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Unit of study_
ENVX3001: Environmental GIS
2026 unit information
The critical role of geospatial science in major disturbance events, such as bushfires and changing land managment, has placed spatial science at the forefront of policy agendas, information sharing and community engagement. The disruptive nature of this field is clear and demand for expertise in GIS, Earth observation, spatial data analytics and location intelligence has grown. However, this expertise needs to be backed by an understanding of the science, conceptual principles and ethics that underpin these enabling technologies. We will incorporate the transformative potential of spatial science driven technologies demonstrated by disturbance events. This unit content will expose you to a breadth of analytical capabilities within GIS, various applications to complex environmental issues in using and disseminating geographical information and knowledge. The fundamentals of GIS, spatial modelling and Earth observation will be introduced in the context of environmental management. You will build on these foundational concepts through problem-based learning in which GIS and remote sensing methods will be applied to address issues relating to fire and biodiversity, acid sulphate soils and water security.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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ENVI1003 or AGEN1002 or GEOS1XXX or BIOL1XXX or GEOS2X11 |
|---|---|
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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GEOS3X14 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. define the basic terms associated with geographic information science, including technologies, systems and studies
- LO2. differentiate between spatial data and spatial information
- LO3. source geospatial data from government and private agencies
- LO4. decipher various air-borne and space-borne sensors and their carriers
- LO5. apply geo-image analytical techniques for land resources assessment and management
- LO6. build spatial databases of geographical entities for data querying and retrieval
- LO7. apply conceptual models of spatial phenomena for practical decision-making in, for example, land management and land use planning, etc
- LO8. apply critical analysis of situations to apply the concepts of spatial phenomena to solve environmental and land resource problems
- LO9. communicate results of scientific investigations effectively through various means such as oral, written and essay formats, use major GIS and remote sensing software packages, e.g. ArcGIS™.
Unit availability
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| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2026
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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