GEOG 130 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

    Recent Professors
    Alma Hidalgo, Mary L. Yaryan
    Recent Semesters
    Spring 2027, Fall 2026, Spring 2026
    Class Size
    35 students
    Difficulty
    5.7Moderateout of 10
    Credits
    3
    Spring 2027 Sections
    View Spring 2027 sections of GEOG 130
    Transfers To
    CSU
    Description
    How do corporations know where to locate retail stores and restaurants? How do epidemiologists know how to confront epidemics, pandemics, and related disease outbreaks? How does your utility provider know the location of power outages and water leaks? How do demographers create maps based on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, gender, religious affiliation, and other population characteristics? The answers to these questions and more are found within Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including the history of automated mapping. It includes a brief introduction to basic cartographic principles, including map scales, coordinate systems and map projections. GIS hardware and software are implemented, as are various applications of GIS technology used in environmental science, business and government. Using automatic mapping software like ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, and Story Maps, you will create maps that address a variety of local to global issues. (This course is also offered as GIS 130)
    Usually Held
    Tue 5:35pm–8:25pm, Wed 6:00pm–9:50pm