Course Syllabus
Instructor
Dr. Neelam Dwivedi is an Associate Professor and Program Director for the MS-Applied Computing program at the Gallogly College of Engineering.
After leading global projects for Fortune 500 organizations in the IT services industry for over twenty years, she moved to academia and has now been teaching in graduate programs for over a decade. Her specialization is teaching computer science and software engineering courses. She has designed and delivered a wide range of courses over the years, from object-oriented analysis, design, and programming, to data structures and algorithms, and applying software engineering best practices to data science projects.
Education:
PhD in Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State University
MS in Information Technology, Carnegie Mellon University
MS in Computer Science, Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, India
B.Tech. Computer Science, Institute of Engineering & Technology (IET) Lucknow, India
Course Delivery
This 8-week course is multi-modal with asynchronous and synchronous work and meetings. You will have asynchronous online work using Canvas. We have four synchronous meetings, or Live Sessions, for an hour and a half using Zoom.
Live Sessions are 7:00 - 8:30 pm (Central Time) on Tuesdays in weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8.
Course Prerequisites
ACS 5213 Practical Data Structures and Algorithms, ACS 5223 Introduction to Software Engineering
Course Materials
- Textbook: We will use an interactive eBook linked below that is a requirement reference text for this course. The interactive activities performed in this book are part of the course grade. We will use the platform zyBooks to complete some assignments in this course.
- Title: Winsberg, P. (2024) Database Systems with SQL. Zyante, Inc (zyBooks.com).
-
Purchase the book through zyBooks
-
- Access Canvas and select Chapter 1 Participation Activities link. Do NOT visit the zyBooks website to create a new account. You should not create your own account by going to zybooks.com. This scenario can result in creating multiple accounts and lead to complications.
- You will be directed to the zyBook for the course In this situation, you will not need to know your zyBook code as you will be taken directly to the course zyBook.
- (If you need the zyBook code, it is OUACS5313DwivediSpring2025)
- Opt to subscribe. A subscription is $89. The cutoff to subscribe is Mar 09, 2025. Subscriptions will last until Mar 28, 2025.
If you are not subscribed, you will be taken to the subscription page, which looks similar to this image:
If you have subscribed, you will be taken to the Chapter 1 Participation Activity that was linked.
- Required reading Coursepack: Two articles from Harvard Business Publishing Education are required readings in this course. These readings are available to the students in this course in a coursepack for $9.90. The course-pack can be accessed at: Harvard Business Publishing Coursepack.
- Software: Download the free community versions on your computer. You may create an account with Oracle, or you may download it as a Guest.
- Articles and Research papers: Weekly articles and research papers will be available through the OU Library.
- Required Diagramming Tools: The course requires creating visual models using diagramming tools. You may use any freely available tools of your choice. The two recommended tools are
- PlantUML
- LucidChart: Scroll down the page at the link to find the Sign up free button option.
- Other reference materials:
- Videos: You may find this repository of videos published by MySQL useful. Specifically, the MySQL Shorts can be handy.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Apply critical thinking and data-driven analysis to dissect complex computing challenges and devise effective computing solutions.
- Access and adjust to current and evolving technological trends to create innovative solutions and optimize software development processes.
- Utilize software design and development principles and methodologies to create efficient, maintainable, scalable and high-quality applications.
- Communicate technical concepts clearly and concisely, orally and in writing to technical and non-technical audiences.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Alignment
| CLO | Description | PLO |
|---|---|---|
| A |
Explain core database concepts, including relational models, SQL, and database design principles. |
3 |
| B | Apply database design techniques to design and implement normalized relational schemas using entities, attributes, relationships, and normalization forms. | 3 |
| C |
Use SQL to write and execute complex queries, including joins, subqueries, and aggregate functions, to manage and analyze data effectively. |
1, 3 |
| D |
Recognize and apply the principles of transaction processing, concurrency, and recovery to maintain database integrity. |
1, 3 |
| E | Work with storage structures, indexes, and physical design to optimize database performance. | 1, 2, 3 |
| F | Develop database-driven applications using embedded SQL and Java, and integrate databases into frontend applications. | 3 |
| G | Explore advanced architectures like distributed databases, cloud databases, and data warehouses. | 1, 2 |
| H | Work with advanced data types (spatial, document, graph) and NoSQL databases, including MongoDB. | 1, 2 |
| I | Apply knowledge through hands-on labs, projects, and case studies to address practical business and technical challenges. | 3, 4 |
| J | Develop and document a complete database solution to address business requirements. | 3, 4 |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Project | 2 Project deliverables | 50% |
| zyBooks Labs | Interactive labs to apply the skills on problems | 15% |
| zyBook Participation Activities | Interactive exercises in textbook chapters | 10% |
| Class Discussions | Read and discuss assigned readings and case studies in live sessions and / or discussion forums | 20% |
| Feedback Survey | 8 Feedback Surveys to reflect on your progress during the week. | 5% |
| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Policies
Communication
I can be reached via email and I will respond within 24 hours to the best of my abilities. If you would like to meet with me, please send me a few options on your calendar, and I will try to find the one that works for me and schedule up a Zoom session with you.
Feedback
You will receive feedback on your submitted work within a week's time. If you would like to discuss the feedback, you can send an email or request for a Zoom session.
Late Policy
Every assignment forms a foundation for the upcoming lessons and therefore missing a deadline has a cascading impact on the overall learning experience in the course. And therefore, late submissions are discouraged through a grade reduction. One day late, is worth 80%. If submitted later than 24-hours, the grade will be zero. Extension beyond 24-hours is an emergency to work with me to have a extension with documentation. Communicate in advance concerning issues that will make you submit late.
Plagiarism
All assignment submissions made by students must be their original work. Any use of external resources must be referenced with appropriate citations. It is your responsibility as a student of the University of Oklahoma to fully read and understand the academic integrity policies at OU Academic Integrity.
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|