SQL & Database Engineering

What you will be able to do

• Design a normalised relational schema with keys and constraints
• Write queries with joins, subqueries, CTEs and window functions
• Read a query plan and add the index that fixes a slow query
• Change data safely with transactions and understand isolation levels
• Create views and functions, and grant least-privilege access
• Back up, restore and migrate a database without losing data

About this course

Syllabus

This syllabus is a draft awaiting instructor review. Topics, order and schedule may change before the first batch is announced.

1. 01Relational foundations+3 live sessions · 6 hours · How relational databases model information, and a working PostgreSQL setup.

   Learning objectives

   • Explain tables, rows, keys and relationships
   • Install PostgreSQL and load the course dataset
   • Write simple SELECT queries with filtering and sorting

   Live sessions

   1. 01Why relational databases2 hTables, rows, columns and keys; one-to-many and many-to-many relationships; installing PostgreSQL and a query tool; loading the course dataset.
   2. 02Reading data with SELECT2 hSELECT, WHERE, comparison and logical operators, IN, BETWEEN, LIKE, NULL and three-valued logic, ORDER BY and LIMIT.
   3. 03Week 1 practice and doubt-clearing2 hGuided exercises on filtering and sorting; common NULL mistakes; open questions.

   Practice

   Twenty short querying exercises on the course dataset, checked against expected results.

   Assessment

   Quiz on keys, relationships and NULL handling.

   You will be able to

   You can explore an unfamiliar database and answer single-table questions accurately.

2. 02Modelling and combining data+3 live sessions · 6 hours · Design normalised schemas and answer questions that span several tables.

   Learning objectives

   • Normalise a design to third normal form and know when to stop
   • Create tables with primary keys, foreign keys, CHECK and UNIQUE constraints
   • Combine tables with inner, left and self joins

   Live sessions

   1. 04Schema design and normalisation2 hEntities and relationships, normal forms (1NF–3NF), choosing data types, primary keys versus natural keys.
   2. 05Constraints and joins2 hCREATE TABLE with constraints; INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE; inner, left and self joins; avoiding accidental row multiplication.
   3. 06Aggregation and grouping2 hCOUNT, SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX; GROUP BY and HAVING; aggregates with joins; doubt-clearing.

   Practice

   Model a booking system from a written brief, then load and query it.

   Assessment

   Assignment: submit the schema (SQL) with an entity-relationship diagram and ten queries.

   You will be able to

   You can turn requirements into a sound schema and report on it with joins and aggregates.

3. 03Advanced querying+3 live sessions · 6 hours · Subqueries, CTEs and window functions for real reporting questions.

   Learning objectives

   • Choose between subqueries, CTEs and joins
   • Use window functions for rankings, running totals and comparisons
   • Write readable, maintainable SQL

   Live sessions

   1. 07Subqueries and common table expressions2 hScalar, row and table subqueries; EXISTS versus IN; WITH clauses; recursive CTEs for hierarchies.
   2. 08Window functions2 hOVER, PARTITION BY and ORDER BY; ROW_NUMBER, RANK, LAG, LEAD; running totals and moving averages.
   3. 09Reporting workshop and doubt-clearing2 hSolve business questions end to end; reviewing each other’s SQL for clarity.

   Practice

   A reporting pack of twelve questions on enrolments, attendance and payments.

   Assessment

   Timed quiz on CTEs and window functions (auto-marked).

   You will be able to

   You can answer complex reporting questions with clear, correct SQL.

4. 04Performance and transactions+3 live sessions · 6 hours · Make queries fast and keep concurrent changes correct.

   Learning objectives

   • Read EXPLAIN ANALYZE output and identify the costly step
   • Create B-tree, composite and partial indexes for real query patterns
   • Use transactions and isolation levels to prevent anomalies

   Live sessions

   1. 10Indexes and query plans2 hHow B-tree indexes work, EXPLAIN and EXPLAIN ANALYZE, sequential versus index scans, composite and partial indexes, when an index hurts.
   2. 11Transactions and concurrency2 hACID, BEGIN/COMMIT/ROLLBACK, isolation levels, lost updates and how to prevent them, row locking and deadlocks.
   3. 12Tuning lab and doubt-clearing2 hDiagnose and fix slow queries on a larger generated dataset.

   Practice

   Speed up five slow queries and record before-and-after timings with the plans.

   Assessment

   Assignment: a short tuning report explaining each index you added and why.

   You will be able to

   You can find and fix slow queries and write changes that are safe under concurrency.

5. 05Operating a database safely+3 live sessions · 6 hours · Views, functions, security, backups and migrations — then the final project.

   Learning objectives

   • Create views and SQL functions for reuse
   • Apply roles, grants and row-level security for least privilege
   • Back up, restore and migrate a database safely

   Live sessions

   1. 13Views, functions and database security2 hViews and materialised views, SQL and PL/pgSQL functions, roles and GRANT, row-level security, protecting against SQL injection.
   2. 14Backups, restores and migrations2 hpg_dump and pg_restore, point-in-time recovery concepts, writing reversible migrations, changing schemas without downtime.
   3. 15Final project review and assessment2 hLive project reviews with feedback; final assessment.

   Practice

   Run a full backup-and-restore drill and a schema migration on your project database.

   Assessment

   Final project submission and a final assessment (pass mark 60%).

   You will be able to

   You can operate a small production database responsibly.

Teaching formats and fees

Every format teaches the full syllabus live, with the same projects, assessments and certificate rules. The fee is per student for the whole course.

Launch fee — GST treatment to be confirmed.

Fees are set in Indian rupees. Amounts in other currencies are estimates; the amount and currency you would pay are shown before payment once online enrolment opens.

Schedules and batches

Choose the schedule that fits your week. Both teach the same syllabus and the same 30 live hours; only the number of weeks differs.

• Weekday Intensive classes are one hour, so each 2 h syllabus session is taught across consecutive weekday classes.
• Weekend Evening classes run on Saturday and Sunday evenings; the exact time and time zone are set before a batch is confirmed.
• Public holidays are not class days unless the instructor confirms a class. Holidays, instructor leave and cancelled classes move the end date later so no live hours are lost.
• Plan about 4 hours a week of exercises, assignments and project work outside class.
• Group, Duo and One-to-One courses all follow one of these two schedules.

Final project

Certificate

Tools and skills

Where these skills apply

• Backend and full-stack development
• Data and reporting work
• Software testing that verifies stored data
• Application support and operations

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