Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA Urban Studies programme.
Description
In the Urban Environment many research questions and topics have a spatial component. It means geography is included. The analysis and visualization of the spatial relations between the different phenomena is often crucial for understanding and solving the research questions in the Urban Environment.
Topics in the city with a spatial dimension are for example:
Crime and safety
Social geography (like poverty)
Biodiversity
Mobility
In this course we will introduce the geographical approach. A method to solve spatial problems using five different steps:
problem definition including describing the spatial component and the required outcome of the study.
data acquisition (exploring different sources of spatial data)
data storage and management (learing how to store spatial features and how to convert them to the appropriate format
data analysis and modelling (learing how to combine different spatial layers, to use spatial tools and to make a basic spatial model)
data output ( exploring several methods to communicate outcome of the spatial analysis.model to the target audience
Teaching materials and methods includes theoretical lectures about the above mentioned geographical approach steps, practicals in working with ArcGIS software, field work with collecting spatial data and working on a group assignment solving a specific Urban spatial problem/case study.
Course objectives
General learning outcomes
See tab Additional information for the overview of the programme's general learning outcomes. In the assessment methods below is outlined which general learning outcome will be tested through which method.
Course objectives, pertaining to this course
The student is able:
to describe what spatial data and GIS means;
to identify specific characteristics of spatial data;
to list which type of spatial data are available and how these datasets can be found;
to describe the different steps in the geograpichal approach to solve a spatial problem;
to specify and to select the appropriate spatial analysis tools to solve a spatial problem;
to clarify and to argue which method is chosen to solve a specific spatial problem;
to use and perform the method with the chosen tools and analysis steps;
to present and reflect on the selected methodology with the aid of a flow diagram.
Timetable
The timetable is available on the Urban Studies website
Mode of instruction
4 Lectures (compulsory attendance)
8 Work groups (compulsory attendance)
The first six weeks will be about theory and more practical experience with GIS, the last six weeks the students will work in small groups on a case study in the Urban Environment and use the obtained knowledge ands skills. In the last workgroup the students have to present the chosen method and results of the GIS casestudy (assignment).
Compulsory attendance: This means that students have to attend every session of the course. If a student is unable to attend a lecture or workgroup, they should inform the lecturer in advance, providing a valid reason for absence. The teacher will determine if and how the missed session can be compensated by an additional assignment. If they are absent from a lecture or workgroup without a valid reason, they can be excluded from the final exam in the course.
Course Load
Total course load for this course is 5 EC (1 EC equals 28 hours), which equals 140 hours, broken down by:
Attending lectures and work groups: 24
Study of compulsory literature: 20
Homework general: 15
Homework working on assignment: 40
Working on assignment report /presentation: 23
Preparing exam: 15
Exam: 3
Assessment method
Assessment
Midterm examination
Written exam with short open questions
-measured programme's general learning outcomes: 4-5, 8
-measured course specific objectives: 1-4Group assignment
-measured programme's general learning outcomes: 1, 4-5, 8, 10-11, 13-15, 18-21, 23-26
-measured course specific objectives: 3-8Oral presentation of assignment results (by group)
-measured programme's general learning outcomes: 1, 11, 13-15, 17, 20-21, 23
-measured course specific objectives: 7-8
Weighing:
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Mid term exam | 40% |
| Group assignment | 50% |
| Presentation | 10% |
End grade
To successfully complete the course, please take note that the end grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average of all assessment components, with the additional requirement that the mid term exam and the group assignment need to be sufficient to pass.
Resit
If the end grade is insufficient (lower than a 6.0), or the exam grade and/or group assignment grade is lower than 5,50, there is a possibility of retaking the written examination material replacing the previous exam grade and/or resubmitting an improved version of the group assignment. The deadline for resubmission of the group assignment is to be consulted with the lecturer. The maximum grade for the resubmitted group assignment is 6.0.
Faculty regulations concerning participation in resits are listed in article 4.1 of the Faculty Course and Examination Regulations.
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organised.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for:
Time schedule of the course
The reading list
Announcements
Powerpoints of the lectures
Assignment uploads
All other information regarding the course
Reading list
The readings will be listed on Blackboard.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available on the website
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable.
Contact
Remarks
None.