GIS B:Theory & Practice GEOG4112

  • Academic Session: 2024-25
  • School: School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 4 (SCQF level 10)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No

Short Description

This course has two aspects. The first is to increase your understanding of more technical issues of geospatial data management and the underpinning geospatial databases necessary for GIS to be useful. The second is to develop your practical skills and understanding of GIS by using it in a more extensive applied project, which takes the form of a work based task (a 'virtual placement') where you assist a virtual company to respond to client requirements for GIS analysis.

Timetable

2 hours of classes per week for 5 weeks - including 6 hours of lectures, 2 hours of seminars and 2 hours of workshop

Normally held in second half of semester 2

Requirements of Entry

Students should have completed Level 2 Geography at minimum of grade D3 or equivalent experience of GIS

Excluded Courses

Geographic Information Systems - GEOG4062

Co-requisites

GIS A:Applied Spatial Analysis

Assessment

Applied GIS project and report - 70%

Essay on geographical application of GIS - 30%

Main Assessment In: April/May

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? Not applicable for Honours courses

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

The aims of the course are:

■ To further students' knowledge and understanding of GIS, its underpinning structures and its use.

■ To give experience of completing a significant applied project using GIS

■ To allow students to investigate the use of GIS in a chosen geographical application

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Explain the principles and practice of geodatabase design

■ Design a suitable geodatabase for a simple application

■ Explain the concepts of and need for metadata

■ Discuss standards and data quality issues in GIS

■ Solve problems using GIS analysis

■ Present the outcomes of GIS analysis

■ Critically assess the use of GIS for selected applications

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.