Mission and Vision
The aim of the Bachelor degree is to equip graduates with fundamental skills, knowledge and competencies to sustain their professional life in the Information Systems field.
Mission
Our mission is to administer the academic program to our students with ultimate effectiveness so that they can easily achieve their goals in business life.
Vision
Our vision is to be a role model for all who seek intellectual vitality in a learner-centered and socially responsible academic community in computer information systems.
Objectives of the Degree Programme
As a result of the recent advances and innovations in communications technology, internet, and related fields, computers have become part of everyday life. Computer Information Systems is currently one of the fastest growing fields and the demand for graduates in this field is increasing all the time. The Degree programme offered by the faculty aims to train students in this field and prepare them for a career in computer related jobs.
Students will develop the necessary skills in all aspects of the software development cycle and will have an excellent background in analysing, comparing, and using various application programs. Computer information systems is currently used in all government offices, in public places such as in hospitals, in educational institutions, in private offices,
in shops and in all types of businesses. As a result of this, one of the objectives of the degree programme is to teach the basic business skills to students in addition to the computer related topics so that the students become more competitive in the job market. The department strongly believes that by integrating the information technology with business
processes the students’ acquire all the necessary professional skills demanded in the current competitive market place.
The programme is well structured and has been designed with the aim of providing an excellent foundation in many areas of the current computer technology. The programme offers courses in computer software, database systems, computer architecture, operating systems, computer networks, mobile devices, organisational skills, and business
applications of computers. In addition, the program aims to teach and develop the leadership skills of students so that they can take managerial positions and be leaders in their future careers and work in harmony to ensure that the organisation they are working for achieves its targets. The department also aims to ensure that those students who wish
to continue into the postgraduate studies have the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge and the abilities to carry out research in a professional manner after graduating from the department.
It is one of the objectives of the undergraduate degree programme to prepare the students for the highly competitive job market and give them the necessary experience and skills so that they are motivated, knowledgeable, and confident individuals while searching for a job after graduating. Students broaden their practical knowledge of computers and
business studies skills by spending a short time in industry or in an office under the supervision of a computer expert. This gives them an experience and an understanding of the real-life problems and prepares them for responsible positions in the commercial market places by combining a strong background in information technology with a strong
foundation in business administration.
Graduates from our programme can virtually find jobs in all places where computers are used. Graduates of the department are ready to enter into the fields such as systems analysis, application programming, network management, and information systems management. Some popular working areas of our graduates are: All kinds of government offices, IT departments of private and public companies, communications and networking departments, IT consultancy, research and development, and education. Some of the most common employment opportunities for graduates can be listed as; IT managers, development managers, project managers, system analysts, IT consultants, database designers and software developers, database, network systems and information systems security administrators.
The main objectives of Computer Information Systems undergraduate degree programme are outlined as follows:
*To acquire graduates common competencies that are essential for carrying out fundamental processes in their life-long profession and learning within society.
*To equip graduates with technical competences that are associated to the demands of the professional areas associated with their degree.
*To provide graduates in-depth specialized competencies in the areas of computer science, information systems, software engineering and information technology to solve problems in specific academic, professional or social settings.
NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINSTRATIVE SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM |
||||||||||||||||
SEMESTER I | SEMESTER II | |||||||||||||||
CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | |||||
ENG 101 | English | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | ENG 102 | English II | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
MAT 171 | Mathematics I | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | MAT 172 | Mathematics II | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
MAN 101 | Introduction to Business | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | ECON 102 | Principles of Economics II | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
ECON 101 | Principles of Economics I | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | MAN 102 | Principles of
Management |
6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
CIS 131 | Intro. to Computer
Information Systems |
7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | CIS 132 | Intro. to Algorithm &
Programming |
7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
*ATA 101 | Principles of AtatĂĽrk 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | *ATA 102 | Principles of AtatĂĽrk II | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |||||
30 | 14 | 1 | 15 | 30 | 14 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||
SEMESTER III | SEMESTER IV | |||||||||||||||
CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | |||||
ENG 201 | Business Communication | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | MAT 282 | Statistics II | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
ACC 202 | Financial Accounting I | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | CIS 232 | Programming Language II | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
MAT 281 | Statistics I | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | CIS 246 | Database Management | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
CIS 205 | Programming Language I | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | CIS 202 | Operating Systems | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
CIS 243 | Data Structures | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
30 | 13 | 2 | 15 | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | |||||||||
SEMESTER V | SEMESTER VI | |||||||||||||||
CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | |||||
MARK 303 | Principles of Marketing | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | MAN 308 | Operations Management &
Research |
5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
CIS 331 | Systems Analysis & Meth. | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | CIS 348 | E-Business Systems | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
CIS 363 | Software Engineering | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | CIS 352 | Programming Lang. III | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
CIS 340 | Internet Programming | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | CIS 342 | Ethical & Social Issues
in Information Systems |
5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
CIS 386 | Database Programming | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | CIS 356 | Object Oriented Programming Lang. I | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
30 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 30 | 12 | 3 | 15 | |||||||||
SEMESTER VII | SEMESTER VIII | |||||||||||||||
CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | CODE | COURSE NAME | E | T | P | C | |||||
MAN 404 | Human Resource Mang. | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | CIS 400 | Graduation Project | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
CIS 468 | Object Ori. Prog.Lang. II | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | CIS 411 | Mang. Info. Systems | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||
CIS 403 | Grad. Project Proposal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Elective | Technical Elective | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||||
CIS 406 | Summer Training | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||
30 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 30 | 13 | 5 | 18 | |||||||||
Theoric : 102 , Practical :24, Total Credits : 123, Total ECTS Credits :240
TECHNICAL ELECTIVE COURSES | E | T | P | C | |||||
C | IS 242 | Animation Technologies | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
CIS 250 | Information & Communication Technologies | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 416 | Computer Networks | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 420 | Information Systems Security | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 421 | Software Testing | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 430 | Information Systems for Communication | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 435 | E-Learning Systems | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 450 | IT Project Management | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 460 | Mobile Application Development | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 486 | Database Programming II | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
CIS 488 | Web Development (PHP, MySQL) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||
*Foreign students should take TUR 101 (Turkish as a Foreign Language) I instead of ATA 101 (Principles of Atatürk 1 ) and TUR 102 (Turkish as a Foreign Language II) instead of ATA 102 (Principles of Atatürk II)
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
FIRST YEAR- FRESHMAN YEAR
Fall Semester
ENG 101 English I
Focusing on grammar and developing of all language skills. The aim of this course is to enable
students follow their courses in English and also to express themselves in English.
MAT 171 Mathematics I
This course is aimed at providing a comprehensive treatment of selected topics in both finite
mathematics and calculus. It will make students as comfortable as possible in an environment of
quantitative analysis with computers.
MAN 101 Introduction to Business
Broad integrative course covering all functional areas of business; finance, human resources,
management sciences, and information systems and marketing. In addition, relationships among
business, government and society are considered.
ECON 101 Principles of Economics I
Basic concepts of economics and mainly elementary microeconomics. Topics covered are: The
economic problem, supply and demand, elasticity, marginal analysis of consumers’ and
firms’ behavior, the theory of profit maximization, analysis of markets, pricing in competitive
and non- competitive markets.
CIS 131 Introduction to Computer Information Systems
This course provides an overview of information systems. Topics include hardware and
software fundamentals, use of software packages, effective use of networks, Internet, and
other communication tools, the design of management information systems, as well as the
ethical use of computers in business and society.
ATA 101 Principles of AtatĂĽrk I
The principles of AtatĂĽrk will be discussed analytically and historically in both semesters.
TUR 101 Turkish as a Foreign Language I (for non-natives)
The course is designed for students who are interested in learning about other cultures and
languages, and who have no previous knowledge of Turkish language. This course mainly
introduces the student to Turkish language, through the development of the basic skills: listening,
speaking, reading and writing. Also included is an examination of Turkish culture through an
exploration of its historical roots and its most significant social, literary and artistic trends. The
ultimate goal of the course is that students will gain awareness and appreciation of and insight
into the Turkish culture.
Spring Semester
ENG 102 English II
This course aims to take students to a more advanced level of English.
MAT 172 Mathematics II
Limits and continuity; average rate of change and slope; derivatives, instantaneous rate of
change, higher order derivatives; optimisation, concavity of inflection points; maxima and
minima; revenue, cost and profit applications, anti derivatives, rules of integration, differential
equations, mathematics of finance, simple and compound interest, present value, effective
interest, future value, annuities.
ECON 102 Principles of Economics II
Elementary macroeconomics, deSEMESTERination of national income, the role of government,
the banking system, problems of inflation, unemployment and growth.
MAN 102 Principles of Management
Principles of management, the basics of management, theory and practice, the nature of
planning, decision making, the nature and purpose of organising, basic departmentation,
line/staff authority and decentralisation, human resource management and selection, motivation,
leadership, and the system and process of controlling.
CIS 132 Introduction to Algorithms & Programming
This course introduces students the logic of programming. The course aims to give an
introduction to problem solving techniques using structured programming approach. The course
will provide the analytical foundations for proceeding courses that requires critical thinking in
programming. Students earn required skills about the thought of programming using flowcharts
and pseudo-code.
ATA 102 Principles of AtatĂĽrk II
The principles of AtatĂĽrk will be discussed analytically and historically in both semesters.
TUR 102 Turkish as a Foreign Language II (for non-natives)
The course is designed for students who are interested in learning about other cultures and
languages, and who have previously taken TUR101 or have already a command of basic Turkish.
Throughout the course, the students will be presented with learning opportunities for increasing
their intermediate language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The culture portion of
the course will focus on the exploration of a number of significant issues in Turkish history,
political and legal systems, institutions and society at large. The ultimate goal of the course is to
give students a foundation for a deeper understanding and appreciation into the Turkish culture.
SECOND YEAR – SOPHOMORE YEAR
Fall Semester
ENG 201 Business Communication
This course aims to improve the student’s ability to understand and use English grammar and
vocabulary in business context.
ACC 202 Financial Accounting I
Financial accounting the basis for business decision; recording changes in financial position;
measuring business income; completion of the accounting cycle; accounting for merchandising
activities; the control of cash transactions; accounts receivable, and notes receivable; inventories
and cost of goods sold.
MAT 281 Statistics I
Frequency distributions and their graphs, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion
and skewness, basic concepts and rules of probability, probability distributions: Binomial,
poisson, normal, and Chi-Square distributions, sampling concepts, sampling distributions.
CIS 205 Programming Language I
Fundamentals of programming in C language, identifier and variables, statements and commands
of C language, data types, constants, Input/Output operators, control structures, pointers and
dynamical memory structures, functions and procedures, arrays, structures.
CIS 243 Data Structures
Stacks, queue, circular queues, linked lists, data structure techniques, trees, binary trees, database
structures.
Spring Semester
MAT 282 Statistics II
Summary of discrete distributions, summary of continuous distributions, descriptive statistics,
point estimation, interval estimation and the control limit theory, inferences in the mean and
variance of a distribution, inferences on proportions, comparing two means and two variances,
simple linear regression.
CIS 232 Programming Language II
Introduction to Delphi; components of Delphi projects; organization of forms and units; using
the components palette in Delphi; properties of components and the available options; events and
event triggering; file structure of a Delphi project; files of PAS, DFM & DPR extensions; forms
with multi document interface; linking of Windows-Based applications to Delphi projects
(OLE); the data access method.
CIS 246 Database Management
The database, the database management system, components of DBMS environment, database
design, roles of the database environment, data and database administrator, database designers,
application programmers, end-users, the history of DBMS, data independence, database
language, function of DBMS, components of a DBMS, relational model, relational data
structure, database relations, properties of relational databases, relational keys, representing
relational database.
CIS 202 Operating Systems
Introduction to operating system concepts; classification and structure of operating systems;
single-user (DOS) and multi-user (UNIX) character oriented operating systems; graphical multiuser operating systems; multi programming and multi-environment, virtual memory and purging;
device management, I/O system and I/O processing; dead-locks; system software: loaders,
assemblers; Network applications.
Elective
THIRD YEAR – JUNIOR YEAR
Fall Semester
MARK 303 Principles of Marketing
To provide fundamental concepts and to introduce related business activities within a systems
perspective, supported with managerial and functional approaches for planning, pricing,
promoting and distributing, satisfying products to target markets in order to achieve
organisational objectives.
CIS 331 Systems Analysis Design & Methods
This course provides students with theoretical and practical skills related to system design and
analysis process with an emphasis on object oriented approach. An overview of systems
development projects and approaches are followed by thorough coverage of systems analysis and
design issues equipping the students with the ability to perform OOA using the OMG Unified
Modeling Language (UML). The topics covered are project management and planning,
requirements gathering, documentation, analysis and modeling such Structured charts, PDL,
Flowcharts, Waterfall models and Agile modelling), input/output/user interface design, team
organizations, system integration and architecture, system interfaces, control and security.
CIS 363 Software Engineering
The aim of this course is to give students an introduction to the principles and practice of analysis,
design and in O.O.D implementation of software engineering principles. Through experience of
building a significant software system in a team, their experience and understanding of the
problems that arise in building complex software systems. They will develop the analytical,
critical and modeling skills that are required by a successful software engineering. The students
will also be familiarized with the UML and Visual Pradagiem (tool) to model software
development and Agile software development methodology. Additionally, they will learn the
principles of software life cycle and software documentation
CIS 340 Internet Programming
Internet concepts; HTML programming principles; HTML commands; writing and testing
HTML code; embedding pictures and graphics into HTML documents; using FrontPage to
develop internet applications; Graphical User Interface design principles; uploading and testing
internet applications.
CIS 386 Database Programming I (Structured Query Language, SQL)
SELECT, FROM, WHERE and ORDER BY. Aggregate, date and string functions. GROUP BY
and HAVING. Table joins: Cartesian, inner, outer and UNION joins. Indexes. Subqueries:
EXISTS, IN. DML: INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE statements. Transactions with commit and
rollback. DDL: Creating database objects (Tables, Views, Indexes, etc.), column data types. Data
integrity with constraints. Concurrency and locks.
Spring Semester
MAN 308 Operations Management & Research
The fundamentals of operational research and modelling; the development, application and
computation of the basic operations research techniques; the topics covered are: Application of
scientific methodology to business problems and mathematical modelling, linear programming,
scientific approach to decision making.
CIS 348 E-Business Systems
This course covers emerging online technologies and trends and their influence on the electronic
commerce marketplace. Students will learn various revenue models and how to market on the
Web. Next, the course covers online auctions and various legal and ethical issues. Students will
learn about important security issues, such as spam and phishing, their role in organized crime
and terrorism, identity theft, and online payment fraud. Finally, students learn how to plan for
electronic commerce.
CIS 352 Programming Language III
Introduction to Visual Basic; components of Visual Basic projects: labels, text boxes, command
buttons, list boxes, combo boxes, timers, image boxes, picture boxes; organization of forms and
units; properties of components and the available options; events and event triggering; file
structure of a Visual Basic project; small Visual Basic application programs.
CIS 342 Ethical & Social Issues in Information Systems
This course will enable the student to evaluate ethical issues that Information Technology
professionals face in a corporate setting. The student will examine the classical normative ethical
theories based on notions of duties, rights, consequences and virtue based ethics as well as the
contemporary codes of conduct established by professional organizations. The student will
explore, analyse, and critique case studies in order to develop skills in ethical thought and written
communication.
CIS 356 Object Oriented Programming Language I
Primitive data types, expressions and arithmetic operators, Input and Output, the if statement,
counting, sentinel-controlled an result-controlled loups, objects and object references, class
structure, method parameters, encapsulation and visibility modifiers, overloading, for statement
and arrays, inheritance, abstract classes and polymorphism.
FOURTH YEAR – SENIOR YEAR
Fall Semester
MAN 404 Human Resource Management
The course aims at showing the importance of human resource management (The management
of people) and its link with productivity, quality of work life, and profits in today’s highly
competitive world. Human resource management activities examined include job analysis,
human resource planning, recruitment, selection, orientation, training and development,
performance appraisal, career development, compensation management, labor relations, and
employee health and safety.
CIS 468 Object Oriented Programming Language II
Introduction to Computing and Programming, Data Types and Expressions, Methods and
Behaviours, Creating Your Own Classes, Making Decisions, Repeating Instructions, Arrays,
Advanced Collections, Introduction to Windows Programming, Programming Based on Events,
Advanced Object-Oriented Programming Features, Debugging and Handling Exceptions,
Working with Files, Working with Databases, Web-Based Applications.
CIS 403 Graduation Project Proposal
This is the first phase of graduation project course. Graduation topics are identified. Students can
either select topics from offered list or they can individiually find their topics and submit it to the
graduation project committee for approval. When approved, students carry out literature search
and work on the theoretical aspects of the project. The students are required to work in teams and
the chair person assigns a project supervisor from the department which is relevant to their
topics. According to these specifications the systems analysis, design and development processes
are covered. A project proposal report is developed and presented to the committee.
CIS 406 Summer Training
As fulfillment of the degree programme, students should work for duration of 45 work days in
Information Technology or Information Systems related companies. Following 6
th academic
semester, students are able to work in the summer training internship. At the end of the word
period, student submits a written report. and granted as PASS grade if all the requirements are
fulfilled.
Elective
Elective
Elective
Spring Semester
CIS 400 Graduation Project
This is the second phase of graduation project course. Depending upon the type of project
students are required to develop a software, mobile application, web development, information
systemssecurityetc…Studentsshould implement their projects and present it to the graduation
project committee. The final project should consist of functional software/hardware, preparing
user and system manuals and a report of the procedures, performance checks, and testing results.
CIS 411 Management Information Systems I
Define the Management Information System (MIS), and its sub systems (transaction processing
systems, information reporting systems, decision support systems, and office automation
systems). Sometimes the course will focus on organization, model and decision making.
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
LIST OF ELECTIVE COURSES
CIS 242 Animation Technologies
Computer graphics and applications course introduces students to the use of computer
technology in the process of graphic design. Students will learn about basic visual
communication skills using a variety of industry standard graphic programs creating animations
using software packages.
CIS 250 Information and Communication Technologies
The main objective of this course is to teach the principles and foundational logic of Information
and Communication Technologies and how to use of ICT for personal and educational purposes.
CIS 416 Computer Networks
Principles of standards and protocols, network topologies, switching techniques, media access
techniques, type of networks (LAN, MAN, WAN), performance management of networks,
network design, distributed systems and applications, introduction to remote procedure calling,
client/server computing, TCP/IP protocols, internet security.
CIS 420 Information Systems Security
The aim of the course is to introduce students to the very important topic of security and risk
management in the field of information technology. In this course students learn critical security
principles that they can apply to plan and develop secure and risk free systems. The course
includes both theory and practice and students learn about the software, hardware,
communications, applications, and the policies related to the development of secure IT based
systems.
CIS 421 Software Testing
This course is designed to enable a clear understanding and knowledge of the foundations,
techniques, and tools in the area of software testing and its practice in the industry. The course
will prepare students to be leaders in software testing. Whether you are a developer or a tester,
you must test software. This course is a unique opportunity to learn strengths and weaknesses of
a variety of software testing techniques. Applications of testing techniques in health care
industry (e.g. pacemaker), nuclear industry (e.g. plant control), aerospace industry (e.g. Mars
Polar Lander), security (e.g. smart card), automobile industry (e.g. automotive control systems),
and others will be considered.
CIS 430 Information Systems for Communications
The aim of this course is to teach students the skills of communications using the information
systems, and how communication is used in global organizations in the world. The key elements
of the course are information systems, software and hardware, data communication technologies,
and people. The course teaches how all these components can be put together and managed to
create competitive advantage to an organization. Students learn how information systems are
used in organizations and how the quality, speed, and reliability can be improved by using these
tools correctly. In addition, the course provides an introduction to the principles of technology
acquisition and the use of various application software in modern organizations in order to
improve the communication skills and the overall organizational efficiency.
CIS 435 E-Learning Systems
This course aims to combine the networked information technologies and organizational
strategy. Students learn to implement a rich variety of business models in the national and global
contexts with the aim of connecting individuals and businesses together. In addition,
students learn e-business strategies and the development of applications for e-businesses.
CIS 450 IT Project Management
This course aims to understand and articulate the importance of Project Management in any
business project, clearly define project objectives, create a project work Breakdown Structure,
develop a manageable project schedule, understand scope creep and change control.
CIS 460 Mobile Application Develeopment
Students learn to write both web apps and native apps for Android using Eclipse and the Android
SDK, to write native apps for iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads using Xcode and the iOS SDK,
and to write web apps for both platforms. The course also touches on Windows 8 application
programming, so as to provide students with a stepping stone for application development in the
mobile operating system of their choice. Additional topics covered include application
deployment and availability on the corresponding app stores and markets, application security,
efficient power management, and mobile device security.
CIS 486 Database Programming II (Oracle)
DDL: Creating altering and dropping database objects (Tables, Views, Indexes, etc.). Oracle data
types, meta data and its uses, Common Oracle aggregate, string and date functions, application
of data integrity: domain, entity and referential. Constraints, SQL Plus settings and spooling,
PL/SQL introduction: blocks, variables and their scope, cursor declarations, SELECT..Into,
loops and conditional statements. Transaction: COMMIT and ROLLBACK. Procedures,
Functions and Packages: IN, OUT parameters. Cursors: basic LOOP and the for CURSOR
LOOP. Exception handling. Table triggers. Dynamic SQL.
CIS 488 Web Development (PHP/MySQL)
This course follows a step-by-step introduction to the topics concerning PHP programming with
MySQL. Topics include introduction to Web development and PHP, working with data types
and operators, building functions and control structures, manipulating MySQL databases with
PHP, managing state information.