GEOG 485GIS Programming and Software Development

3 credits · Geography · Penn State

The course focuses on solving geographic problems by modifying and automating generic Geographic Information System (GIS) software through programming. In GEOG 485 , students use the Python programming language to write and modify scripts that add functionality to desktop GIS tools and to automate geospatial analysis processes. No previous programming experience is assumed. Core topics covered in this class include object-oriented programming, loops, if-then constructs, and modular code design, all situated in a geospatial context through their integration with maps, layers, spatial data tables, and spatial analysis methods. Students who successfully complete the course can automate repetitive GIS tasks and share their geospatial software development work with others.