PACE NONCREDIT COURSE:
Intermediate SQL
Areas of Study
Course Type
Overview
Hours: 24 | Duration: 6 Weeks
When it comes to query language for relational database management systems, SQL is the industry benchmark. This hands-on course will help you advance your knowledge and keep pace with today’s SQL standards. You will practice designing, writing, and testing complex SQL queries to execute on a practice database using SQL Server Express.
Key Concepts
Curriculum
A new session of each course starts monthly. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when lessons are released. You will have access to all lessons until the course ends. However, the interactive discussion area that accompanies each lesson will automatically close two weeks after the lesson is released. As such, we strongly recommend that you complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
The final exam will be released on the same day as the last lesson. Once the final exam has been released, you will have two weeks to complete all of your course work, including the final exam.
Week One
Lesson 01 – SQL Review
Wednesday
In this introductory lesson, you will review SQL and database terms and concepts. You will also install SQL Server Express and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to use throughout the course in the learn-by-doing practices. And, you will use SQL code scripts to create a practice database in SQL Server.
Lesson 02 – Joining Multiple Tables
Friday
In this lesson, you will learn about join statements and how to join queries make it possible to retrieve data from more than one table. You’ll also practice how to write well-designed join queries that retrieve result-sets that meet your requirements.
Week Two
Lesson 03 – Filtering Rows
Wednesday
Databases can contain massive amounts of data. Learning how to filter the rows that will limit the result-set is extremely important. In this lesson, you will explore various ways to write SQL queries that retrieve a filtered result-set that meets defined criteria.
Lesson 04 – Grouping and Summarizing Rows
Friday
Because of the size of databases, it is important to design SQL queries that retrieve results-sets with data that is organized. In this lesson, you will practice designing queries that group similar data and summarize result-sets. You will explore aggregate functions and how they can be used in producing result-sets that can be used for data analysis.
Week Three
Lesson 05 – Subqueries
Wednesday
Subqueries are SQL queries that are written inside another SQL query. Subqueries are used to perform intricate requirements on complex data subsets to retrieve specific data from the database. You will practice writing various subqueries using the practice database.
Lesson 06 – Tables and Data Maintenance
Friday
This lesson is about maintaining the database and data. You will practice using SQL code to modify and add table structures and add new data records. You will also learn about writing SQL queries to modify and delete tables structures and data. Understanding how to write queries to modify, add, and delete is important in order to maintain a database and data that are accurate and up to date.
Week Four
Lesson 07 – Unions and Other Joins
Wednesday
Unions are used to retrieve data from more than one table. Instead of returning columns from different tables, a union SQL query combines rows for columns that are the same datatype. In this lesson, you will practice writing SQL queries that retrieve data from multiple tables with specific requirements.
Lesson 08 – Using String and Date Functions
Friday
SQL built-in functions are useful when applied in the right situations. In this lesson, you will work with string and date functions and write SQL queries to retrieve result-sets that manipulate and display data that may be easier to read and understand.
Week Five
Lesson 09 – Stored Procedures
Wednesday
User-defined functions are called stored procedures. A stored procedure is a query that is written, saved, and ready to be reused whenever needed. In this lesson, you will practice defining, writing, saving, and executing stored procedures.
Lesson 10 – Indexes and Views
Friday
Indexes are important to database performance. Views are used to simplify access and to secure accessibility to the data. In this lesson, these concepts will be explored and examined as you practice defining and creating SQL queries.
Week Six
Lesson 11 – Triggers
Wednesday
A trigger is a user-defined stored procedure that is used for maintaining the database. Once a trigger has been defined and is implemented in the database, it is automatically executed when applicable. In this lesson, you will practice defining, writing, and saving triggers.
Lesson 12 – SQL Server Management Studio
Friday
Understanding the database and its parts is a necessary component of learning SQL. It is difficult to develop and write efficient and well-designed queries without knowing the database and table structures. This last lesson presents SQL queries that retrieve database information. You will also explore the SSMS to make use of its functions as you continue your SQL journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moodle & Zoom
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Course Requirements
Hardware Requirements: Software Requirements: Other: Instructional Material Requirements: The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
Course Prerequisites
Instructor(s):
Mava Wilson, Ph.D.
Mava Wilson, Ph.D., is a professor with more than 28 years of teaching experience. While she specializes in Information Systems (IS), she has taught several computer science topics, including basic computer literacy, programming, database design, and SQL. She holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in computing technology from Nova Southeastern University, as well as a bachelor’s in administrative systems from Radford University.
