Course code: BIO-3111

GIS and remote sensing

Se how you can apply
Se how you can apply
Apply between July 20 and August 9
Campus Tromsø
Semester / Year Autumn 2015
Credits 10
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About the course

Master course for biology students - principally aimed at MSc-students specializing in "Northern Populations and Ecosystems¿. The course is available as a singular course.

An important tool when performing ecological and environmental analysis is GIS and satellites as providers of spatial data. The theory and application of satellite remote sensing will be covered in the course. The lectures focus on the fundamentals of electromagnetic radiation, reflection and absorption, satellite and sensor technology, map projections, and digital image analysis. The main features and principles of raster GIS will be covered. In addition the theoretical background of geographical positioning systems (GPS) and its integration with GIS will be given. The course emphasizes practical GIS computer lab PC- exercises. Exercises focus on basic GIS-operation, image processing and the use of remote sensing data. At the end of the course students will be given a data set and complete a GIS project with a written report.

Admission requirements

Local admission , application code 9371 - - Master`s level singular course.

Admission requires a Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) in biology or equivalent qualification in biology.

Recommended prerequisites: Students should have some familiarity with geographic information systems (GIS), basic statistics and general knowledge of practical use of computers.

Objectives of the course

Give students the necessary theoretical background and practical skill to be able to work independently with GIS, GPS technology and remote sensing data. Make the students understand the analytic potential that GIS and remote sensed data represent in ecological an environmental studies.

Credit reduction

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

  • BIO-3111 GIS and Landscape Ecology 10 stp
  • MILJØ-310 Quantitative ecology 9 stp
  • BIO-8102 Geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensing data 10 stp

Teaching methods

10 hours lectures (intensive), 24 hours self learning PC-lab, 36 hours instructor lead PC-lab,  30 hours and 40 hours project work. Total 110 hours.

Language of instruction and examination

The language of instruction is English and all of the syllabus material is in English. Examination questions will be given in English, but may be answered either in English or a Scandinavian language.

Recommended reading/syllabus

For a general introduction to remote sensing Lillesand, T.M. et al. (2008) is recommended as a reference book (Lillesand, T. M., Kiefer, R. W. and Chipman, J.W. 2008. Remote sensing and image interpretation. 6th ed.  New York, Chichester, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).

Application deadline

Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester. Concerns only admission to singular courses. Applicants from outside the Nordic countries: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Assessment

Project report. Grade: Pass/fail. The  24 hours self learning PC-lab and 36 hours instructor lead PC-lab are mandatory. There will be a re-sit examination for students that did not pass the previous ordinary examination.

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Contact us

Responsible unit: Department of Arctic and Marine Biology
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Siv Andreassen
Kontorsjef
siv.andreassen@uit.no
Lennart Nilsen
Førsteamanuensis
lennart.nilsen@uit.no