Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Geographic data can contain information on society or nature and give insight to how things are today, how they worked historically, and how we can plan for the future. Therefore has GIS become a central tool in social science, in the humanities, and natural sciences, as well as in management and planning. Through the geographic context can insights on our society and environment be integrated and seen in context.
The course combines basic GIS-skills with spatial analysis and introduces students to spatial planning in Norway. The students learn to use GIS to gather in, save, process, and present geographic data through maps and figures, and perform basic spatial analysis operations. The course also includes an introduction to the basic principles in spatial planning.
The course teaches students to use quantitative and qualitative data from different sources, create data themselves, and present these through various integrative analyses where various themes are in focus. The students will have the opportunity to plan and complete GIS projects built around spatial analysis of socially relevant themes and planning-related challenges facing Norway today.
After completing this course, students will have achieved the following objectives:
Knowledge:
- have knowledge on maps as communication and the components comprising GIS, terms connected to the application of GIS, and the use cases for GIS
- have knowledge on raster and vector data models for saving geographic data
- have knowledge on georeferencing systems and projections
- have knowledge on gathering, processing, and saving geographic data
- have knowledge on how to plan and complete GIS sequential operations to complete practical tasks
- have knowledge on the application areas for spatial analysis is social science, humanities, spatial planning, and investigation
- have knowledge on the available data sources used for official statistical and procedural operations fetched from Norwegian databases
- have knowledge on error handing and the ethical side of analysis an data handling
- have foundational knowledge on the Norwegian planning and building law and SOSI-standards
- have knowledge on the foundational principles for Nowegian spatial planning and reguleringsplaner
Skills:
- can work with vector and raster geometries and attributes
- can utilize georeferencing systems and projections correctly and handle challenges with georeferencing systems in connection with mapping
- can create different types of maps including topographic maps, risk maps, historical reference maps, and maps with sized and categorized symbols
- can create a cartographic layout and export the map in different formats
- masters various methods of data gathering including vector digitisation, collecting data from GPS, loading from table data, and georeferencing raster data
- can understand techniques for querying, joining, and clipping data
- can process attribute data, fulfill queries and connect data sources
- can plan and complete basic spatial analysis including overlay analysis, buffer analysis, distance and visibility analysis, interpolation, and risk analysis
- can create simple tools and geoprocessing models for use in GIS
- can convey what GIS is and what GIS and spatial analysis are used for
- can use basic statistics and work with .csv data in a GIS context
General Competence:
- competence on the use cases for GIS and spatial analysis
- insight into the basic data models for geographic data and data sources
- theoretical and practical competence in basic operations with GIS and underlying systems, such as spreadsheets and relation databases
- have competence in analytical functions in GIS and the analytical possibilities which it enables
- can plan and complete analysis programs safely in consideration to ethical and personal privacy
- have a basic understanding of the Norwegian planning system and can relate GIS use to practical planning work
- can work with SOSI-files and understand the structure in a Norwegian geodatabase
Lectures and exercises during gatherings. Online lessons, webinars, and exercises. Attendance at gatherings is mandatory. Some of the coursework may involve following an exercise program linked to the textbook for applying GIS software, and building an individual project where the student applies skills learned from the exercises.
Some of the teaching is in English, and the entire course may be delivered in English if we have incoming exchange students.