Introduction to GIS @ Stellenbosch University

The Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an accredited short course offered by at the Centre for Geographical Analysis at Stellenbosch University.This introductory course is aimed at GIS beginners who require instruction in the basic theoretical and practical functionality of GIS, such as map production, spatial projection handling, and the capture, editing and manipulation of spatial data.

Themes covered in the course include:

Principles of remote sensing and earth observation
The electromagnetic spectrum
Reflectance characteristics of various objects on the earth’s surface
Atmospherical interaction with electromagnetic energy
Digital imagery
Image resolution
Satellite systems
Image enhancement
Image acquisition, data preparation, pre-processing
Unsupervised and supervised image classification
Field methodology and accuracy assessment
GIS integration

Upon completion, participants should understand the basic principles of earth observation, the electromagnetic spectrum, digital data, image resolution, satellite systems, pre-processing techniques and classification and other entry-level GIS concepts and will have applied these in ESRI ArcGIS.. The participants should be able to carry out an EO workflow in the remote sensing software package of ENVI. Course structure & Cost Option1: Accredited option @ R8000 (approx US $654.00) The course duration is three weeks and includes a 5-day periodduring which students attend contact sessions (i.e. lectures and practical exercises). Contact sessions run from 8h30-16h30 daily from Monday to Thursday. An exam is taken on the afternoon of day 5 (Friday). Assignments are completed in the student’s own time (during the week following the contact period) and are submitted electronically. Option2: Attend-only option @ R6000 (approx US $490.00) Students who are not interested in being assessed may choose to register for the first 4 days only (i.e. only attend the lectures and exercises and not write the exam or complete any assignments). Students choosing this option will receive a certificate of attendance. Standard course fees are reduced by 20% for Stellenbosch University students and staff members.