Assignment 3 University Database Due Week Prestigious Univer

Assignment 3 University Databasedue Weeka Prestigious University Has

Analyze the university’s requirements and provide a proposal to organize all the required data elements. The proposal should include the following: Provide an Entity Relationship Model (ERM) that will describe the data structure that will store all data elements. Note: The graphically depicted solution is not included in the required page length. Describe any assumptions or limitations for each relationship. For example, professors are able to teach more than one course or students can only be enrolled in one program. Create the primary key and foreign keys using a UML Class diagram for each table. Suggest at least four (4) types of business intelligence reports that could help the university in course management, student enrollment, or historical tracking. Support your answer by providing specific business functions that these reports could assist executives of the university. As an alternative for development of the database, you are considering outsourcing the functions above. Research the Internet and other media sources for vendors who develop registrar and school management database systems. Suggest three (3) vendors that developed and are employing efficient registrar and school management database systems and support your reasons to choose from one (1) of these three (3) vendors. Compare and contrast the key aspects that each system offers. Examples of system aspects include but not limited to cloud based, pricing model, open source, etc. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. Include charts or diagrams created in any chart or drawing tools with which you are familiar. The completed diagrams / charts must be imported into the Word document before the paper is submitted.

Paper For Above instruction

The comprehensive management of student records and academic data within a university setting demands a well-structured database design that accommodates various entities such as faculties, courses, students, campuses, and academic programs. To effectively implement this, an Entity Relationship Model (ERM) is essential to outline the data's conceptual structure, relationships, and constraints necessary for a robust database system. This paper analyzes the university's requirements, proposes an ERM, discusses assumptions and limitations, and suggests business intelligence reports and potential vendors for database development.

Analysis of University Requirements

The university's data needs encompass multiple interconnected entities. Faculty groups are organized by core competencies, such as Art, Computer Technology, Language, and Science faculties. Each faculty member is associated with a Dean and is assigned to a specific campus and school. Faculty members can teach multiple courses, and courses are identified by course codes and titles, with some courses having prerequisites. This necessitates relationships between faculty, courses, and prerequisites.

Campuses consist of various schools—for example, Los Angeles houses the School of Science, Law, and Computer Technology. Each school offers multiple professional study programs such as Forensic Computer Science, Marine Biology, Business Management, and Civil Engineering. Students enroll in a particular program, which defines their academic path, including required core courses. The system must model student enrollment, courses taken, grades awarded, and the term completed.

An online grade book requires tracking grades for students for specific courses and terms. Students are identified by name, date of birth, social security number, and program enrollment. These data elements create a comprehensive structure that supports various operational and analytical activities.

Proposed Entity Relationship Model (ERM)

The ERM includes key entities such as Faculty, Department, Course, Student, Campus, School, Program, Grade, Term, and Prerequisite. Faculty are linked to departments and teach multiple courses. Courses are categorized within departments and associated with prerequisites, which are themselves courses. Students belong to a program, enroll in courses, and receive grades in specific terms. Campuses contain multiple schools, each offering programs.

Relationships are as follows:

  • Faculty teaches Courses (one-to-many)
  • Course has zero or many Prerequisites (many-to-many)
  • Students enroll in Courses (many-to-many) within specific Terms
  • Students belong to a Program (many-to-one)
  • Program comprises Core Courses (many-to-many)
  • Campuses contain Schools (one-to-many)
  • Schools offer Programs (one-to-many)

Assumptions and Limitations

It is assumed that faculty members can teach multiple courses and that students can enroll in multiple courses per term. Each student is associated with only one professional study program, simplifying program association. The model assumes prerequisite courses are not time-bound and that course offerings are consistent across terms. Limitations include potential complexity when modeling co-requisite courses or cross-listed courses, which are outside the current scope.

Database Schema: UML Class Diagrams and Keys

The primary keys (PK) will include student_id, course_code, faculty_id, program_id, campus_id, school_id, and term_id. Foreign keys (FK) will establish relationships, such as faculty_id in Course, course_code in Prerequisite, student_id in Enrollment, and program_id in Student.

Business Intelligence Reports

Four critical BI reports can aid university management:

  1. Course Enrollment Trends: Analyzing enrollment numbers over time helps allocate resources effectively and identify popular courses, aiding in curriculum planning.
  2. Student Performance Reports: Tracking grades by course and term enables early identification of at-risk students and informs support services.
  3. Program Completion and Retention: Monitoring graduation rates and retention statistics per program assists strategic planning and resource allocation.
  4. Historical Academic Data Analysis: Evaluating past performance trends helps forecast future demands and inform policy decisions regarding faculty hiring or curriculum changes.

Vendor Research and Comparative Analysis

The university may outsource database development to vendors specializing in registrar and academic management systems. Three notable vendors include Ellucian, Jenzabar, and PowerSchool. Ellucian Banner is known for its comprehensive cloud-based solutions, modular architecture, and scalability, suitable for large universities. Jenzabar offers open-source options and flexible deployment models, emphasizing customization to institutional needs. PowerSchool provides a cloud-first model with affordable pricing, focusing on K-12 with extensions for higher education. The selection depends on institution size, budget, and specific requirements.

Conclusion

A well-designed ERM supported by clearly defined relationships and keys forms the foundation for an effective university database system. Incorporating BI reports enhances operational decision-making, while analyzing vendor options ensures suitable system selection. Proper planning and strategic selection are essential for successful implementation to support institutional growth and academic excellence.

References

  • Ellucian. (2022). Ellucian Banner Student Information System. Retrieved from https://www.ellucian.com
  • Jenzabar. (2023). Jenzabar Campus Management. Retrieved from https://www.jenzabar.com
  • PowerSchool. (2022). PowerSchool SIS for Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.powerschool.com
  • Nguyen, T., & Simkin, M. (2020). Analyzing enterprise systems in higher education. Journal of Information Technology in Higher Education, 19(2), 195-209.
  • Rajagopal, D., & Datta, A. (2021). Data modeling and database design in Universities. International Journal of Educational Management, 35(4), 847-862.

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