PLAN40220 Geographical Information Systems for Policy and Planning

Academic Year 2024/2025

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and related technologies and tools are applied across many planning and policy areas including land development, transportation, economic and community development, and environmental management. Expectations of GIS are not limited to automation of routine data manipulation, analysis and visualisation; GIS are also useful for managerial tasks, policy design and evaluation, decision-making, and communication with the public. The overall objective of this module is to introduce students to the main principles and concepts pertinent to developing GIS and to utilising them for urban, rural, and environmental planning and policy analysis, design and evaluation.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the module students should be able to:
- Understand the fundamental concepts and principles associated with GIS
- Handle the basic functionality of ArcGIS software for input, management, analysis and presentation of spatial data
- Apply GIS-based methods and capabilities to address a planning and/or policy issue

Indicative Module Content:

- Basic principles of making a map
- Working with attribute data in the geodatabase
- Vector data analysis
- Raster data analysis
- ArcGIS Online
- ArcGIS Storymaps
- ArcGIS Insights
- ArcGIS Community Analyst
- ArcGIS GeoPlanner

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

10
Computer Aided Lab

14
Autonomous Student Learning

76
Total

100
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
• Lectures
• Problem Based Learning
• Active/Task based learning
• Peer and group work
• Student presentations


 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Geographical Information Syste (PEP40100)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Practical Skills Assessment: The maps/outputs produced during the practical exercises will be assessed. Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9 Graded No

40

 No
Group Work Assignment: Students work in groups on a project, applying the skills learned during the practical sessions. The project will be reported through a Storymap and presented by each group to their peers. Week 12 Graded No

60

 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback provided post-assessment

Name Role
Dr Anna Molter Lecturer / Co-Lecturer