GIS Foundations

Go to class
Write Review

Free Online Course: GIS Foundations provided by edX is a comprehensive online course, which lasts for 4 weeks long, 3-5 hours a week. The course is taught in English and is free of charge. Upon completion of the course, you can receive an e-certificate from edX. GIS Foundations is taught by Santosh Panda, Chris Smith and Anushree Badola.

Overview
  • GIS is a framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing data. Using the principles of geographic science, it integrates many types of geospatial data, analyzes their relationships, and organizes them in layers of information for visualization and improved understanding. This course focuses on ESRI’s ArcGIS software, the industry standard. Jack Dangermond, CEO of ESRI, describes GIS as “uncovering meaning and insights from within data.”

    Participants in this course will learn GIS concepts, tools, and processing applicable to problems in a variety of fields. The course is designed for self-study with lessons covering GIS applications on real-world problems, and prepares learners for more advanced applications such as 3D GIS and GIS Image Analysis, the two other courses in the GIS Essentials Professional Certificate.

    GIS, once an esoteric technology limited to geographers and data scientists, is now available to everyone. Thousands of organizations in virtually every field are using GIS to analyze data, make maps that reveal patterns and relationships, share insights, and solve complex problems of local to global significance.

    Verified track learners will receive a one-year ArcGIS Pro license in addition to unlimited course access and a verified certificate.

Syllabus
  • Week 1: Introduction to GIS

    • What is GIS?
    • History of GIS
    • GIS data types (vector and raster)
    • GIS file types (File Geodatabase, Feature Class, Shapefile, Table, GeoTiff)
    • Coordinate systems (geographic and projected)
    • GIS applications and ArcGIS Pro access

    Week 2: Getting started with ArcGIS Pro Software

    • Project set up in ArcGIS Pro
    • Introduction to Geoprocessing tools
    • Introduction to feature class (point, line, polygon)
    • Working with attribute table
    • ArcGIS best practices

    Week 3: Spatial Analysis using Geoprocessing tools

    • Point analysis
    • Line analysis
    • Polygon analysis

    Week 4: Map Layout and Charts

    • Create your first GIS map
    • Add basic map elements to a map layout (title, scale, north arrow, descriptive text)
    • Add advanced map elements (map grid and overview map)
    • Create charts
    • Format and analyze charts