GISC401-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025

Foundations of Geospatial Data Science

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2025
End Date: Sunday, 22 June 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 2 March 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 11 May 2025

Description

Geospatial Data Science deals with the processing, manipulation, analysis and visualization of spatial data in a variety of forms. Spatial data are those which contain geographical coordinates enabling them to be used for spatial analysis and mapping and include, for example, images from remote sensing, coordinates collected using navigation technologies, or census information by area, among many others. This course provides a practical introduction to concepts and methods in Geospatial Data Science for the analysis of spatial data. In this course you will gain an understanding of key concepts in Geospatial Data Science, learn how to represent the environment and the world using spatial data, and apply basic spatial analysis techniques to geographic data using programming languages. You will develop skills such as importing, manipulating, analyzing, and visualizing spatial data particularly using algorithms in R and/or Python. You will also develop an awareness of the current limitations and implications of geographic technology.

Learning Outcomes

  • The primary aim of this course is to provide an applied introduction to key technical concepts and methods for spatial data science, using Python and JupyterHub. After completing this course, we expect you to have gained the following:
  • An understanding of the key concepts in spatial data and spatial data collection
  • Learn how to represent the environment and the world in spatial data
  • Skills to import, manipulate and present spatial data, particularly using algorithms in Python
  • The ability to apply basic spatial analysis techniques to geographic data using spatial capabilities of open-source Python programming language
  • An awareness of the current limitations and implications of geographic technology, its future development, and data sovereignty, particularly multi-cultural aspects of sovereignty.
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Biculturally competent and confident

      Students will be aware of and understand the nature of biculturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand, and its relevance to their area of study and/or their degree.

      Globally aware

      Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Entry subject to the approval of the Programme Director.

Restrictions

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 14:00 - 15:00 Jack Erskine 031 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Lecture B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 09:00 - 10:00 F3 Lecture Theatre
17 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Computer Lab A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 15:00 - 18:00 Jack Erskine 248 Computer Lab
24 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
02 Wednesday 15:00 - 18:00 Rehua 008 Computer Lab
24 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 8 Jun
03 Wednesday 08:00 - 11:00 Ernest Rutherford 211 GIS Comp Lab
24 Feb - 6 Apr
28 Apr - 1 Jun
Field Trip A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01-P1 Saturday 09:00 - 18:00 Cass
17 Feb - 23 Feb
01-P2 Sunday 09:00 - 18:00 Cass
17 Feb - 23 Feb

Timetable Note

The field trip will take place over two days, on the 22nd and 23rd of February 2025, with an overnight stay at Cass field station.

Catering for the field trip costs $25. There will be information on the Learn page on how to pay.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Vanessa Bastos

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Online Quizzes 20% Online Quiz 1 (5%) - Week 3, Sat 8th March 5pm Online Quiz 2 (5%) - Week 5, Sat 22nd March 5pm Online Quiz 3 (5%) - Week 8, Sat 3rd May 5pm Online Quiz 4 (5%) - Week 11, Sat 24th May 5pm
Use of Gen-AI and Coding Forum 5% Due by assigned week (to be advised)
Lab Assignments 45% Labs 1 & 3 (15%), Due Week 6, Fri 28th March 5pm Labs 4 & 5 (15%), Due Week 9, Fri 9th May 5pm Labs 6 & 7 (15%), Due Week 12 + 1, Fri 6th June 5pm
Self-Directed Learning Group Report 30% Due Week 12, Sat 31st May 5pm

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended textbook(s):
1. Dorman, M., Graser, A., Nowosad, J., Lovelace, R. (2025). Geocomputation with Python. https://py.geocompx.org/
2. Tenkanen, H., Heikinheimo, V. & Whipp, D. (2022). Introduction to Python for Geographic Data Analysis. https://pythongis.org/
3. McClain, B. P. (2022). Python for Geospatial Data Analysis. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/canterbury/detail.action?docID=30190351#
4. Rey, S., Arribas-Bel, D., & Wolf, L.J. (2020). Geographic Data Science with Python. https://geographicdata.science/book/intro.html#
5. Severance, C.R. (2016). Python for Everybody: Exploring Data in Python 3. https://www.py4e.com/html3/
6. Parker, J. R. (2016). Python: An Introduction to Programming. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/canterbury/detail.action?docID=6522952

Course links

Course Outline

Notes

Prerequisites:  NA

Restrictions: GISC101

Recommended preparation: NA

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,213.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Minimum enrolments

This course will not be offered if fewer than 3 people apply to enrol.

For further information see School of Earth and Environment .

All GISC401 Occurrences

  • GISC401-25S1 (C) Semester One 2025