and students of the University are required and expected to obey the laws and legal agreements governing software use. Failure to do so can lead to monetary damages and/or criminal penalties for the individual violator. Because such violations are also against University policies and rules, disciplinary action will be taken as appropriate. We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to uphold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.
There are federal laws protecting your privacy with regard to grades earned in courses and on individual assignments. For more information, please see: https://registrar.ufl.edu/ferpa.html
Your well-being is important to the University of Florida. The U Matter, We Care initiative is committed to creating a culture of care on our campus by encouraging members of our community to look out for one another and to reach out for help if a member of our community is in need. If you or a friend is in distress, please contact umatter@ufl.edu so that the U Matter, We Care Team can reach out to the student in distress. A nighttime and weekend crisis counselor is available by phone at 352-392-1575. The U Matter, We Care Team can help connect students to the many other helping resources available including, but not limited to, Victim Advocates, Housing staff, and the Counseling and Wellness Center. Please remember that asking for help is a sign of strength. In case of emergency, call 9-1-1.
Visit https://counseling.ufl.edu, and 392-1575; and the University Police Department: 392-1111 or 9-1-1 for emergencies.
If you or a friend has been subjected to sexual discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, or violence contact the Office of Title IX Compliance, located at Yon Hall Room 427, 1908 Stadium Road, (352) 273-1094, title-ix@ufl.edu
Student Health Care Center, 392-1161.
Call at 392-1111 (or 9-1-1 for emergencies), or http://www.police.ufl.edu/.
Call 352-392-4357 (select option 2) or e-mail to Learningsupport@ufl.edu. https://elearning.ufl.edu/.
Located in the Reitz Union, 392-1601. Career assistance and counseling; https://career.ufl.edu.
Visit http://cms.uflib.ufl.edu/ask. Various ways to receive assistance with respect to using the libraries or finding resources.
Located in Broward Hall, 392-2010 or 392-6420. General study skills and tutoring. https://teachingcenter.ufl.edu/.
Located in 302 Tigert Hall, 846-1138. Help brainstorming, formatting, and writing papers. https://writing.ufl.edu/writing-studio/.
Visit https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/policies/student-honor-code-studentconduct-code/; https://care.dso.ufl.edu.
https://distance.ufl.edu/getting-help/; https://distance.ufl.edu/state-authorization-status/#studentcomplaint.
This page describes the types of grading feedback https://citt.ufl.edu/resources/assessing-student-learning/providing-effective-feedback/types-of-feedback/
Please note the contents of this syllabus may change without warning.