This September the Department of Human Geography is launching a new Minor Program in GIS, designed to provide the opportunity for students at UTSC to become skilled in spatial analysis, mapping, and cartography. GIS makes possible the rapid interpretation and presentation of huge amounts of new spatial data about cities, population, and various social-economic changes.
GIS and cartography skills are in great demand in a wide variety of job markets. Just as spatial data sources such as Google maps, OpenStreetMap and others, have become a part of everyday life for anyone with a computer or a smart phone, so too has the demand grown for GIS literate employees in a huge range of industries. Ability to understand, use, analyze, map and develop online systems for digital geographic data is quickly becoming a core set of skills needed for many professions including planning, marketing, government, policy analysis, and international development, among others. This program will provide a solid training in GIS methods and practical skills for UTSC students.
The program requirements are in the calendar at: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~registrar/calendars/calendar/Geography.html
The Subject POSt code to add the GIS minor program on ROSI is: SCMIN1800
The structure is simple: 4.0 FCE, of which Program Requirement 1 is 2 first-year classes in either Geography, Anthropology, Environmental Science, History, IDS, Political Science, or Sociology. Requirement 2 is the four GIS core courses: GGRA30, GGRB30, GGRB32, and GGRC30, all of which will be offered in 2014-15. Requirements 3 and 4 are independent research projects, designed to allow students to develop their GIS skills, and create a portfolio of completed work.
During the first few years we expect relatively small enrolments, so this will be a great opportunity for the first students to get hands-on training in small classes with great instructors. Sign up now!