SWEN 432Advanced Database Design and Implementation
This course explores a selection of the following topics: XML Databases, Cloud Databases, Data Warehouse and Object-Relational Databases. It examines features of these advanced database systems and analyses the new applications they facilitate.
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Course details
- Dates
- 6 Jul 2026 to 8 Nov 2026
- Starts
- Trimester 2
- Fees
- NZ$1,269.45 for domestic students
- International fees
- NZ$5,806.35
- Lecture start times
- Tuesday 2.10pm
- Friday 2.10pm
- Campus
- Kelburn
- Estimated workload
- Approximately 150 hours or 8.3 hours per week for 18 weeks.
- Points
- 15
Entry restrictions
- Prerequisites
- SWEN 304 or 435; 15 further 300-level AIML, COMP, CYBR, NWEN or SWEN pts;
- Corequisites
- None
- Restrictions
- INFO 311
Taught by
School of Engineering and Computer Science—Faculty of Science and Engineering
About this course
SWEN 432 is an advanced course in database and information systems. Databases and information systems facilitate handling of large amounts of information. The information we want to process is now more complicated and diverse than it used to be. We require more intelligent, application-specific, and sophisticated systems to do processing.This year the course will examine the following two contemporary fields in the database systems area:
- NoSQL Databases, and
- Data Warehousing.
The NoSQL Database field will consider questions like: what are main features of NoSQL databases and how they differ from traditional databases, and also what are trade-offs in NoSQL database implementations. Further, data models used by NoSQL database management systems will be investigated. Details of NoSQL database management systems implementations and application will also be presented.
The Data Warehouse field will consider questions like: what is a Data Warehouse and what is it used for, how is data organized in a Data Warehouse, what operations and queries are executed against a Data Warehouse, SQL:1999 standard and Data Warehouse, query accelerating techniques, what are the contemporary Data Warehouse architectures, and the issues of implementing a data Warehouse. An assignment will use PostgreSQL to demonstrate issues in designing, building and querying Data Warehouses.
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course should be able to:
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of NoSQL database structures and mechanisms they use to achieve high availability, scalability, network partition tolerance, and eventual consistency (BE graduate attributes 2(b) and 3(b)).
Design, implement, and query NoSQL databases using NoSQL database management systems (BE graduate attributes 3(a), 3(c) and 3(f)).
Design, implement, and query a relational Data Warehouse (BE graduate attributes 3(a), 3(c) and 3(f)).
How this course is taught
This course will be offered primarily in-person for students in Wellington and can attend on campus, the primary teaching format will be in-person. For students who cannot attend on campus (such as enrolled from overseas), there will be web/internet based resources such as lecture notes, recorded lecture videos and assessments provided online.
During the trimester there will be two lectures per week. Some lecture times will be used for tutorials or discussions.
Assessment
- Final Exam (2 hours duration) Type: IndividualMark: 60%
- Assignment 1 Mark: 18%
- Assignment 2 Mark: 20%
- Discussions Type: Group WorkMark: 2%
Assessment dates and extensions
Once you've signed up to this course, you can use to see due dates for assessments and information about extensions.
Mandatory requirements
Find out what you must do to pass this course.
In addition to achieving an overall pass mark of at least 50% students must:
- Achieve at least 40% overall for all assignments.
- Achieve at least a D grade in the final test.
If you believe that exceptional circumstances may prevent you from meeting the mandatory course requirements, contact the course coordinator for advice as soon as possible.
Lecture times and rooms
What you’ll need to get
You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.
Who to contact
Selected offering
SWEN 432
6 Jul–8 Nov 2026
Trimester 2 · CRN 18670