GEO1025 : Mapping a changing world: GIS for Geographers
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Available to incoming Study Abroad and Exchange students
- Module Leader(s): Dr Gainbi Park
- Co-Module Leader: Professor Neil Ross
- Lecturer: Dr Seb Pitman, Dr Mark Kincey, Dr Wen Lin, Dr Niall Cunningham
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
The overall aim of this module is to introduce the principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the analysis of spatial data. We will begin by introducing cartographic principles and week-by-week build competencies around managing and analysing spatial datasets. Application of techniques will be developed whilst dealing with geographical grand challenges.
The module will enable students to:
- Develop an understanding of the emergence and development of GIS as a technology, both within the discipline and within society at large.
- Enhance knowledge of the GIS representation of the physical environment and human society, fostering practical insights and analytical skills.
- Gain essential skills and knowledge to work with various geospatial data types and perform spatial analysis for a wide range of applications.
Throughout the module, we will slowly build up the skillset to effectively work with GIS using both human and physical geography datasets. The first weeks will introduce the basic concepts of cartography and spatial data. From there, each week will explore a different topic using GIS, such as:
-The changing water level of Lake Powell
-The outcome of the 2024 UK General Election
-Crime patterns in Newcastle
-Social class in higher education
-Deforestation in the Amazon
-Climate change impacts to the Greenland Ice Sheet
This module aims to provide students with key transferable skills to boost their employability and practical skills for use throughout their degree programme and further employment.
Outline Of Syllabus
We will begin by introducing cartographic principles and week-by-week build competencies around managing and analysing spatial datasets. Application of techniques will be developed whilst dealing with geographical crises.
Core technical competencies may include:
- Introduction to GIS
- Principles of cartography, geovisualisation and map design
- Coordinate systems and projections
- Spatial data types and models
- Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) & terrain analysis
- Remote sensing
- Secondary data sources
- Data management and editing
- Spatial analysis (e.g., distance, density, zonal)
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 62 | 1:00 | 62:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Present-in-Person (PiP) Lectures. 1 hr lectures × 11 (11 hours). *The last lecture will be a wrap-up session. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | 2 hr each × 11 (22 hours). *The last week of the practical activities will serve as a drop-in session for assessments. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 105 | 1:00 | 105:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures and practicals complement each other by providing a theoretical background of the concept along with practical, hands-on experience using GIS and R software, integrating a variety of geographical datasets.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC Examination | 0 | 2 | M | 40 | Online quiz based on lectures and practicals (multiple-choice format) |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poster | 2 | M | 60 | Infographic Project (individual project) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
- Online multiple-choice assessments will verify that students have comprehended the concepts and can interpret the practical outcomes and ideas presented in the lectures.
- The creative project will assess the students’ ability to combine practical knowledge and apply it to a creative output based on real-world data and aligned with their interests.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- GEO1025's Timetable