Geographical Information Systems (GIS), cartography and remote sensing

Geographic Information Systems (GIS), cartography, and remote sensing are central to the discipline of geography and are valuable tools regardless of the field or sector in which you choose to work.

Kart som viser forholdet mellom befolkning og årsdøgntrafikk (ÅDT) i Bergen kommune
Exploring the Relationship Between Population Distribution and Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) in Bergen Municipality Photo: Gidske Læknes Andersen

About Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Broadly speaking, GIS is an overarching framework that encompasses both remote sensing and cartography. GIS brings spatial data to life, visualises geographical patterns and reveals underlying processes.

GIS is more than mapping. It involves organising, visualising, and analysing spatial data. It is a powerful toolkit and database that supports the management, measurement, monitoring, and modelling of space and place. GIS analyses provide valuable evidence for decision-making, offering insights and data that can be difficult or costly to obtain without it.

With the development of the internet and global navigation systems, GIS is now everywhere. Although many people may not realise it, most of us use GIS in our daily lives. Thanks to GIS technology and applications, you can, for example, plan the fastest route from A to B, explore the world virtually through various mapping platforms, and track movements or monitor water levels by combining map visualisations with sensor data.

Remote sensing, including the increasingly popular use of drone imagery, is an invaluable source of spatial data for GIS. Such data enable monitoring of processes across both time and space, for example, urbanisation, the impacts of climate change, or the loss of nature.

At the Department of Geography, we use GIS and remote sensing across Physical and Environmental Geography and Human Geography.

Courses offered

We offer a range of courses in which students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in GIS, cartography, and remote sensing:

GEO110 Cartography and Thematic Mapping
The course provides theoretical, empirical, and practical experience in cartography, covering the collection, presentation, and visualisation of geographical data and thematic maps.

GEO215 Geographical Information Systems: Theory and Practice
An introduction to GIS, remote sensing, and spatial analysis.

GEO313 Laboratory and Field Methods in Physical Geography
Part of the course focuses on photogrammetric methods and the interpretation of aerial photographs.

GEO316 Practical Skills in Remote Sensing and Spatial Analysis

GEO620 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Geovisualisation
A continuing and further education course for teachers and employees in the public and private sectors who are interested in, or see a need for, analysing and visualising spatial data in their teaching or professional work.

Software

The Department of Geography holds licences for GIS and remote sensing software packages, such ArcGIS, eCognition and PCI Catalyst. All software is available in our computer laboratory. If you have questions about access to the software on your own computer or other available resources, please contact Gidske L. Andersen (gidske.andersen@uib.no)

Contact

All software is available in our computer laboratory. If you have questions about access to the software on your own computer or other available resources, please contact Gidske L. Andersen.

Emails
gidske.andersen@uib.no
Last updated: 15.09.2026