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CSE 532-01 (93734) Database Systems (Fall 2026)

Time: MW 3:30-4:50pm (Aug 24 - Dec 7)

Location: JAVITS LECTR 109 WESTCAMPUS

Announcements

  • (Aug 24, 2026) First day! Please join Piazza for class notifications and discussions.

IMPORTANT information for course selection

Although sharing the same class code, this course is not the same course of the past 532 Theory of Database. This is a more systems course on the database topic emphasizing on systems design and implementation. It has a very different focus and interest on the goals and requirements. Please be aware of this before you sign up the class.

Course information

Database systems are the foundation of modern data-driven applications, from cloud services to distributed platforms handling billions of users worldwide. This class teaches both fundamental concepts and cutting-edge techniques in modern database systems. We cover classical topics including transaction processing, concurrency control, SQL and indexing, alongside contemporary developments in cloud databases and distributed systems.

The course emphasizes real-world systems through influential research papers from companies like Google, Facebook/Meta, Amazon, and Snowflake. Students will study how theoretical concepts are implemented in production systems like Spanner, TiDB, MongoDB, and CockroachDB.

The course consists of lectures covering both theory and practice, with readings from top-tier systems conferences (OSDI, SIGMOD, VLDB, NSDI). There are three exams, student presentations, and a team project; there are no labs.

Prerequisites:

  • Data Structures and Algorithms
  • Database
  • System-level programming experience

Exams, Project, and Grading

  • Exams (60%). Three in-class exams. We keep your two best scores (30% each). You may skip one exam. No makeup tests will be offered.
  • Presentations (10%). Four student talks per presentation day (~15 min plus ~3 min Q&A). See the schedule for dates. Grading is subjective.
  • Project (30%). A team project (~3 people). Treat it as a workshop paper or conference poster: usually 2–6 double-column pages, plus a presentation. It should be a useful/impactful tool, a cool research idea, or a reexamination of existing work with different conclusions. Grading is subjective. AI is encouraged on the project.
  • Subjective ratings (presentation and project): Excellent 10, Good 8, Meeting expectation 6, Need improvement 4, Not acceptable 2, Missing 0 (out of 10).