Geographical Information Systems with Focus on Ecosystem Services and Sustainable Community Development, 7.5 credits

Main field of study with advanced study

Degree of Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry or Geology including an independent project 15 credits or Degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering with an environmental orientation including an independent project 15 credits. The degree must be equivalent to a Swedish kandidatexamen or Swedish högskoleingenjörsexamen and must have been awarded from an internationally recognised university. The courses Ecological Resilience 7.5 credits and Ecosystem Services in a Changing World 7.5 credits. English 6. Exemption of the requirement in Swedish is granted.

The course is an eligible course within Master's Programme (60 credits) in Applied Environmental Science - Ecosystem Services and Nature Resource Management.

The aim of the course is for the student to develop familiarity with work with geographic information systems with a focus on issues concerning the sustainable use of nature resources. Furthermore, the aim of the course is for the student to acquire knowledge using geographic information systems (GIS) to evaluate and assess different environmental and sustainability appropriateness and effects of measures, as well as to take based on this make recommendations.

Following successful completion of the course the student should be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• explain the different types of data that can be collected, stored and searched from a geographic information system
• describe how geographic data can be used in a scientific context in the work towards a sustainable society

Skills and ability

• visualize geographic data and build the graphic presentation on a scientific foundation
• carry out analyzes of geographic data using standard software for GIS
• carry out a GIS based project from the planning stage, via data collection and analysis to a finished report, as well as present the project to other students, and critically evaluate other students' project

Judgement and approach

• critically evaluate the quality of available data and results obtained through the use of software for GIS

The course provides an in-depth study of the practical use of geographic information systems where nature resource utilization for a sustainable community planning is discussed and examined, connected to scientific studies. The course is largely practical where the students in project form work with questions that have their starting point in current research and/or societal challenges mediated via education-relevant stakeholders.

Teaching takes place in the form of lectures, seminars and laboratories.

Examination takes place in the form of seminars and written assignments which is carried out individually or in groups.

If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions from the specified examination format and allow a student to be examined in another way. Special reasons can e.g. be study support for students with disabilities.

Course evaluation is part of the course. This evaluation offers guidance in the future development and planning of the course. Course evaluation is documented and made available to the students.