Suffolk University – Sawyer Business School
ISOM-323 ● Database Management
Spring, 2019 ● TTH 10:50-12:05 ● Sawyer 523
Instructor:
Email:
Phone:
Office:
Office Hours:

Laurie Zouharis
lzouharis@suffolk.edu – Put ISOM 323 in the subject line of all messages you send to me.
(617) 573-8331 (ISOM Dept)
120 Tremont St., Sargent Hall, 5th floor, #5633, outside of office hours I am usually at Sawyer 5th floor.
Tuesdays 12:00-1:30, 3:00-4:30 and in my office SGT 5633, and by appointment. Outside of these office
hours, on Tuesdays and Thursdays you can usually find me in my office during activities period or in the
Sawyer building, 5th floor classrooms. Feel free to come by in between classes. I will also hold weekly
online office hours at various times.
Course Description
This course provides an understanding of the role of information and databases in information systems and their role as an
organizational resource. Students learn to design databases using normalization and entity-relationship diagrams, develop
data models and to build applications with database management systems (i.e., Microsoft Access and SQL). Techniques
are examined and applied to business problems through exercises and projects. The course’s cornerstone is a project
involving the implementation of a DBMS which supports a realistic business application which also includes the
development of a companion user’s manual.
Prerequisites: ISOM 210
Credit Hours: 3, Students must spend an average of 9 hours per week inside and outside of class for 15 weeks.
This course follows the Federal Government’s Credit Hour definition.

Textbook/Course Materials and Accounts
1. New Perspectives on Microsoft® Access 2013, Comprehensive 1st Edition, Adamski/Finnegan, ISBN10:
1285099206, ISBN13: 9781285099200, Find it online
2. SQL for Microsoft Office Access (SQL Made Simple Book 1), Kindle eBook, by Fish Davis, Find it online
3. Microsoft Access 2016, available in the Sawyer computer lab or desktop.suffolk.edu
4. A flash drive or cloud storage for saving course work. You can create a Microsoft OneDrive account for free at
https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/ (Note: This also gives you access to a scaled-down version of Office.)
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SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Suffolk University – Sawyer Business School
ISOM-323 ● Database Management
Spring, 2019 ● TTH 10:50-12:05 ● Sawyer 523

Course Goals & Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion
of this course, students will
know/understand:
Know types of databases and
the main
components/functions of a
database management system.
Understand data modeling,
including entities, attributes,
relationships and business
rules.
Know the characteristics of a
table in a relational database
model and types of
relationships.
Upon successful completion of this course, students
will be able to:

Identify the various types of databases and the main
components and functions of any database
management system.


Discover business rules.
Translate business rules into data model
components.
Create an Entity Relationship Diagram
Explain the primary key, entity integrity and
describe the characteristics of a good primary key.
Identify foreign keys, define referential integrity,
identify and resolve referential integrity violations.
Identify data redundancy and ways to avoid it.
Read and create an Entity Relationship Model
including notations for connectivity and cardinality.




Know how to read and create 
an Entity Relationship Model
using different notations.
Understand normalization and 
the normal forms.
Know commands and
functions of SQL for data
administration, manipulation
and querying.

Know how to use MS Access
to create a relational database
including defining tables,
relationships, queries, forms,
reports, macros and modules.
Know how to share, integrate
and analyze data using MS
Access.
Know how to automate tasks
using macros, SQL, and a
user interface.


Transform tables into third normal form.



Write SQL code to:
 Create and modify table designs.
 Add, edit and delete data.
 Query using conditions, logical operators,
arithmetic operators and special operators.
 Perform aggregate functions.
Create a database in MS Access.
Create tables, queries, forms, reports, macros and
modules.
Define Relationships.
Create advanced queries, custom forms and reports.
Import, export and link data from multiple sources.

Write macros, SQL and create a user interface.
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How the student will be
assessed on these learning
outcomes
Class work, Homework and
Quizzes
Class work, Homework,
Quizzes and a Final
comprehensive database
project
Class work, Homework,
Quizzes and a Final
comprehensive project
Class work, Homework,
Quizzes and a Final
comprehensive project
Class work, Homework,
Quizzes and a Final
comprehensive project
Class work, Homework,
Quizzes and a Final
comprehensive project
Class work, Homework, and
a Final comprehensive
project
Class work, Homework, and
a Final comprehensive
project
Class work, Homework, and
a Final comprehensive
project
Suffolk University – Sawyer Business School
ISOM-323 ● Database Management
Spring, 2019 ● TTH 10:50-12:05 ● Sawyer 523

Assignments/Projects/Quizzes/Exams
 Students will be assigned weekly take-home assignments.
 Students will create and present a database application.
 Multiple chapter quizzes/Exams will be administered.

Grading/Evaluation
Attendance/ Participation/Professionalism
2 points per class
Professionalism
Class Work
2-10 points each
Homework
5-30 points each
Quizzes/Exams
Final Project
15-60 points each
45 points
Point values and totals are subject to change.
All grades will be posted on Blackboard.
You can calculate your grade at any time by doing the following:
 Add up all the points you received.
 Add up all the possible points.
 Divide your points by the possible points.
 Attendance/Participation and Professionalism will also be added in at the end of the semester, but will not be
posted on Blackboard.
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SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Suffolk University – Sawyer Business School
ISOM-323 ● Database Management
Spring, 2019 ● TTH 10:50-12:05 ● Sawyer 523

Policies
This course abides by university policies: http://www.suffolk.edu/explore/54511.php
Attendance/ Participation/ Professionalism
Attendance at every class meeting is required. A student who is tardy for class or leaves class early may be regarded
as absent. If a student must miss class, the student must complete all work missed prior to the next class meeting.
Students are also expected to exhibit professionalism. Arrive to class on time and stay for the entire class period. Do
not engage in texting or social media during class. Use of Cell phones is not permitted in the classroom and will
result in a 0 for attendance/participation for the day.
Academic Honesty
Students are permitted to exchange ideas, not electronic data. Submitting another student’s work as your own is
unacceptable and will result in a zero for the assignment for you and the student that gave you their work. In addition,
the Dean of Students may be notified.
Inclement weather
If the university cancels classes, students are expected to continue with assignments as originally scheduled.
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SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Suffolk University – Sawyer Business School
ISOM-323 ● Database Management
Spring, 2019 ● TTH 10:50-12:05 ● Sawyer 523

Tentative course schedule
Week
Topic
Notes
1/13
Intro/Access Tutorial 1
1/20
Access Tutorial 1
1/27
Access Tutorial 2
2/3
Access Tutorial 3
2/10
Appendix A-1
Access Tutorial 4
2/17
Access Tutorial 5
2/24
Access Tutorial 6
3/3
Appendix A-2
Access Tutorial 7
3/17
SQL
3/24
SQL
3/31
Access Tutorial 9
4/7
Access Tutorial 10
4/14
Access Tutorial 11
4/16 No Class Suffolk Monday
4/21
Big Data
Project Database Consults
Project Database Peer Reviews
4/28
Presentations
Final Exam Week(s) – See your schedule on
MySuffolk for date, time and location
4/28
All students are required to
take the final exam as
scheduled
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SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Suffolk University – Sawyer Business School
ISOM-323 ● Database Management
Spring, 2019 ● TTH 10:50-12:05 ● Sawyer 523
All assignments must be uploaded to the Homework button in Blackboard by 8:00 AM on the due date for full credit
(even if there is no class on that day). Late submissions will be penalized 3 points per day. After five days, the
assignment will only be considered for one point of extra credit at the end of the semester. Computer problems will
not excuse students for submitting assignments late. Always keep a backup of your work!
Be careful when submitting work. The file that you submit is the file that is graded. If you submit the wrong file and
ask for it to be removed so that you can submit a different file, it will be considered late. Students are expected to
submit the correct file by 8:00 AM on the due date.

Homework Assignments
Assignment
Page
Due Dates*
Access Tutorial 1
Case Problem 1 Page AC 46-47
1/29
Access Tutorial 2
Case Problem 1 Page AC 107-108
2/5
Access Tutorial 3
Case Problem 1 Page AC 172-173
2/12
Access Tutorial 4
Case Problem 1 Page AC 223-225
2/19
Project Proposal
See Final Project Instructions
2/19
Access Tutorial 5 (30 points)
Case Problem 1 Page AC 295-29
2/26
Access Tutorial 6
Case Problem 1 Page AC 375-376
3/5
Project Specifications
See Final Project Instructions
3/5
Access Tutorial 7
Case Problem 1 Page AC 436-437
3/19
SQL 1
Exercises 1-30
3/26
SQL 2
Exercises 31-67
4/2
Project First Draft
See Final Project Instructions
4/2
Access Tutorial 9
Case Problem 1 Page AC 542
4/9
Access Tutorial 10
Case Problem 1 Page AC 600
4/16
Project Second Draft
See Final Project Instructions
4/18
Access Tutorial 11
Case Problem 1 Page AC 644 (Optional to replace your
lowest 15 point Access Homework Assignment)
4/23
Project Database Presentations
4/30
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SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Suffolk University – Sawyer Business School
ISOM-323 ● Database Management
Spring, 2019 ● TTH 10:50-12:05 ● Sawyer 523

Quizzes/Exams
Quiz/Exam Topic
Date
Access Tutorial 1
2/7
Access Tutorial 2
2/14
Access Tutorial 3
2/21
Appendix A-1
Access Tutorial 4
2/28
Access Tutorial 5
3/7
Access Tutorial 6
3/21
Appendix A-2
Access Tutorial 7
3/28
SQL 1
SQL 2
4/11
Access Tutorial 9
4/18
Access Tutorial 10
4/25
Access Tutorial 11
No Quiz
Big Data
Final Exam Week(s)
See your schedule on MySuffolk for date, time and location
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