GIS 501 - Fundamentals of GIS

Credits: (3) White Prerequisite(s): Instructor Permission Required

Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science & Analysis This course will provide an introduction to the fundamentals of Geographic Information Science, including using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), basics of cartography, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and modelling. Students will learn from lecture, hands-on labs, in-class exercises and independent research. Emphasis will be on hands-on application of these technologies to create maps, to organize and visualize spatial data, and to utilize spatial data to analyze and address social, economic, political and environmental issues. The GIS fundamentals course will use GIS-based research questions to introduce the fundamentals of vector data, raster data, database operations, and interpolative techniques within desktop and SAAS online GIS environments. Students will create their own individual spatial research questions, locate/create data for analysis, complete unique analysis addressing the research question(s), and deliver a presentation by the end of the course.