Back to Find Units Page

Unit of Study GENG5001 - Geographical Information Systems (2022)

Show me unit information for year

Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    While not a pre-requisite, students will will benefit from having prior experience or training in map preparation techniques. There will be a three day compulsory residential for Online students that will be held on the Lismore campus. Please refer to http://scu.edu.au/timetables for further information on timetables.

Unit description

Provides a conceptual understanding of spatial and non-spatial data used in a geographical information system (GIS). The fundamental concepts of spatial analysis underpinning GIS will be applied in discipline or industry context. Students use vector and raster based GIS software (ArcGIS) to collect, edit, manage and analyse spatial and non-spatial data. Students will produce maps to a professional standard. They will complete a self-managed project that demonstrates the application of GIS in their discipline.

Unit content

Spatial data: projections and scale

Spatial data models: vector (topology) and raster

Spatial data capture (GPS, data quality, metadata)

Non-spatial data and data management systems

Editing data

Spatial data analysis

Representation of spatial data

Map production

Problem identification and problem solving using GIS

Availabilities

2022 unit offering information will be available in November 2021

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

apply characteristics, types, and processing of spatial data in problem solving

manage spatial and non-spatial data in ArcGIS

analyse vector and raster data using ArcMap

produce maps at a professional standard

identify a problem in their discipline and use GIS to solve the problem

critically analyse limitations of GIS applications in terms of accuracy and scale in a GIS project.