Download Practicum Guidelines

Undergraduate or Graduate Certificate in GIS
Requirements and Formats for GIS Practicum (RNR/ GEOG 494/594)
Description
The GIS Practicum is an applied course in geospatial technology. The purpose of the GIS Practicum is to
provide the opportunity to translate theory into practice under guidance of qualified information
professionals. This course provides students with an opportunity to design, develop, and implement a
GIS-based solution in response to an industry/organization defined problem.
This course is the capstone of the Graduate GIS certificate program, where upon the students can
participate in applied projects using geospatial data and processing.
The core content areas of the course are contained in the Geospatial Information Science and Technology
Body of Knowledge and include: spatial database development and management, metadata, data
modeling, automated geoprocessing, and advanced analytical techniques. The course expands upon the
knowledge students’ gained in previous geospatial technology courses, serves to hone their GIS skills,
and advance their understanding of geospatial technology.
Elements of the Practicum
The GIS practicum comprises several critical elements. These elements are intended to further a student’s
practical work skills.
Technical Component
The practicum should extend the student’s existing knowledge and skills sets by applying these to real
GIS projects and processes.
Project Management Component
The student should be exposed to issues in managing projects, meeting deadlines, and applying resources
in an efficient manner. Ideally this would be done through the students’ technical work, but may be
acquired through observation and discussion of other project related activities.
Exposure to Business Activities
The student should obtain a sense of the organization and business aspects of a particular project.
Acquisition of Employability Skills
The practicum should provide for the exercise of such skills as written and oral communication,
independent problem solving, teamwork skills etc.
Objectives
Upon completion of the practicum the student should be able to:

Demonstrate expanded knowledge of data modeling and skills in geoprocessing

Demonstrate competency with a specific geodatabase platform

Leverage familiarity with project-relevant geospatial data resources

Use GIS software for mapping and analysis

Build on existing databases and create new ones for their own projects
Fall 2016 C. Wissler
Requirements
A practicum is a course of study that involves working in the area of study and using skills and
knowledge that have been learned. The work is intended to largely be student-directed and initiated. A
draft proposal will be submitted at the beginning of the term in which the student has signed up for
practicum credits. This proposal will outline the objectives of a project and provide an overview of the
work to be done and the products produced.
A proposed project must involve at least three Knowledge Areas from the UCIGS/AAG GIS&T Body of
Knowledge (http://www.aag.org/galleries/publications-files/GIST_Body_of_Knowledge.pdf). In some
cases up to two units from the same Knowledge Area can be used.
Formats
The practicum shall include a final product, as defined in the Proposal. Currently, the following types of
final products are accepted:
Publication: Manuscript suitable for or intended for publication in journal.
Presentation at meeting or conference: Audiovisual presentation at a local or regional GIS conference or
meeting.
Report: Summative report on practicum; evaluation of objectives and BOK compliance reporting. This
report focuses on the process of the practicum rather than the research objectives.
Audio/visual production: Multimedia presentation for educational audience
Application: Any of various applications coded for use with geospatial data collection, processing, or
display.
Fall 2016 C. Wissler
Geographic Information Science and Technology Body of Knowledge
Analytical Methods
AM1-Academic, analytical origins
AM2-Query operations, languages
AM3-Geometric measures
AM4-Basic analytical operations
AM5-Analytical methods
AM6-Analysis of surfaces
AM7-Spatial statistics
AM8-Geostatistics
AM9-Spatial Regression, econometrics
AM10-Data Mining
AM11-Network analysis
AM12-Optimization, location-allocation
Conceptual Foundations
CF1-Philosophical foundations
CF2-Cognitive and social foundations
CF3-Domains of geographic information
CF4-Elements of geographic information
CF5-Relationships s-topology
CF6-Imperfections in geographic info
Cartography & Visualization
CV1-History and trends
CV2-Data considerations
CV3-Principles of map design
CV4-Graphic representation techniques
CV5-Map production
CV6-Map use and evaluation
Fall 2016 C. Wissler
Design Aspects
DA1-Scope of GIS&T system design
DA2-Project definition
DA3-Resource planning
DA4-Database Design
DA5-Analysis Design
DA6-Application Design
DA7-System implementation
Data Modeling
DM1-Basic storage & retrieval structures
DM2-Database management systems
DM3-Tessellation data models
DM4-Vector and object data structures
DM5-Modeling 3D, uncertain, temporal
Data Manipulation
DN1-Representation transformation
DN2-Generalization and aggregation
DN3-Transaction management
Geocomputation
GC1-Emergence of geocomputation
GC2-Computational aspects
GC3-Cellular automata models
GC4-Heuristics
GC5-Genetic algorithms
GC6-Agent-based models
GC7-Simulation modeling
GC8-Uncertainty
GC9-Fuzzy sets
Geospatial Data
Fall 2016 C. Wissler
GD1-Earth Geometry
GD2-Land partitioning system
GD3-Georeferencing systems
GD4-Datums
GD5-Map projections
GD6-Data quality
GD7-Land surveying and GPS
GD8-Digitzing
GD9-Field data collection
GD10-Aerial imaging, photogrammetry
GD11-Satellite & shipboard remote sensing
GS12-Metadata, standards, infrastructures
GIS&T and Society
GS1-Legal aspects
GS2-Economic aspects
GS3-Use of geospatial in public sector
GS4-Geospatial information as property
GS5-Dissemination of geospatial info
GS6-Ethical aspects of g. i. and tech.
GS7-Critial GIS
Organizational & Institutional Aspects
OI1-Origins of GIS&T
OI2-Managing te GIS operations, infrastructure
OI3-Organizational structures, procedures
OI4-GIS&T workforce themes
OI5-Institutional & inter-institutional aspects
OI6-Coordinating organizations
Dibiase, D. et al. (eds.), 2006. Geographic Information Science and
Technology Body of Knowledge,
1st ed., UCGIS and AAG, 162 pp.
Fall 2016 C. Wissler
Fall 2016 C. Wissler