MA332-7-SP-CO:
Databases and data processing with SQL

The details
2024/25
Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (School of)
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Current
Monday 13 January 2025
Friday 21 March 2025
15
27 March 2024

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

MSC G30512 Applied Data Science,
MSC G30612 Data Science and its Applications,
MSC G30624 Data Science and its Applications

Module description

Relational databases and SQL are developed and used as fundamental tools for relevant applications from different disciplines including humanities, life sciences, linguistics, marketing, and social science. They are essential to efficient information management for IT systems and commercial applications in almost all modern organisations.


The purpose of this module is to provide students with an introduction to the underlying principles and practical experience of the implementation of relational databases. It will cover data modelling and SQL, database analysis, management, and advanced topics including big data, security and privacy issues of modern databases.

Module aims

The aim of this module is:



  • To provide students with an introduction to the underlying principles and practical experience of the design and implementation of relational databases.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Gain systematic, extensive and comparative knowledge and understanding of conceptual data models, relational databases and database designs.

  2. Gain comprehensive knowledge and familiarity with SQL to manipulate data in a database.

  3. Gain systematic, extensive and comparative knowledge and understanding of the ability to design and implement a database using SQL and DBMS

Module information

Syllabus



  • Introduction to Database and SQL


Background; database environment and examples; Database architecture; Database programming; SQL



  • Relational Model and SQL


Relational Database Model; SQL SELECT Queries, Creating Table, Altering Table, Data Manipulation



  • Database analysis, design and management 


Entity Relationship Diagrams; Normalisation of Database Tables; Database Design; Database construction and application; Database management via DBMS



  • Advanced topics 


Distributed DBMS; big data issues; security and privacy of databases; introduction to NonSQL databases with linguistics and text analytics applications.

Learning and teaching methods

Teaching in the School will be delivered using a range of face to face lectures, classes and lab sessions as appropriate for each module. Modules may also include online only sessions where it is advantageous, for example for pedagogical reasons, to do so.

Bibliography*

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Lab test     
Exam  Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 90 minutes during Summer (Main Period) 
Exam  Reassessment Main exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 90 minutes during September (Reassessment Period) 

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
40% 60%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
40% 60%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Na You, email: na.you@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Na You
maths maths@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
Yes
Yes
Yes

External examiner

Dr Yinghui Wei
University of Plymouth
Resources
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.

 

Further information

* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.

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