Geospatial Science 315

GEOS 315
Intermediate GIS Concepts (T)

1. Catalog Entry

GEOS 315
Intermediate GIS Concepts (T)

Credit hours (4)
Three hours lecture/demonstration and two hours asynchronous online laboratory.
Prerequisite: GEOS 250

Note(s): Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning designated course.


2. Detailed Description of Course

Intermediate GIS concepts will be studied related to geoprocessing and analyzing geographic phenomena.  Students will learn to use various extensions and tools for a variety of GIS routines.  Data structures in GIS, data sources for GIS, and data and software compatibility issues in GIS will be covered.

In this course, students will utilize geoprocessing and spatial data analysis tools in ArcGIS or other geographic information system platforms to organize, analyze, and explain geographic phenomena.  Analyses will include classifying, quantifying, and overlaying to determine if data are spatially related and if geographic phenomena change over time.  Spatial patterns will be analyzed visually and with basic spatial statistics.

The following topics will be discussed:
    1) Mapping where things are
    2) Mapping the most and least
    3) Mapping density
    4) Finding what’s inside
    5) Finding what’s nearby
    6) Mapping change
    7) Measuring geographic distribution
    8) Analyzing patterns

3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Course will utilize a mixture of lectures/laboratory exercises with practical applications in the computer laboratory.  There will be a mid-term and a final examination, asynchronous online laboratory assignments, weekly homework assignments and final projects by students.  Reading assignments will focus on the conceptual, theoretical, and practical applications of GIS analysis.
 
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course

Students will learn how to identify geographic patterns and relationships and apply spatial measurements and statistics.  They will learn and experiment with various types of data used in GIS, pre-packaged commercial data, derived data (with the use of common GIS queries, the use of extensions, customized data, etc.).  Students will primarily use ArcGIS for the course.  Students will have to develop the conceptual theoretical design of a GIS project of interest to each individual student, before they translate this into applications involving research and acquisition of the necessary data sets, performing the appropriate GIS routines, and develop the desired results of their GIS project.  

5. Assessment Measures

Examinations (2), online asynchronous laboratory assignments (practical), homework assignments, development of a final project involving theoretical development of a GIS project and practical execution of the stated project to a final product consisting of written GIS project objectives and goals, the development of the associated maps, and the development of the associated reports to accompany the graphics.  Expected is a cartographic product accompanied by a report.  This GIS project will be presented orally to their peers in the class.
 
6. Other Course Information

Students will utilize standard learning textbooks available from the ESRI Press.

Review and Approval

April 2014        Rick Roth, Chair

February 2010    Bernd H. Kuennecke, Chair

October 2007        Bernd H. Kuennecke, Chair

March 01, 2021