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Geographic Information Systems Program Curriculum

Courses

218 Geographic Information Systems
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a powerful technology for managing, analyzing, and visualizing spatial data and geographically-referenced information. It is used in a wide variety of fields including archaeology, agriculture, business, defense and intelligence, education, government, health care, natural resource management, public safety, transportation, and utility management. This course provides a fundamental foundation of theoretical and applied skills in GIS technology that will enable students to investigate and make reasoned decisions regarding spatial issues. Utilizing GIS software applications from Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), students work on a progression of tasks and assignments focused on GIS data collection, manipulation, analysis, output, and presentation. The course will culminate in a final, independent project in which the students design and prepare a GIS analysis application of their own choosing.
Three hours per week. This course is cross-listed as ARCH 218, ENST 218 and GEOS 218.
Attributes: ARCH Area A Elective, ARCH Area B Elective, Biology Elective, ENST Foundations (ESFN), Quantitative Reasoning, Sustainability Connections

318 Advanced Applications in GIS
The course is intended as a continuation of the introductory course on Geographic Information Systems, 218, and will concentrate on more advanced discussions and techniques related to spatial analysis and GIS project design. The main focus of the course will be on using higher-level GIS methods to investigate and analyze spatial problems of varying complexity; however, the specific project and topical applications will vary depending on student interests. Students will be required to develop and complete an individual spatial analysis project that incorporates advanced GIS techniques.
Prerequisite: 218 or ENST 218 or GEOS 218 or ARCH 218 or equivalent GIS experience. Three hours classroom per week. This course is cross-listed as ARCH 318, ENST 318 and GEOS 318. Offered every two years.
Attributes: Biology Elective, ENST Applications (ESAP), Quantitative Econ Elective, Sustainability Connections