Postgraduate Course: GIS and Spatial Analysis for Archaeologists (PGHC11460)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to the use of Geographical Information Systems in archaeology. It will provide a global perspective of current applications covering data acquisition, spatial analysis, and cartographic visualization. Students will become practiced users of the open-source platform QGIS while developing critical skills on the use of GIS within archaeological projects. |
| Course description |
The course will explore the key methodological and technical aspects of archaeological GIS. Through a mixture of lectures, practicals, and projects the students will learn to identify and interpret the spatial patterns found in the archaeological record using a multi-scalar perspective (from sites to regions). They will also become aware of the potentials and limitations of GIS specifically linked to the study of the past.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
GIS for Archaeologists (ARCA10086)
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Other requirements | Students MUST have taken one the following on LinkedIn Learning (available through their university log in): Statistics Foundations 1: The Basics AND one or more of the following: Excel Essential Training, Getting Started with Microsoft Excel, Excel Boot Camp, or Excel: Introduction to Formulas and Functions, depending on their level of previous experience with Excel. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate the ability to create and manage a GIS project integrating archaeological and geographical data;
- demonstrate the ability to understand and critically analyse current applications of GIS in archaeology;
- demonstrate the ability to apply a wide range of methods to identify spatial patterns in archaeological data;
- demonstrate critical understanding of the issues surrounding the investigation, interpretation and display of spatial dynamics and their links to social behavior;
- demonstrate knowledge on the uses of GIS within wider archaeological contexts.
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Reading List
"QGIS Training Manual -- QGIS Documentation." https://docs.qgis.org/3.28/en/docs/training_manual/index.html.
Beavan, Andrew, and Mark Lake, eds. Computational Approaches to Archaeological Spaces. New York: Routledge, 2016. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315431932.
Conolly, James, and Mark Lake. Geographical Information Systems in Archaeology. Cambridge Manuals in Archaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511807459.
Streatfeild-James, Jake. "QGIS for Archaeologists: Getting Started." BAJR Practical Guide Series 42. BAJR, 2016. http://www.bajr.org/BAJRGuides/42_QGIS_StarterGuide/42_BAJR_Guide_QGIS.pdf |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
On successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
gather, integrate, and critically assess relevant information
extract key elements and meanings from complex data sets
answer a research question by developing a reasoned argument based on quantitative analysis
present their ideas and analyses in a coherent fashion
work with others to produce co-created research outputs |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Sam Leggett
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Claire Brown
Tel: (0131 6)50 3582
Email: |
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