CS206BKK
Basics of Databases
Faculty
Veronika Shukhman
Data Platform Engineer at Clarify
Course length
Duration
Total hours
Credits
Language
Course type
Fee for single course
Fee for degree students
Skills you’ll learn
Overview
This course introduces the principles of relational database design, SQL fundamentals, transactions, and query execution, while providing an overview of non-relational and analytical database systems. Students will explore how different database models evolved to address different engineering challenges and learn how to select appropriate technologies for a variety of real-world applications.
Learning highlights
- Understand why databases emerged and what problems they solve.
- Learn the principles of relational database design.
- Apply fundamental SQL querying techniques.
- Understand transactional systems and ACID properties.
- Compare relational and non-relational database models.
- Explore analytical databases and modern data architectures.
- Learn how to select appropriate database technologies for different business and engineering scenarios.
Course outline
15 classes
Session 1
History of data storage. Why databases emerged. The relational model.
Session 2
Tables, rows, columns and schemas. Data types. Entities and relationships.
Session 3
Normalisation. Data redundancy. Database schema design.
Session 4
SQL fundamentals. Retrieving, filtering and aggregating data. Joining tables. Translating business questions into SQL.
Session 5
Transactions. ACID principles. Data integrity. Constraints. Concurrency control.
Session 6
Query execution, indexes, and database performance. Reading basic query plans.
Session 7
Key-Value databases. Document databases. Graph databases. Wide-column databases. Typical use cases.
Session 8
Document databases. JSON data model. Flexible schemas. JSON support in relational databases.
Session 9
OLTP and OLAP systems.
Session 10
Selecting the right database. Performance trade-offs. Real-world database architectures.
Session 11
Designing database solutions for real-world applications. Translating business requirements into database schemas.
Session 12
Selecting database technologies. Architectural trade-offs.
Session 13
Current Trends in Database Systems. AI-assisted querying. Future directions.
Session 14
Review of database concepts.Open discussion. Exam preparation.
Session 15
Final Project (exam).
Prerequisites
Basic computer literacy.
Introductory programming knowledge.
Familiarity with variables, functions, and basic data structures is recommended but not required.
Methodology
The course combines conceptual lectures, guided demonstrations, hands-on SQL exercises, schema-design tasks, and case-based discussions. Students will work individually and in groups to translate business requirements into database models, analyse architectural trade-offs, and select appropriate database technologies for practical scenarios.
Week 1: Foundations of database systems and relational databases.
Week 2: SQL, query processing, transactions, and database internals.
Week 3: Modern database architectures, NoSQL systems, and analytical databases.
Grading
Veronika is a Data Engineer specialising in data platforms and analytics architecture. She designs and builds end-to-end data platforms, including data pipelines, analytical infrastructure, and AI-assisted solutions, leveraging modern cloud technologies.
Alongside her work in the tech industry, teaching has always been an integral part of her professional journey. Her teaching philosophy is based on one simple idea: true learning begins with understanding. Rather than focusing on memorisation, she encourages students to build intuition, think critically, and understand the fundamental principles that remain valuable long after individual tools and technologies evolve.
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Basics of Databases
by Veronika Shukhman
Total hours
45 Hours
Dates
Nov 30 - Dec 18, 2026
Fee for single course
€1500
Fee for degree students
€750
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