This course aims to prepare students to read, understand, interpret, and create maps and other products from maps for geoscientific purposes.
10
Bachelor
Online
Spring 2021
02.01.2021
12 000,- + semester fee
I find mapping to be a powerful tool for decision-making, and this course is a first step in preparing you for using maps and spatial analysis. This course is self-paced so that it can be flexible with your schedule.
Content
At the end of the semester, students should have an understanding of what it means to create a map. This course is intended to be beneficial for basic cartographic applications.

Specific objectives
- reading, understanding, and interpreting maps
- reading and understanding scientific literature
- writing scientific summary of work
- basic understanding and use of geographic information systems
- ability to use and understand basics of GPS
- solve basic spatial problems using Python
- present work in a scientific manner.
Course dates
The course will be in the period 15.01.2021 - 01.06.2021
There will be an online meeting 15th of January 2021 10.30.
The exam report can be delivered in Norwegian.
Course Materials
Required materials:
- Course reading and labs loaded on Canvas as pdf
- E-lectures via Canvas Studio
- QGIS open source and free software
Course Policies
- The course load is equivalent to approximately 10 hours per week.
- Readings and e-lectures provide appropriate background for exercises.
- A weekly virtual meeting via Zoom will be held in order to provide support and answer questions.
- Course communications will be via email and Canvas. It’s up to you to make sure your email is set up correctly with the University.
- There is no exam for this course.
- The course follows a self-paced format. All assignments can be handed in early; feedback will be given as appropriate throughout the semester.
Grading
- Test – 20%
- Cartography report – 35%
- Mapping project - 45%
Schedule
GIS and mapping for geoscience (i.e. What is this course about?)
- E-lecture
- Course information
- Assign cartography report
- Group project assignment explained
- Groups assigned
History of mapping
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Basic concepts, parts 1, 2, and 3”
Geodesy and Projections, Coordinate reference systems, datums, and map scales
- E-lecture o Reading: “Basic concepts, parts 4, 5, 6, and 7”
- Lab: Projections, CRS, and scales
Data organization and structure
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Organization, parts 1, 2, and 3”
- Lab: Organizing data and understanding data structures
Remote sensing
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Organization, part 4”
- Lab: Import lidar data to GIS
GPS
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Organization, part 5”
- Lab: Geocaching and importing GPS data to GIS
- Downloading data
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Organization, parts 6”
- Lab: Find and evaluate online data
Georeferencing
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Organization, part 7”
- Lab: Georeferencing
Shapefiles and geodatabases, contours and hillshades
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Organization, parts 8 and 9”
- Lab: Creating data
Visualisation: Basics to reading a map
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Visualisation, parts 1, 2, 3, and 4”
- Lab: Visualisation and map reading
Visualisation: Symbology
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Visualisation, part 5”
- Lab: Understanding symbology and map reading
Plan and create a map
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Visualisation, part 6”
- Lab: Map creation
Using Python to solve basic spatial problems
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Python in GIS”
- Lab: Solving basic spatial problems programmatically
Spatial query o E-lecture
- Reading: “Spatial Query”
- Lab: Spatial query
Combining data
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Combination”
- Lab: Combination
Analysis
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Analysis”
- Lab: Analyzing data
Prediction
- E-lecture
- Reading: “Prediction”
- Lab: Using GIS for prediction
Click here to apply for the course Introduction to geographic information systems
Lecturer
Institutt for energiressurser