California State University, Chico
Department of Computer Science

Syllabus/Course Requirements

Course Number: CSCI 397C

Course Title: Introduction to Oracle 8 - SQL and PL/SQL Programming

Course Times and Locations:      TuTh 9:30-10:45 OCNL 431 (Lecture and Lab)

                                                        Hours Lab Set Aside for our Class Only: TuTh 8-9:30 AM

                                                                                                                            MW noon-2 PM

Instructor: Dr. Melody Callan

Instructor's Office Hours: TuTh 11am -12:30pm and by appointment in OCNL 208

Faculty Phone: (530) 898-5617 , message 898-6442

Email: melody@ecst.csuchico.edu

Textbooks:

Course Description: This course will cover the SQL programming language from basic SQL through restricting and sorting data, writing functions, displaying data from multiple tables, using group functions and subqueries.  We will cover formatting output in SQL*Plus as well as inserts, updates and deletes on data.  We will cover creation of tables, constraints, views and other database objects.  The course will then focus on PL/SQL and how to declare variables, write executable statements and interact with the Oracle server.  We will work with writing control structures, composite datatypes, explicit cursors, and exception handling.  We will learn how to write embedded SQL in our applications.  We will cover all 23 lessons in the Oracle Course Manuals and complete the bulk of the lab exercises from these manuals.

Course Goals: Students are expected to become proficient at SQL and PL/SQL programming as a result of a solid effort in this course.  Students who perform well in this course by comprehending the lectures, scoring well on quizzes and completing all laboratory exercises have a strong chance of passing the Certification Exam for "Introduction to Oracle: SQL and PL/SQL Programming".

Course Notes: In Oracle Course Manuals, the Oracle Lab (OCNL 431) and on the web from my web page.

Web Page: www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~melody/ (watch for Live Courses for Fall 2000 -  CSCI 397C - SQL and PL/SQL materials)

Mandatory Attendance Policy:  It is mandatory that you attend both the lectures and labs for this course.  You can be dropped from the course for non-attendance.  If you are ill, you must notify Dr. Callan via email right away.   If you are ill for more than one class in a row, you must provide a Doctor's excuse.  You may be excused for family emergencies.  Non-attendance due to workload in this course or other courses is not acceptable as an excuse.   A seating chart will be made and your attendance will be noted daily.  There are more than a dozen students that were trying to add this course and were turned away, so your seat in this course is quite valuable.

Note:  Are you sure you are taking the right course?  This course assumes some maturity in database management systems in understanding good relational database design (ER and Object Modeling, normalization).  It is mandatory that you have had the equivalent of 273M as a prerequisite.  If you have not had this prerequisite, you need to drop the course and enroll in 273M.

Plagiarism/Cheating Policy:  Anyone who as determined by the Instructor/TA has copied any part of another students work will automatically receive a grade of "F" for the course.  Anyone cheating on an exam will receive a grade of "F" for the course.

Course Assignments:

There will be lab exercises assigned from the Oracle Course Manuals.  Students will need to demonstrate completion of these exercises by printing out the solutions while completing each lab.  There will also be additional labs assigned on top of those in the Course Manuals.

Policy on Turning in Lab and Homework Assignments:   Due dates are firm.  No late assignments will be accepted unless serious illness or other excused absences merit allowances in the judgment of the instructor.

Grade Evaluation Procedures:  Students will be graded based on their performance in the following course components -

First Assignment: Read Lesson 1 and 2 from your Introduction to Oracle 8: SQL and PL/SQL  Course Manual, Volume 1.  Complete Exercise 1, pages 1-35 through 1-38 of your Course Manuals.  Send email to melody@ecst.csuchico.edu right away with your full name, the courses you have taken including whether or not you have had the equivalent of our CSCI 273M, the languages and applications you know, your experience with database management systems and your interest in this class and in computer science in general.