This course is part of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization

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1,156 ratings

Nick Santos

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Geographic Information Systems (GIS) SpecializationUniversity of California, Davis

About this Course

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Apply your GIS knowledge in this course on geospatial analysis, focusing on analysis tools,  3D data, working with rasters, projections, and environment variables. Through all four weeks of this course, we'll work through a project together - something unique to this course - from project conception, through data retrieval, initial data management and processing, and finally to our analysis products.
In this class you will learn the fundamentals of geospatial and environmental analysis during four week-long modules:

Week 1: Tour ArcToolbox and learn how to use common geospatial analysis tools built into ArcGIS

Week 2: Gain a working understanding of raster data models: symbolize, reproject, overlay, and assess rasters. Take a detour into 3D data models, and interpolation of observations into 3D surfaces and rasters

Week 3: Go in-depth on projections and coordinate systems, which are foundational to all GIS. Learn how to use environment variables to constrain your analyses and get better quality data products.

Week 4: Expand your knowledge of symbology. Learn how to visually display your data by classifying it in logical groupings and then symbolizing it on your map.

Take Geospatial and Environmental Analysis as a standalone course or as part of the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization. You should have equivalent experience to completing the first and second courses in this specialization, "Fundamentals of GIS" and "GIS Data Formats, Design, and Quality", before taking this course. By completing this third class in the Specialization you will gain the skills needed to succeed in the full program.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 3 of 5 in the

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization

Intermediate Level

At least 2 years experience, comfortable doing data analysis, and fundamental grasp of GIS concepts.

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Create 3-dimensional surfaces
Create triangulated irregular networks (TIN) and modify rasters to 3D data
Develop and analyze data for the geospatial analysis project
Design color ramps for your data

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 3 of 5 in the

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization

Intermediate Level

At least 2 years experience, comfortable doing data analysis, and fundamental grasp of GIS concepts.

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.92/5 (132 Ratings)

Nick Santos

Geospatial Applications Researcher

Center for Watershed Sciences

162,889 Learners

6 Courses

Offered by

University of California, Davis

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(5,055 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Course Overview & Geospatial Analysis

In the first module of Geospatial and Environmental Analysis, we will be learning about a plethora of common tools used with vector data in ArcGIS for geospatial analysis projects. By the end of the module, you will be able to use: the clip tool, erase tool, identity tool, near tool, point distance tool, merge tool, dissolve tool, tabulate area tool, buffers, and conversion tools. In addition, you will also begin work on a geospatial analysis project that we will be using throughout this course.

3 hours to complete

17 videos (Total 105 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

17 videos

Course Overview3mCourse Mechanics4mModule 1 Overview1mClip Tool5mErase and Identity Tools9mBuffers and Multiple Ring Buffer9mNear and Generate Near Table Tools8mMerge Tool4mDissolve Tool6mBehind the Scenes: Preparing the Dissolve Tool Lecture Data4mTabulate Area7mConversion Tools7mMaking Charts and Graphs in ArcMap10mGeospatial Analysis Assignment Intro4mData Acquisition for Our Project10mGetting the Crop Data5mModule 1 Summary1m

3 readings

Getting Started in this Course10mTutorial Assignment 1: Generating Streamlines from Elevation Models10mExtra Practice: Use Geoprocessing Tools on New Data10m

1 practice exercise

Lesson 1: Geospatial Analysis30m

Week2

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Rasters and Surfaces

In this second module, we're going to cover raster data in depth and how to create 3-dimensional surfaces from our rasters. After completing this module you should be able to: describe different raster data formats and how they're used, use comparison and swipe tools, resample and retroject rasters, describe how fishnets and Thiessen polygons are used, create TINs, and convert your rasters to 3D data using ArcScene. In addition, you will continue your geospatial analysis project as you begin to plan your approach.

4 hours to complete

18 videos (Total 164 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes

18 videos

Module 2 Overview2mRaster Data Formats13mRaster Display Options10mComparison/Swipe Tools7mResampling and Cell Assignment10mReprojecting Rasters10mClipping Rasters and Extract by Mask9mRaster Mosaics12mSurfaces and Interpolation5mRasters as 3D Data6mThiessen Polygons and Fishnets5mTINs4mTINs in Action12mZ Values and 3D Data10m3D Scenes9mSetting Up the Data, Part 112mSetting Up the Data, Part 218mModule 2 Summary2m

2 readings

Tutorial Assignment 2: Creating and Assessing DEMs from Points and Raster Data10mExtra Practice 2: Working with New Tools10m

2 practice exercises

Lesson 3: Working with Rasters30mLesson 4: Surfaces and the Third Dimension30m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Classifying and Viewing Data

In this third module, we're going to start off with talking all about projections. If you've taking the specialization with us, you may recall that we discussed this in the first course, but this will be an in-depth, more technical overview of projections and coordinate systems. In the second half of the module we'll learn about environment variables. By the end of this module, you will be able to describe coordinate systems, projected coordinate systems, compare the pros and cons of different projections, and define what environment variables are and what they are used for. You will also have the opportunity to actually begin to analyze your data in the course project.

3 hours to complete

13 videos (Total 107 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

13 videos

Module 3 Overview1mOverview of Projections and Coordinate Systems4mDatums7mGeographic Coordinate Systems3mPreserving Properties of Data with Projections12mCommon Projected Coordinate Systems6mProjections in Action10mWhat are Environment Variables?8mOutput Coordinate System Environment Variable9mExtent Environment Variable10mCell Size, Mask, and Snap Raster Environment Settings12mProject Data Analysis18mModule 3 Summary1m

1 reading

Tutorial Assignment 3: Spawning Redds and Timber Harvests - A Watershed-based Analysis10m

2 practice exercises

Lesson 6: Projections and Coordinate Systems30mLesson 7: Environment Variables30m

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Working Through a Project

In the final module of this course, we're going to devote some time to discussing symbology. We've talked about symbology use a little bit in some of the other courses of the specialization, but this module provides a much more in-depth look at symbology use in ArcGIS. After viewing the videos in this module, you'll be able to design color ramps for your data, bin or classify your data appropriately, stretch raster boundaries, and copy and reuse symbology on multiple layers. Finally, we'll wrap up the geospatial analysis project before you begin work on the final (peer-reviewed) assignment for this course.

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 67 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Reviews

4.8

261 reviews

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TOP REVIEWS FROM GEOSPATIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

by ERAug 13, 2017

What I liked most about the course is the gradual progression is so great! Great deal of efforts invested for making this course so awesome. I had a great time leaning.

by CFFeb 12, 2018

It is a great course. The videos are easy to understand and the final assignment makes you work with almost every tool they show during the 4 weeks. Excellent! 3 down, 2 to go!

by AGMay 27, 2021

The final assignment instructions should be more clear. I was not able to get the exact same statistics as the example and struggled for days to match it.

by PBOct 21, 2017

This is 3rd course in GIS specialization which gives more insight into capability of Geospatial and environmental analysis if you are more serious in learning ArcGIS.

View all reviews

About the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialization

Knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an increasingly sought after skill in industries from agriculture to public health. This Specialization, offered in partnership with ArcGIS developer Esri, will teach the skills you need to successfully use GIS software in a professional setting. You will learn how to analyze your spatial data, use cartography techniques to communicate your results in maps, and collaborate with peers in GIS and GIS-dependent fields. In the final Capstone Project, you will create a professional-quality GIS portfolio piece using a combination of data identification and collection, analytical map development, and spatial analysis techniques.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
What prior experience do I need to take this course?
You should have some experience in GIS before taking this course - it's not for absolute beginners. This is the third course in the Geographic Information Systems specialization, and you should have taken the first two courses in the specialization, "Fundamentals of GIS" and "GIS Data Formats, Design, and Quality", here on Coursera before enrolling in this course, or have equivalent experience. If you're not sure if you have equivalent experience, you can audit those courses for free to look through the materials and fill in any gaps. Search for them by name on the site to find them.
Since all of the courses in the specialization run monthly, you won't miss out on this course by enrolling in those courses first. This course will have a new session once you have the skills needed to take it.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Geospatial and Environmental Analysis

About this Course

What you will learn