Geographic Information Systems

Catalog description

Identical to UPADM-GP 283 . Students must enroll in both the lecture and a lab section. Required for the majors in Urban Studies and Anthropology; Urban Studies and History; Urban Studies and Social and Cultural Analysis; and Urban Studies and Sociology. Understanding geographic relationships between people, land use, and resources is fundamental to planning. Urban planners routinely use spatial analysis to inform decision-making. This course will introduce students to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a tool to analyze and visualize spatial data. The course will emphasize the core functions of GIS: map making, data management, and spatial analysis. Students will learn cartographic best practices, how to find and create spatial data, spatial analysis methodology, and how to approach problem solving from a geographic perspective. Throughout the course, students will build a portfolio of professional quality maps and data visualizations.