FIT3176 Advanced database design
Faculty of Information Technology
FIT3176 Advanced database design is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Information Technology, offered in 2025 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It needs FIT3171 or FIT2094.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2026 entry.
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Requisites
Before FIT3176
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After FIT3176
No unit lists FIT3176 as a prerequisite in the 2025 handbook.
Overview
This unit will introduce advanced concepts in the areas of database design, including document-store, column-store, and graph database design; implementations in non-relational database systems.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | Flexible |
Assessment
- Assignment - MongoDBArtefact30%
- Assignment - Neo4j and CassandraArtefact30%
- Mid-semester TestQuiz / Test20%
- Final testQuiz / Test20%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Describe various non-relational database systems, including NoSQL;
- 2
Compare and contrast between relational and non-relational database design and model;
- 3
Design database systems using document-store and column-store design techniques;
- 4
Explain transactions systems in non-relational systems;
- 5
Implement and manipulate document-store and column-store database systems;
- 6
Investigate graph model in database systems;
- 7
Demonstrate graph query processing.
Workload and teaching
- Seminars24 hours
- Laboratories22 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled online and face to face learning activities and independent study. Independent study may include associated reading and preparation for scheduled teaching activities. Labs start from week 2.
Learning resources
Required resources
1. Coronel, C and Morris, S. (2017). Database Systems: Design, Implementation, and Management. (12th Edition) Cengage Learning (ISBN: 1305627482).
2. Sullivan, D. (2015). NoSQL for mere mortals. (1st Edition) Addison Wesley (ISBN: 0134023218)
Recommended resources
1. Elmasri, R and Navathe, S. (2017). Fundamentals of Database Systems. (7th Edition), Pearson.
2. Carey, P. and Vodnik, S. (2014). New Perspectives on XML, Comprehensive. (3rd Edition), Course Technology.
3. Smith, B. (2015). Beginning JSON. Apress. Bassett, L. (2015). Introduction to JavaScript Object Notation A To-the-Point Guide to JSON. O'Reilly Media.
Technology resources
Oracle SQL Developer, MongoDB Compass, MongoDB Server, Neo4j Desktop, Visual Studio Code, PyCharm, Apache Cassandra.
Where it fits
FIT3176 is part of 1 area of study in the 2025 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Aamir Cheema
Common questions
When is FIT3176 offered?
In 2025, FIT3176 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton.
How much work is FIT3176?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does FIT3176 have an exam?
No. FIT3176 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include FIT3176?
FIT3176 is part of Software engineering.