CS5614 Database Management Systems

Spring, 2026
Instructor: Chang-Tien Lu
Meeting Time: Tu/Th 12:30-1:45 PM
Classroom: ICAB 3140
Office: ICAB 5712
Office Hour: M 4-5PM, W 4-5PM, or by appointment
TA Office Hour: ICAB 57.05, Tu 10-11AM, Th 10-11AM, or by appointment

Course Description: Emphasizes concepts, data models, mechanisms, and language aspects concerned with definition, organization, and manipulation of data at a logical level. Concentrates on relational model, plus some semantic, logic-based, object-oriented, and knowledge-based modeling. Functional dependency and normalization of relations. Relational algebra, relational calculus, mapping languages, graphical languages.

TextBook (required):

Fundamentals of Database Systems (7th Edition) Ramez Elmasri, Shamkant B. Navathe Pearson, 2015 ISBN-13: 9780133970777

Reference Book

Database Management Systems (Third Edition) Raghu Ramakrishnan and Johannes Gehrke Publisher: McGraw-Hill College ISBN-10: 0072465638 ISBN-13: 978-0072465631

Tentative Schedule:

                The schedule indicates the concepts and material to be covered in each week under the column labeled "Topics".

Examinations and Assignments:

There are two homework assignments. Homework assignments are due at the start of class. If you have an excused absence, you must turn in the homework assignment prior to the class session. All assignments must include your name, student ID, and course name/number.

The grading scheme is as follows: Homework Assignments (2): 0%; Midterm I: 25%; Midterm II: 30%; Final Project: 45% (Presentation: 12%, Report: 33%); Class Discussion and Participation: 5%. Students are responsible for all material covered in lectures. Examinations will place a strong emphasis on conceptual understanding of the material.

Late Submission Policy: 

Assignments must be submitted at the beginning of class on the specified due date. If an assignment is late, a penalty of 30% will be deducted from your score for the first 24 hours. A penalty of 70% will be deducted for submissions more than 24 hours late. Late submissions will not be accepted after three days, and weekend days will be counted. For all assignments, you are encouraged to type your answers.

AI Policy: 

In this course, use of generative AI tools is permitted for all assignments, given that the student is using the AI tool to contribute to their learning of the course content, but not to replace original work. You must properly acknowledge when and how AI tools have been used in your submissions. Failure to disclose AI use or submitting AI-generated work as entirely your own without critical engagement will constitute a violation of the Honor Code. 

Honor System: 

All work must be completed in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Tech Honor System. Students may discuss the interpretation of an assignment; however, the actual solutions must be their own. The tenets of the Virginia Tech Graduate Honor Code will be strictly enforced in this course, and all assignments are subject to the stipulations of the Graduate Honor Code. If I learn that a student has violated the Honor Code, I am obligated to report the violation. For more information on the Graduate Honor Code, please refer to the GHS Constitution, available online at:
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/expectations/graduate-honor-system/ghs-constitution.html

Disabilities:

Any student who requires special accommodations due to a disability, as recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in the Dean of Students Office. Students with disabilities are responsible for self-identification. To be eligible for services, documentation of the disability from a qualified professional must be provided to SSD upon request. Academic adjustments may include, but are not limited to: priority registration, auxiliary aids, program and course adjustments, exam modifications, oral or sign language interpreters, audio recording of materials, note takers/readers, or assistive technology.

If you need adaptations or accommodations because of a disability (learning disability, attention deficit disorder, psychological, physical, etc.), if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please schedule an appointment with me as soon as possible. If you require captioning for videos, please notify me no later than two weeks prior to the date listed on the syllabus for viewing.

For more information, please visit the SSD website: https://ssd.vt.edu

Helpful Comments: 

To get full benefit out of the class you have to work independently and regularly. Read the textbook before the class and start working on the assignments soon after they are handed out. Plan to spend at least 10 hrs a week on this class doing assignments or reading.

Good Luck, and Welcome to CS 5614!
Chang-Tien Lu