Undergraduate Course: GIS for Archaeologists (ARCA10086)
Course Outline
| School | School of History, Classics and Archaeology |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
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 individuals to 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 and Spatial Analysis for Archaeologists (PGHC11460)
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Other requirements | Archaeology 2A and 2B, or Honours entry to degrees in Classics, or equivalent.
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 | Visiting students should have at least 3 Archaeology courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses. Enrolments for this course are managed by the CAHSS Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department. All enquiries to enrol must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
| 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: Sam.Leggett@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Claire Brown
Tel: (0131 6)50 3582
Email: cbrown20@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
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