6.5830/6.5831: Database Systems
Spring 2026
Units: 3-0-9 (H)
When: TR 2:30 – 4:00 pm
Where: 35-225
Instructors: Michael Cafarella (michjc AT mit.edu)
Tianyu Li (litianyu AT mit.edu)
Staff mailing list: 65830-staff AT mit.edu
TAs: Tamar Korkotashvili (tkorkot AT mit.edu)
Eugenie Lai (eylai AT mit.edu)
Ivy Zheng (ivyzheng AT mit.edu)
Office hours: TBD
Office hours are subject to change due to conflicts, holidays etc.
See Piazza and course schedule for the exact and more up-to-date information.
Piazza: TBD
Gradescope: Link
Lecture Recordings: TBD

Description

This course relies on primary readings from the database community to introduce graduate/undergraduate students to the foundations of database systems, focusing on basics such as the relational algebra and data model, schema normalization, query optimization, transactions, and other more advanced topics. No prior database experience is assumed though students who have taken an undergraduate course in databases are encouraged to attend.

Classes consist of lectures and discussions based on readings from the database literature. Grades in 6.5830 are assigned based on a semester long project, as well as two exams and 6 assignments -- 3 labs and 3 problem sets -- of varying length. Grades in 6.5831 are based on the same quizzes and assigments as 6.5830, except that students may opt to do one additional (more exploratory) lab in place of the final project. For more information about the readings and assignments, use the links at the top of the page.

Last change: January 15 2026.

Questions or comments regarding 6.5830/6.5831? Send e-mail to the 6.5830/6.5831 staff at . Accessibility