CS-231 gives students an overview of application development using database management systems (DBMS). Conceptual database design, data modeling, and data normalization are presented and practiced, along with structured query language (SQL) using MySQL or a similar tool. Relational databases are examined, with emphasis on those found in PC networks with client-server applications, covering the rationale and history of databases, logical and physical data definition, using SQL and QBE to access databases, and data security and backup strategies.
From database rationale to physical implementation
The course deliberately covers why databases exist and their history before moving into logical and physical data definition, giving students conceptual grounding before hands-on implementation work.
Security and backup as core database competencies
CS-231 treats data security and backup strategies as core course content, not an afterthought, reflecting that protecting and preserving data is as fundamental to database systems work as designing and querying them.
Key topics in CS231
- Conceptual database design and data modeling
- Data normalization
- SQL and QBE (query by example)
- Relational databases in client-server applications
- Logical and physical data definition
- Data security and backup strategies
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Worked example: why database history and rationale matter before implementation
- Jumping straight to SQL: Learning query syntax without understanding why relational databases were designed the way they are
- Grounded approach: Understanding the rationale and history behind database design first, then applying SQL with genuine insight into why the structure works that way
- Lesson: CS-231 teaches that this conceptual grounding produces more adaptable database skill than memorizing SQL syntax alone
Related courses
Frequently asked questions
Both courses cover foundational relational database concepts and SQL, but CS-231 sits within the Computer Science curriculum with additional emphasis on the history and rationale behind database design and client-server relational database contexts, while DAD-220 focuses more specifically on structured database environment creation within the Data Analytics/Database Administration track. The overlap reflects that these foundational database skills are genuinely needed across multiple technical programs, each covering them with a slightly different emphasis suited to that program's focus.
A database that's well-designed and efficiently queried but vulnerable to data loss or unauthorized access has a critical practical gap, since real-world database systems must reliably protect and preserve the data they store, not just organize and retrieve it efficiently. CS-231 includes security and backup as core competencies because a database systems professional needs this protective knowledge as a fundamental part of the job, not as an optional specialization layered on top of core database skills.