Geographical databases

NGEN22 / EXTN70

In this course, students will explore theoretical and practical concepts of geographical databases including design, implementation and usage of geographical databases.

The course starts with general database terminologies and then concentrates on steps for design and implementation of a geographical database including:

requirement analysis
conceptual modelling
internal modelling and
physical implementation

As a student, you will learn about database modelling using UML, how to create tables from UML, how to normalize the tables, how to create them in a DBMS and also indexing techniques. In addition, you learn Structured Query Language (SQL) for creating and managing databases and also retrieving data from databases. The course also focuses techniques for managing spatial data, Spatial SQL and indexing techniques in geographical databases. You will also learn about the concepts of open source geographical databases and Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI).

Teaching

Teaching consists of lectures and practical exercises that you will submit to the teachers. The course ends with a theory exam.

Literature

Worboys and Duckham; GIS: A computing perspective, 2nd edition (CRC Press).

Course coordinator

Zheng Duan

Course facts

Level: Advanced
Credits: 7.5 ECTS
Period: Spring, period 1
Language of instruction: English
Prerequisites: General admission requirements and 90 credits science subjects of which at least 15 credits should be in Geographic information science equivalent
to NGEA11 geographical information systems.

Course syllabus (pdf, 220 kb, new window)