121-038 GIS for Environmental Policy Making

Note

Availability

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Admission to fourth year Honours in Geography or to the Postgraduate Diploma or Masters Programs in Geography or Environmental Studies.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject gives students of environmental planning and policymaking a sophisticated knowledge of computer-assisted geographical analysis methods. Topics covered include data coding, database structures, spatial search, spacial algorithms, remote sensed imaging, interpolation, geostatistics, digital elevation mapping, variograms, kriging, analysis of spatial patterns, buffering, surface topology, drainage networks, errors in spatial analysis, numerical modelling, neural network prediction and clustering, geocoding, network analysis, scripting, fuzzy geographic phenomena and modern policy making software. Students who complete this subject will have a good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of GIS for policymaking, experience at GIS manipulation, insight into how innovative techniques can extend the capabilities of GIS and awareness of how the GIS can improve social and environmental management procedures.

Assessment

Practical assignments equivalent to 3000 words, and a 2-hour examination.