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Program Requirements

The Minor Concentration in GIS & Remote Sensing program provides B.A. students with the fundamentals of geospatial tools and technologies.

Required Courses (6 credits)

• GEOG 201 Introductory Geo-Information Science (3 credits)

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : An introduction to Geographic Information Systems. The systematic management of spatial data. The use and construction of maps. The use of microcomputers and software for mapping and statistical work. Air photo and topographic map analyses.

  Terms: Fall 2023

  Instructors: Elrick, Tim (Fall)

  • Fall

  • 3 hours and lab

• GEOG 314 Geospatial Analysis (3 credits)

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Overview of both the theoretical and applied aspects of geographic information science and systems. Topics will include spatial analysis techniques, geographic models as abstractions of the real world, spatial data manipulation and management, and conceptual issues related to geographic data and technology. Introduction to a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro.

  Terms: Winter 2024

  Instructors: Lehner, Bernhard (Winter)

  • Prerequisite: GEOG 201

  • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken GEOG 306 or GEOG 307.

Complementary Courses (12 credits)

3 credits selected from:

• COMP 202 Foundations of Programming (3 credits)

  Offered by: Computer Science (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Computer Science (Sci) : Introduction to computer programming in a high level language: variables, expressions, primitive types, methods, conditionals, loops. Introduction to algorithms, data structures (arrays, strings), modular software design, libraries, file input/output, debugging, exception handling. Selected topics.

  Terms: Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Summer 2024

  Instructors: M'hiri, Faten (Fall) M'hiri, Faten (Winter) Parekh, Deven (Summer)

  • 3 hours

  • Prerequisite: a CEGEP level mathematics course

  • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 204, COMP 208, or GEOG 333; not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 206 or COMP 250.

  • COMP 202 is intended as a general introductory course, while COMP 204 is intended for students in life sciences, and COMP 208 is intended for students in physical sciences and engineering.

• GEOG 333 Introduction to Programming for Spatial Sciences (3 credits)

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Introduction to conceptual and practical aspects of programming for the spatial sciences, focusing on programming concepts and techniques irrespective of the specific programming language, framework, or software. Topics include spatial data structures, flow control, classes and objects, and basics of geospatial data modeling and analysis.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2023-2024 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2023-2024 academic year.

  • Pre/co-requisite: GEOG 201

  • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken or are taking COMP 202, COMP 204, or COMP 208. May be taken before COMP 206 orCOMP 250, but not concurrently with or after either course. Not open to students who have taken GEOG 407 in Fall 2019 or 2020.

  • No previous programming experience is expected.

3 credits selected from:

• ATOC 309 Weather Radars and Satellites (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

  Terms: Winter 2024

  Instructors: Tan, Ivy (Winter)

  • Winter

  • 3 hours lecture

  • Prerequisite: ATOC 215

• GEOG 308 Remote Sensing for Earth Observation (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : A conceptual view of remote sensing and the underlying physical principles. Covers ground-based, aerial, satellite systems, and the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible to microwave. Emphasis on application of remotely sensed data in geography including land cover change and ecological processes.

  Terms: Fall 2023

  Instructors: Kalacska, Margaret (Fall)

  • Fall

  • 3 hours and laboratory periods

  • Corequisite: GEOG 201 or permission of instructor

• GEOG 414 Advanced Geospatial Analysis (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Advanced techniques in geospatial analysis. Geospatial methods and using geospatial information systems. Topics: geodatabases, interpolation techniques, spatial classification methods, data mining and machine learning, including working with a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop/Pro.

  Terms: Fall 2023

  Instructors: Sengupta, Raja (Fall)

  • Prerequisites: GEOG 314; and GEOG 333 or COMP 202; or permission of the instructor.

  • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken GEOG 306 or GEOG 307.

6 credits selected from:

• ATOC 309 Weather Radars and Satellites (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences : Basic notions of radiative transfer and applications of satellite and radar data to mesoscale and synoptic-scale systems are discussed. Emphasis will be put on the contribution of remote sensing to atmospheric and oceanic sciences.

  Terms: Winter 2024

  Instructors: Tan, Ivy (Winter)

  • Winter

  • 3 hours lecture

  • Prerequisite: ATOC 215

• ESYS 300 Investigating the Earth System (3 credits)

  Offered by: Earth & Planetary Sciences (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Earth System Science : An understanding of the biological, chemical and physical fundamentals of the Earth system and how the different components interact. The mechanisms controlling interactions between reservoirs are quantitatively investigated. Special emphasis on the development and response of the Earth system to perturbations.

  Terms: Fall 2023

  Instructors: Tremblay, Bruno; Kalacska, Margaret (Fall)

  • Fall

  • 3 hours lecture

  • Prerequisite: ESYS 200 or equivalent.

• GEOG 202 Statistics and Spatial Analysis (3 credits)

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Exploratory data analysis, univariate descriptive and inferential statistics, non-parametric statistics, correlation and simple regression. Problems associated with analysing spatial data such as the 'modifiable areal unit problem' and spatial autocorrelation. Statistics measuring spatial pattern in point, line and polygon data.

  Terms: Winter 2024

  Instructors: Mahmud, Mallik (Winter)

  • 3 hours and lab

  • You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar.

• GEOG 308 Remote Sensing for Earth Observation (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : A conceptual view of remote sensing and the underlying physical principles. Covers ground-based, aerial, satellite systems, and the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible to microwave. Emphasis on application of remotely sensed data in geography including land cover change and ecological processes.

  Terms: Fall 2023

  Instructors: Kalacska, Margaret (Fall)

  • Fall

  • 3 hours and laboratory periods

  • Corequisite: GEOG 201 or permission of instructor

• GEOG 384 Principles of Geospatial Web (3 credits)

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Theory and practice of geospatial web, including examining spatial data accuracy and uncertainty of user generated content; Understanding motivations of contributors of volunteered geographic information for purposes like citizen science and crisis mapping; Critically evaluating political, societal, economic and legal issues in online mapping applications; Developing geospatial applications and identifying basic problem solving requirements for geospatial apps. For proposed 
solutions, evaluating and justifying various existing and emergent geospatial technologies and enabling software stacks; Exploring underlying methods of digital earth architectures; Understanding implications to geospatial analysis and visualization of real time streaming data and mobile sensors

  Terms: Fall 2023

  Instructors: Sieber, Renee (Fall)

  • Prerequisite(s): GEOG 201; GEOG 333 or COMP 202; and GEOG 314; or permission of the instructor.

• GEOG 414 Advanced Geospatial Analysis (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Advanced techniques in geospatial analysis. Geospatial methods and using geospatial information systems. Topics: geodatabases, interpolation techniques, spatial classification methods, data mining and machine learning, including working with a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop/Pro.

  Terms: Fall 2023

  Instructors: Sengupta, Raja (Fall)

  • Prerequisites: GEOG 314; and GEOG 333 or COMP 202; or permission of the instructor.

  • Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken GEOG 306 or GEOG 307.

• GEOG 506 Advanced Geographic Information Science (3 credits)

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Critically analyse major themes in geographic information science and draw out the practical ramifications for spatial technologies and research. Topics such as spatial interoperability, data quality, scale, visualization, location based services and ontologies are covered.

  Terms: Winter 2024

  Instructors: Sengupta, Raja (Winter)

  • Winter

  • 2 hours and laboratory

  • Prerequisite: (Undergraduate): GEOG 384 or GEOG 414; and permission of the instructor

• GEOG 535 Remote Sensing and Interpretation (3 credits)

  Offered by: Geography (Faculty of Science)

  Overview

  Geography : Basic photogrammetry and interpretation procedures for aircraft and space craft photography and imagery.

  Terms: Winter 2024

  Instructors: Kalacska, Margaret (Winter)

  • Winter

  • 3 hours

  • Prerequisite: GEOG 308 and written permission of instructor

* may be taken in either list of complementary courses, but credits from one group may not be doubled-counted in the other.