Geography 465 GIS Databases and
Programming
Lecture/Lab: MW
2:30-4:20 SMI 401
Instructors:
Tim Nyerges, Professor
402 Smith Hall, 206.543.5296,
Office Hours: T 11:30-12:20 AM, W 10:30–11:20 AM, or by appointment
Teaching
Assistant: Michalis Avraam, office hours and place to
be announced.
Course
Description:
Database management is
the core technology in a GIS. This course explores the GIS data models,
database development, and database management systems used in GIS. Students receive hands-on experience with the
Python programming language applicable to GIS database work, particularly
related to extending current commercial GIS such as ArcGIS.
Learning Objectives:
- Students
will learn the basics of geoprocessing using command
line, dialog box, ModelBuilder, and Python Scripting
interfaces to interact with geospatial databases.
- Students
will develop Python programming/scripting skills fundamental to advanced GIS
data manipulation.
- Students
will undertake lab exercises to learn about ArcGIS geoprocessing,
focusing on the database management aspects of GIS, and making use of selected
datasets.
Mark Lutz 2008, Learning
Python, 3rd edition, O’Reilly Media:
Various ESRI .pdf’s available through the course web site or ESRI as
noted in course schedule
Various lecture and handouts provided from time to time on course web site.
Course Grading
This course focuses assessment on the grading of lab exercises. There will be no exams. Graded exercise assignments will total to 400 points with the following point distribution.
Exercise 1 : 20 point
Exercise 2, 3, 4 : 40 points each
Exercise 5 and 6 : 60 points each
Exercise 7 final project: 100 points
Project Presentation: 40