Special Topics in GIS is the third course in the sequence for the Certification in GIS (Graduate level). The completion of Advanced GIS (Graduate level) is a prerequisite to take this course.
The Special Topics in GIS course is designed to provide graduate students with advanced GIS skills in areas supportive of their thesis work, capstone projects, or other research needs. Specific topics may vary from year to year, but the GIS topics generally include:
- Advanced cartographic techniques in ArcGIS Pro
- GIS in 3D: Creating visualizations of elevation and terrain using digital elevation models (DEMs) and LiDAR point clouds, drone-derived elevation layers, and sub-sea bathymetry
- Applications of satellite imagery: Detecting landscape change, generation of vegetation indexes, and characterization of land use and landcover statistics
- Habitat connectivity: Designing cost and path models using ModelBuilder tools for automating analysis workflows
- Hydrography: Creating hydrology networks and watersheds from elevation models
- Human demography: applications of Census data for public policy analysis; using Esri Business Analyst software for analysis of service-areas
- Human demographics applications for public policy
- Spatial-temporal data mining
Students will create a final project of their own research interest and develop the project maps throughout the quarter, toward a final presentation on the last class meeting.
Hi-Flex Class Format: This course is offered in a “Hi-Flex” format. Students can attend fully in-person, fully online, or a mix of both. Each class will be offered in-person but will also include a zoom link for remote attendees. We will do our best to provide comparable experiences for both in-person and remote students. Remote students can expect to engage with one another through breakout rooms, online discussion boards and other collaborative online methods.
Students can take this course in person, in Evergreen’s Computer Applications Lab (CAL). Or students can participate from home over a simultaneous Zoom session. To take this course over Zoom requires students to have a sufficiently strong Windows-11 computer, with two monitors, a three-button mouse, and broadband internet connectivity.
Class Schedule: (Required Attendance) Mondays, 6:00 pm-10:00 pm, PST.
Open GIS Lab hours will be offered, optionally, for students to get support between class meetings.