There is an immense need for professionals educated in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques. It is a technology and methodology that has been used to conduct site analysis, track wolves, develop land use plans, access damage along the path of a forest fire, and track crime interactively (New York Times, January, 2000). It is estimated that over 500,000 professionals in fields ranging from environmental assessment to retail trade analysis are asked to use GIS in their jobs, with 50,000 being asked to use GIS full-time. These numbers are growing 15% a year and will likely accelerate. The depth and breadth of this technique and associated application knowledge will continue to increase with both governmental agencies and businesses demanding more GIS educated professionals, as well as greater knowledge breadth of their employees. Although many disciplines will provide GIS training, Geography provide the best focus and education for students of GIS (ESRI, 2000; AAG Newsletter, June, 2000).

The Department of Geography/Geology has taught GIS courses at UWSP for the last fifteen years and spatial methodology courses, like cartography, for forty years. Yet, the true integration and utility of these techniques was not realized until the advent of modern computing. Many disciplines outside the field of geography now recognize the impact and importance of GIS and spatial analysis within their own fields. The GIS analyst normally has expertise in a particular area, such as land use planning, forest management, or business and uses GIS knowledge to help solve problems in their main academic field.

The Department of Geography/Geology now offers a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Analysis minor that provides a mix of theory and practical knowledge having broad application in various disciplines. GIS is used to effectively access, analyze, and interpret vast amounts of spatial data. GIS is employed to explore the interrelationships of geographic variable that can involve weather, politics, crime, environment management, real estate development, forestry inventory, wildlife tracking, and retail trade analysis. For example, one could use GIS to determine the best location for a new department store, or evaluate the impact of spraying chemicals on a local well water supply. The true power of GIS is its ability to combine and synthesize any form of geographic information.

The 22-credit minor (28 credits for students enrolled in the cartography option of the geography major) covers the foundation of spatial analysis and geographic information systems, including cartography, statistical analysis, and hands-on exposure to cutting edge GIS technology. The Department of Geography/Geology offers three courses that provide basic to advanced training in GIS, and several complementary courses in associated GIS technology, such as digital remote sensing. The minor complements programs in geography, geology, resource management, land use planning, wildlife, forestry, water, soils, biology and other fields reliant on spatial analysis.

Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis Minor

Required Courses:		Applied Spatial Statistics:
Geography 276 Introduction to Cartography: Map Conceptualization and Development The map production process, including rationale, graphic structure, data collection and organization, map layout, and final production. Geography 279 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems Definition and components of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for resource management. Principles and structure of spatial data and cartographic modeling. Spatial data acquisition, manipulation, translation, aggregation, analysis, and presentation. Geography 377 Remote Sensing I Characteristics of aerial photographs and digital imagery. Use remote sensing materials to conduct resource inventories, and land use evaluation, and landform analysis.	Geography 379 Remote Sensing II Learn principles of remote sensor technology and apply them to inventory earth resources, detect and monitor pollution, and measure other environmental phenomena. Use visual analysis and computer-assisted digital imaging processing techniques to interpret various types of remote sensor imagery. Geography 476 Geographic Information Systems I Develop, use and maintain a geographic-based spatial information system (GIS) for resource management. Acquire and assess spatial data. Compare raster and vector data models. Computer-based geographic data handling, analysis, interpretation, and display. Cartographic and spatial modeling. Geography 479Geographic Information Systems II Intermediate and advanced geographic information systems (GIS) techniques; integrate medium and large scale digital databases, use rectified aerial and satellite geographic base data. Principles and development of complex environmental and cultural spatial modeling, GIS programming concepts and applications.	Geography 390Applied Statistics in Geography Survey geographic problems and quantitative problem solving methods; create or extract relevant data sets from published geographic resources; apply, interpret, and present appropriate spatial and nonspatial statistics. OR Wildlife 311Quantitative Methods for Wildlife and Fisheries Research and Management Practical experience in formulating hypotheses, designing field studies, analyzing and interpreting data commonly collected in wildlife and fisheries research and management. Through examples and individually collected data sets, learn appropriate design, selection of quantitative methods, biological interpretation of results, field complications, and impacts of violations of assumptions. OR Forestry 322Forest Mensuration Measure volume, growth, development of individual trees and stands; determine products obtainable from them; construction and use of appropriate instruments, tables, and surveys.

THREE additional credits selected from the following:
Biology 306Ecological Methods Apply ecological methods in field and laboratory analyses of ecosystems. Biology 321Biological Computing Use contemporary microcomputer software and operating systems for data handling and analysis in biology and natural resources projects. Database, spread-sheet, graphics, word processing, communication and data transfer. Business 339International Marketing International differences in applying marketing concepts to culture, business customs, political and legal environments, trade mechanics, and market behavior when developing marketing strategies; world trade practices. Economics 342Environmental Economics Economic dimensions of domestic and international environmental problems. How definitions of property rights and national and regional economic growth cause environmental problems. Problems of pollution and endangered species. Impacts of environmental and resource development policies on efficiency, effectiveness, distribution of costs and benefits, economic growth. Geography 344Environmental Hazards Human interaction with hazardous phenomena such as earthquakes, storms, and infectious diseases; spatial aspects of the social processes and perceptions creating risk and vulnerability in the environment; local hazards. Geography 358Biogeography Examine spatial and temporal patterns of plants, animals, and microbes with emphasis on dynamic relationships between life form, population, and habitat. Significance of biotic distributions on human affairs and human impacts on biosphere locations. Geography 370Transportation and Logistics Survey/analyze spatial aspects of transportation and communication systems. Includes evolution of transport systems, network and flow analysis, routing and logistics analysis, and transportation planning and management. Geography 372Industrial Location Analyze manufacturing activities from a spatial perspective. Topics include theory and practice of industrial location, manufacturing production systems, industrial districts, and local economic development.	Geography 378Retail and Service Location Analyze retail and service activities from a spatial perspective. Location strategies of retail and service firms, site selection, trade area analysis, store and office assessment methods, and local economic development. Geography 382Dynamic Cartography Theory and practical applications of interactive mapping and hypermedia presentation. Survey of animated mapping, Web-based cartography, dynamic map displays and associated authoring tools within a multimedia environment. Geography 480Internship in Geography Supervised training program in geography in cooperation with public or private agencies. Geography 485Practicum in Geography Practical experience in geography under faculty supervision. Geology 330Environmental Geology Apply geological principles to understand and solve problems associated with human interaction with the physical environment, including soil and rock mechanics, slope stability, land subsidence, earthquakes, coastal erosion, and resource extraction. Forestry 319Land Surveying Practices in land surveying, including distance and angular measurement, area computation and mapping, stadia, notekeeping, and deed searching for integrated resource management. Forestry 320Field Experience in Forest Measurement Apply forest measurement techniques and ecological relationships for integrated resource management.	Forestry 385Applied Landscape Architecture Principles of design, landscape assessment, and graphic techniques that apply to urban and rural forested landscapes. Natural Resources 363Interpretive Signs, Trails, and Waysides Design and produce interpretive signs, trails, and wayside exhibits for parks, recreation areas, natural areas, and other outdoor facilities. Natural Resources 385Field Techniques in Forestry, Soils, Water, and Wildlife Field techniques used to manage and evaluate forestry, soils, water, and wildlife resources. Soils 360Field Experience in Soil Inventory Methods Techniques in describing, mapping, classifying, and interpreting soils for integrated resource mgmt. Soils 365Soil Survey Interpretations for Land Use Planning Apply soil survey information to make interpretations for various land uses such as agriculture, sanitary facilities, building sites, woodland, construction materials; identify the limitations and suitability of soils for specific planning purposes. Water/Geology 383Hydrogeology Occurrence and movement of groundwater in the geologic environment; response of aquifers to pumping wells; groundwater resource exploration, and management. Wildlife 350/550Wildlife Management Techniques Techniques for managing wildlife populations: aging and sexing criteria, capture, handling and control methods, censusing, assessing food habits and quality, estimating home ranges, quantifying habitat relationships, modeling land use impacts, and conducting research studies.

Geography majors with the Geographic Information Science and Cartography Option may choose the GISSA minor, but must take an additional six credits from the elective courses listed as additional credits.