The course aims the following integrated objectives:
• to introduce concepts and methods of territorial analysis and its representation;
• to provide a theoretical basis for GIScience (analysis and representation of the territory with digital media);
• to initiate to the use of GIS (Geographic Information System) for spatial analysis with practical exercises;
• to understand the role and importance of these techniques for planning tools and territorial government (with reference to the Italian and international context).
GIS encompasses concepts and skills from different scientific areas (cartography, remote sensing, computer science, urban planning and environmental analysis, mathematics ..., and therefore it is related to technical competences of geomatics. These competences have important consequences on the planning practices, statistics (use of data and geodata) and representation of the territory, in relation to environmental and socio-economic issues. For this reason a sound knowledge in these areas is a basic requirement in order to use GIS tools, especially for planners.

• Ability to elaborate geographic data and to produce spatial analysis using GIS tools;
• Knowledge of the problems related to the territorial analysis, from the point of view of dealing with spatial data and their analysis and representation.

Basic knowledge of statistics, of the study and representation of the territory