Design and Implementation of a College Course Selection Management System

Table of Contents

1.0 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Statement of the Problem

1.3 Objectives

1.4 Significance of Study

2.0 CHAPTER 2: RELATED TECHNOLOGY

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Product Research - Advantage of Course Selection Management System

2.2.1 A Safe and User-Friendly Registry System

2.2.2 Students’ Access to the system

2.2.4 Lecturer can easily view the timetable and record attendance

2.3 Research and Review of Similar Products

2.3.3 Asia Dev Academy

2.3.4 Next Academy

2.4 Course Registration Research

2.4.1 Online Course Registration

2.4.2 Online Course Selection Management System

2.5 Tool and Software Research

2.5.1 MySQL

2.5.2 PHP

2.5.3 HTML

2.5.4 JavaScript

2.5.5 Visual Studio Code

2.5.6 Microsoft Office

2.5.7 DataTables Plug-In for jQuery

2.6 Conclusion

3.0 CHAPTER 3: REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Methodology Development

3.2.1 Requirement

3.2.2 Design

3.2.3 Implementation

3.2.4 Testing and Integration

3.2.5 Installation

3.2.6 Maintenance

4.0 CHAPTER 4: SYSTEM DESIGN

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Charts and Diagrams

4.2.1 Use Case Diagram

4.2.4 Entity Relational Diagram

4.3 Data Dictionary

4.4 Functional & Non-Functional Requirements

4.4.1 Functional Requirements

4.4.2 Non-Functional Requirements

4.5 Conclusion

5.0 CHAPTER 5: SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Functionality Achievement

5.3 System modules and functions explanation

5.5 User Manual (User Guide)

5.5.1 Student Functionalities

5.5.2 Lecturer Functionalities

5.5.3 Admin Functionalities

6.0 CHAPTER 6 – SYSTEM TESTING

6.1 Test Methods

6.2 Test Process

6.3 Test Summary

7.0 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION

7.1 Assessment of the final product

7.2 Advantages and Disadvantages

7.3 Future Plan

Project Objective and Research Focus

The primary objective of this project is to design and implement a web-based Course Selection Management System for the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST). The project aims to transition the existing manual course registration and administrative processes to an efficient, user-friendly, and secure online platform, thereby improving the management of curriculum decisions and streamlining student and staff activities.

• Development of a centralized online course registration portal for students.
• Implementation of distinct system modules for three user roles: Administrator, Students, and Lecturers.
• Automated management of student data, course offerings, and session schedules.
• Enhancement of administrative efficiency through digital dashboards and statistical reporting.
• Replacement of paper-based attendance recording and manual reporting with an integrated electronic system.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1.0 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: Provides the background and problem statement regarding manual course registration at NUIST, while outlining the project objectives and its significance.

2.0 CHAPTER 2: RELATED TECHNOLOGY: Reviews existing online reservation systems, similar educational software platforms, and the various programming tools (PHP, MySQL, HTML) used for development.

3.0 CHAPTER 3: REQUIREMENT ANALYSIS: Details the choice of the Waterfall Model methodology for software development and outlines the stages from requirement collection to system maintenance.

4.0 CHAPTER 4: SYSTEM DESIGN: Presents the technical architecture of the system, including UML diagrams like Use Case and Entity Relational Diagrams, alongside a data dictionary.

5.0 CHAPTER 5: SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION: Explains the functional achievement of the system modules and provides a comprehensive user manual for student, lecturer, and admin interfaces.

6.0 CHAPTER 6 – SYSTEM TESTING: Documents the Black-box testing process, including 40 specific test scenarios executed to ensure the system functions correctly for all user roles.

7.0 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION: Assesses the final product, highlights the improvements over the manual legacy system, and proposes future enhancements like a transcript generator.

Keywords

PHP, MySQL, jQuery, Apache, Database, Database Management System, Front-end, Back-end, Waterfall Model, System Design, Course Registration, Web-based, Automation, Student Management, Attendance Tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core purpose of this final year project?

The project is designed to replace the manual course registration and administrative system at the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) with a modern, web-based management portal.

Who are the primary users of the system?

The system is built to be operated by three distinct user roles: the administrator, students, and lecturers.

What is the main objective of the proposed system?

The primary goal is to make the course registration and administrative flow more convenient, secure, and efficient, eliminating the reliance on paperwork and manual data entry.

Which methodology was used to develop the software?

The project utilizes the Waterfall Model, a linear-sequential life cycle methodology, ensuring strict control over each development stage.

What technologies were employed for the system development?

The front-end was developed using PHP, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and Bootstrap, while the back-end is managed using MySQL and WAMP Server.

What are the main topics covered in the system documentation?

The documentation covers requirement analysis, system architecture, database design (ERD), implementation modules, user guidelines, and the results of system testing.

How does the system handle attendance tracking?

The system provides a specific module for lecturers to view timetables and record student attendance digitally, which can then be exported, avoiding traditional manual record-keeping.

What level of security does the system offer?

The author implemented advanced security protocols for the MySQL database to protect sensitive user data from unauthorized access or theft.

Are there statistical analysis capabilities for the administration?

Yes, the admin dashboard includes visual statistical tools like bar charts, donut charts, and line charts to analyze course popularity and student enrollment data.

Are there plans for further development?

Future plans include integrating a student scores management system and an automated transcript generator based on student examination and assignment results.