The Geography Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is offering two GIS courses for the summer term. Both can be taken online or in person at the Mt. Ida campus in Newton, MA:
Cartography and Geovisualization (Geography 493A)
3 credits
Students will understand and implement principles of good design in cartography along with understanding the human vision and how it influences perception and cognition. The course will also cover the scope of contemporary thematic cartography and web mapping. Students will gain hands-on experience in designing and improving web-based maps.
- Online: https://www.umass.edu/online/class/summer-2020/55053/seminar-cartography-and-geovisualization
Introduction to GIS (Geograph 593G)
4 credits
This class serves as an introduction to Geographic Information Science (GIS). GIS is the science of spatial relationships, linking data to locations to explore relations between objects. Based in geographic thought and emerging from initial applications in natural resource management, GIS has evolved to be a universally applicable way of thinking and set of tools. Through lab work and foundational lecture, this course covers the guiding principles behind various facets of GIS including the nature of spatial data, map projections, spatial analysis, and cartographic production. By evaluating the relationship between different spatial information you can identify the best location for new development, locate pollution point sources, find the easiest way to get from point A to point B, and develop a better understanding of the way the world interacts. The goals of this course are to teach you basic GIS concepts through practice and theory to enable you to make useful and meaningful contributions to various disciplines through spatial analysis. Throughout this course, you will be challenged to not only think spatially, but apply spatial analysis techniques within GIS.
This course is equivalent to, and uses the same materials as, NRC 585.
For more information, including cost and how to enroll, please visit the links above or contact Dr. Forrest Bowlick at fbowlick@umass.edu.