BOSTON UNIVERSITY ~ COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Computer Science 105
Introduction to Databases and Data Analysis

Course Overview

Databases are everywhere! For example:

• Retailers use data about customers and purchases to increase profits.
• Researchers analyze genomic data to find treatments for diseases.
• Online music and video services use data mining to deliver customized recommendations.
• Credit-card companies use data mining to discover credit-card fraud -- before you even realize it has happened.

How does all this work? CS 105 helps students understand how data is organized, analyzed, and displayed.
Topics include:

• relational databases and the SQL query language
• writing programs in Python to analyze data
• principles of data visualization
• data-mining techniques for discovering patterns in data.

At the end of the course, students apply the topics they have learned to a collection of data that interests them.

This course counts towards the Math/CS divisional studies requirement.

For More Information

• Check out the course's Hall of Fame to see some of the best student projects from past semesters.
• Consult the syllabus from this semester.
• Explore the course website.
• Contact the instructor, Dr. Sullivan (dgs @ cs . bu . edu).