By definition from the United States Geological Survey, “A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system that analyzes and displays geographically referenced information. It uses data that is attached to a unique location.” “GIS can show many different kinds of data on one map, such as streets, buildings, and vegetation. This enables people to more easily see, analyze, and understand patterns and relationships,” according to National Geographic (and we agree!). As our modern form of cartography, GIS integrates spatial and other data for statistical analysis, visualization, and planning purposes. Check our About GIS page for more!
We offer a variety of classes for a variety of skill levels! Check out our page “Learn” to get a list of course descriptions involved in acquiring an Applied Geospatial Technologies Certificate through the Center for GIS. Among those courses are:
Geography 350: Introduction to Mapping and Geospatial Technologies
Geography 558: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
Geography 355: Remote Sensing
Geography 531: GIS and Urban Demographic Analysis
Geosciences 571: GIS and Water Resources
Geography 583: Spatial and Non-spatial Databases
Geography 590: Web Mapping
Find descriptions of those courses on our Academics page.
The ULCGIS loves to help students, faculty, and staff to implement GIS and other geospatial technology in their projects! Check out our Services to learn about ways that we can collaborate with you to bring the spatial advantage to your work.
Are you a student currently enrolled at the University of Louisville? Good news! You are entitled to a trial license for ESRI’s desktop GIS software packages, ArcGIS Pro or ArcGIS Desktop. Just fill out our Student Software Request form to get started!
Are you a UofL faculty or staff member seeking access to ArcGIS Pro or Desktop for research or teaching? Please contact us for more information on how to participate in UofL’s ESRI Campus Agreement.
For more info about UofL’’s ESRI software offerings, please visit our Software page. We are also equipped with the research tools listed on our Facilities page.
Sourcing spatial and non-spatial data is one of the fundamental steps in any GIS or mapping project. Fortunately, it has never been easier to find and access data on a wide variety of topics, from social to environmental phenomena and everything in between. The ArcGIS Living Atlas is our go to repository for easy access to authoritative data in GIS-ready formats. Check out our Data page for other great online data sources.
The Center for GIS is housed within the Department of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, in the East Wing of the 2nd Floor of Lutz Hall. Contact us to arrange a visit and tour of the Center’s facilities, including the state of the art Audwin and Rae Helton GIS Lab!