Geography 225: Introduction to GIS


WELCOME to GIS Syllabus (PDF) The ability to create, visualize, and analyze spatial data is an increasingly important skill for assessing and understanding our rapidly changing global, regional, and local communities. Maps are the primary medium through which we communicate our knowledge of the spatial world, but are, by design, generalizations of more complex spatial data. In the first part of this course we will explore the principles of map production and geographic concepts that provide a foundation for spatial data analysis. During the second half of the course we will shift our focus to Geographic Information Systems and the development, display, and analysis of spatial data in a digital environment. We will approach each topic conceptually through our lecture sessions and then apply these principles during lab sessions. By the end of this course you should: • Understand maps and their projections, scale, resolution and accuracy • Be a critical map reader and user • Acquire a basic GIS vocabulary • Become familiar with the most used features of ArcGIS software • Learn to solve common geographic problems using a GIS • Be able to carry-out a GIS project from problem conceptualization to final analyses and interpretation Class Meetings: Lecture - Section 01: MWF Noon - 1:00 pm, Carnegie 107 Lab - Section L1: Monday 1:10 - 2:10 pm, Carnegie 108 Lab - Section L2: Tuesday 9:00 - 10:00 am, Carnegie 108 Professor: Holly Barcus Department of Geography, Carengie 104c Tel: 651.696.6139 Email: barcus@macalester.edu Office Hours: Mon./Wed. 11 am - noon; Wed. 3:30 - 4:30 pm; or by appointment Lab Instructor: (for more lab-specific info, please click here) Birgit Mühlenhaus Department of Geography, Carengie 103 Tel: 651.696.6906 Email: muehlenhaus@macalester.edu Office Hours: Tues. 10 - 11 am; Wed. 2 - 3 pm; or by appointment Lecture TA: Avery Bowron Email: abowron@macalester.edu Moodle: The course Moodle page is another resource for you and includes information about the schedule, readings and other resources. Lab Information: This page provides you with an online version of the lab manual, just in case you forget yours! It also provides information on lab hours and policies.
Geog. 225 Lab Information

The ability to create, visualize, and analyze spatial data is an increasingly important skill for assessing and understanding our rapidly changing global, regional, and local communities. Maps are the primary medium through which we communicate our knowledge of the spatial world, but are, by design, generalizations of more complex spatial data. In the first part of this course we will explore the principles of map production and geographic concepts that provide a foundation for spatial data analysis. During the second half of the course we will shift our focus to Geographic Information Systems and the development, display, and analysis of spatial data in a digital environment. We will approach each topic conceptually through our lecture sessions and then apply these principles during lab sessions. By the end of this course you should:

• Understand maps and their projections, scale, resolution and accuracy
• Be a critical map reader and user
• Acquire a basic GIS vocabulary
• Become familiar with the most used features of ArcGIS software
• Learn to solve common geographic problems using a GIS
• Be able to carry-out a GIS project from problem conceptualization to final analyses and interpretation

Class Meetings:
Lecture - Section 01: MWF Noon - 1:00 pm, Carnegie 107
Lab - Section L1: Monday 1:10 - 2:10 pm, Carnegie 108
Lab - Section L2: Tuesday 9:00 - 10:00 am, Carnegie 108

Professor:
Holly Barcus
Department of Geography, Carengie 104c
Tel: 651.696.6139
Email: barcus@macalester.edu
Office Hours: Mon./Wed. 11 am - noon; Wed. 3:30 - 4:30 pm; or by appointment

Lab Instructor: (for more lab-specific info, please click here)
Birgit Mühlenhaus
Department of Geography, Carengie 103
Tel: 651.696.6906
Email: muehlenhaus@macalester.edu
Office Hours: Tues. 10 - 11 am; Wed. 2 - 3 pm; or by appointment

Lecture TA:
Avery Bowron
Email: abowron@macalester.edu

Moodle:
The course Moodle page is another resource for you and includes information about the schedule, readings and other resources.

Lab Information:
This page provides you with an online version of the lab manual, just in case you forget yours! It also provides information on lab hours and policies.

Geog. 225 Lab Information