University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Curriculum Proposal Form #3
New Course
Effective Term:
Subject Area - Course Number:GEOGRPHY 380Cross-listing:
(See Note #1 below)
Course Title:(Limited to 65 characters)Cartography and Geovisualization
25-Character Abbreviation: Cartography and Geovis
Sponsor(s): Eric Compas
Department(s):Geography and Geology
College(s):
Consultation took place:NA Yes (list departments and attach consultation sheet)
Departments:
Programs Affected:Geography major tracks, Environmental Studies and GIS minors
Is paperwork complete for those programs? (Use "Form 2" for Catalog & Academic Report updates)
NA Yeswill be at future meeting
Prerequisites:GEOG270
Grade Basis:Conventional LetterS/NC or Pass/Fail
Course will be offered:Part of Load Above Load
On CampusOff Campus - Location
College:Dept/Area(s):Geography & Geology
Instructor:Eric Compas
Note: If the course is dual-listed, instructor must be a member of Grad Faculty.
Check if the Course is to Meet Any of the Following:
Technological Literacy Requirement Writing Requirement
Diversity General Education Option:
Note: For the Gen Ed option, the proposal should address how this course relates to specific core courses, meets the goals of General Education in providing breadth, and incorporates scholarship in the appropriate field relating to women and gender.
Credit/Contact Hours: (per semester)
Total lab hours:0Total lecture hours:48
Number of credits:3Total contact hours:48
Can course be taken more than once for credit? (Repeatability)
No Yes If "Yes", answer the following questions:
No of times in major:No of credits in major:
No of times in degree:No of credits in degree:
Revised 10/021 of 6
Proposal Information:(Procedures for form #3)
Course justification:
This course fills a gap in our revised GIS Certificate and meets the demand for advanced cartographic skills needed by employers. Cartography (particularly web cartography) is a growing field with an increasing number of jobs. The course will be an option in our new GIS Certificate.
Relationship to program assessment objectives:
Cartography skills are part of our department’s learning objectives for all geography degrees, which is part of our assessment plan. Students in this course will expand their cartography portfolio, which is also part of our GIS Certificate and degree assessment programs.
Budgetary impact:Department will need to purchase new software licenses (Adobe Illustrator) and a server for the interactive web mapping assignments in the course.
Course description:(50 word limit)
With the growing use of maps on the web, cartography is experiencing a modern-day renaissance. Our class goals are to learnthe principles of map design and apply them to create production-quality maps. We’ll also explore advanced techniques for thematic maps and experiment with tools to create interactive web maps. By the course’s end, students will have a portfolio of professional maps to share with employers and friends.
If dual listed, list graduate level requirements for the following:
1. Content (e.g., What are additional presentation/project requirements?)
2. Intensity (e.g., How are the processes and standards of evaluation different for graduates and undergraduates? )
3. Self-Directed (e.g., How are research expectations differ for graduates and undergraduates?)
Bibliography: (Key or essential references only. Normally the bibliography should be no more than one or two pages in length.)
Brewer, Cynthia. 2005. Designing Better Maps: A Guide for GIS Users. ESRI Press.
Brewer, Cynthia A. 2008. Designed Maps: a Sourcebook for GIS Users. Redlands, Calif.: ESRI Press.
Marcus, W. Andrew, James E Meacham, and Ann Winne Rodman. 2012. “Atlas of Yellowstone”. Berkeley; [Eugene, Ore.]: University of California Press ; University of Oregon.
Monmonier, Mark, and H. J. de Blij. 1996. How to Lie with Maps. 2nd ed. University Of Chicago Press.
Muehlenhaus, Ian. 2013. Web Cartography: Map Design for Interactive and Mobile Devices.
Slocum, Terry A, and Terry A Slocum. 2009. Thematic Cartography and Geovisualization. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Tyner, Judith A. 2010. Principles of Map Design. New York: Guilford Press.
Wallace, Tim, and Daniel Huffman. 2012. Tha Atlas of Design. North American Cartographic Information Society.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is dedicated to a safe, supportive and non-discriminatory learning environment. It is the responsibility of all undergraduate and graduate students to familiarize themselves with University policies regarding Special Accommodations, Academic Misconduct, Religious Beliefs Accommodation, Discrimination and Absence for University Sponsored Events (for details please refer to the Schedule of Classes; the “Rights and Responsibilities” section of the Undergraduate Catalog; the Academic Requirements and Policies and the Facilities and Services sections of the Graduate Catalog; and the “Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures (UWS Chapter 14); and the “Student Nonacademic Disciplinary Procedures" (UWS Chapter 17).
Course Objectives and tentative course syllabus with mandatory information(paste syllabus below):
Spring 2015 - GEOG380 - Cartography
BE GREEN - Don't print; read on the screen
Instructor/guide: / Eric Compas, Upham 111, 262-472-5126,Office hours: / TBD
Textbook: / Slocum, Terry A, and Terry A Slocum. 2009. Thematic Cartography and Geovisualization. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Times: / TTh 12:30-1:45pm in Upham 106
Course description
Maps are cool. And the rest of the world has figured this out. With the growing use of maps on the web, cartography is experiencing a renaissance of sorts. Unfortunately, every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they can make a good map. They can’t. The goal of this class is to keep you from making bad maps (new name? “How not to make bad maps”). We’ll learn the age-old “secrets” of cartography and the principles of good map design. We’ll build on your budding thematic mapping skills to produce production-quality static maps, and we’ll dabble with the growing suite of tools to build interactive web maps. By the end of this class, you’ll have a portfolio bulging with maps you’ll want to share with your friends, distant relatives, employers, and the rest of the world. Geography 270 is a core requirement.
Learning objectives
These are the specific items I'll be teaching and assessing you on during the course of the semester. I expect you to:
●know a brief history of cartography and different approaches to cartography,
●demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of coordinate systems and projections,
●understand and use core design principles of cartography,
●know a variety of thematic map types and when it’s appropriate to use them,
●know various ways of symbolizing spatial data,
●demonstrate your cartographic design skills through multiple, applied projects, and
●learn the basics of using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create interactive web maps.
Assessment and grading
These are the activities that will both reinforce our learning objectives and allow me to assess how well you're meeting them. There will be no final exam for the class (‘cause your portfolio projects are so tough!).
Assignments
Assignments are the core of the class -- most of the learning will occur between you and the machine (and your class mates). Often, we’ll start these assignments during class time but you’ll be finishing them on your own – striving to find the cartographer within. Late labs will be penalized 5% per day that they are late and will not be accepted after two weeks after the due date. Stay on top of the lab work--it contains almost all of the points in the class, and it's difficult to catch up once you're behind.
Midterm
We’ll have one exam halfway through the semester. The midterm will consist of multiple-choice questions, short answers, and a couple of practical exercises on the lab machines. Why no final? Well, it’s because of your...
Map portfolio
Much of your effort in this class will be working on a professional-grade portfolio demonstrating the skills you’ve attained as a cartographer. You will both hone the maps you’ve produced as part of assignments and product one independent map of your choosing. This one better knock my socks off. Projects could include developing either a static or web-based map for a particular topic or theme. Applied and/or creative projects are encouraged. You’ll be graded on your effort, your adherence to core design principles, creativity, and the final product.
Assignment / Points / PercentAssignment 1 / 50 / 5%
Assignment2 / 50 / 5%
Assignment3 / 50 / 5%
Assignment4 / 100 / 10%
Assignment5 / 100 / 10%
Assignment 6 / 100 / 10%
Assignment 7 / 100 / 10%
Midterm / 200 / 20%
Portfolio / 300 / 30%
/ Letter grade / Percent range
A / 92-100
A- / 90-91
B+ / 88-89
B / 82-87
B- / 80-81
C+ / 78-79
C / 72-77
C- / 70-71
D+ / 68-69
D / 62-67
D- / 60-61
F / 0-59
Schedule of lectures and assignments
This is an outline of the lectures and topics for the semester. We will deviate from this schedule somewhat as we adapt to assignments and class interests.
Week / Lecture / Assignment1, Sept 2 / L1 - Introduction
L2 - History of cartography / Assignment 1 - Map critique
2, Sept 9 / L3 - History of cartography - Part II
L4 - Review of coordinate systems and projections / Assignment 2 - Paper map
3, Sept 16 / L5 - Design I - visual hierarchy
L6 - Design II - symbology / Assignment 3 - Projections
4, Sept 23 / L7 - Design III - color
L8 - Design IV - typography / Assignment 4 - Choropleth I
5, Sept 30 / L9 - Thematic map overview
L10 - Dot-density / Assignment 4
Independent portfolio plans due
6, Oct 7 / L11 - Proportional symbol
L12 - Heat maps / Assignment 5 - Thematic menagerie
7, Oct 14 / L13 - Choropleth redux / Assignment 5
8, Oct 21 / Midterm
9, Oct 28 / L14 - Cartograms
L15 - Give us some relief! / Assignment 6 - Cartogram
10, Nov 4 / L16 - Basics of the web (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) / Assignment 7 - Interactive mapping
11, Nov 11 / L17 - Web GIS, Part I
L18 - Web GIS, Part II / Assignment 7 - Interactive mapping
12, Nov 18 / L19 - Web GIS, Part III / Assignment 7 - Interactive mapping
Draft Independent portfolio map due
13, Nov 25 / L20 - Multivariate maps
Thanksgiving break (no class Th) / Portfolio
14, Dec 2 / L21 - Advanced visualization / Portfolio
15, Dec 9 / L22 - Wrap-up and review / Portfolio
-- / Final portfolio due - end of semester
Assignment access and use
The Assignments will be open during hours that Upham Hall is open (note that it's not open on weekends). You will be given the electronic door code that will allow you access to the Assignments. On certain days there will be students working on Assignments for other classes, so please be courteous.
Academic integrity
Plagiarism will not be tolerated in any work as part of this class. Sources for ideas or quotes must be property cited using an accepted citation style (see the Library's citation guides at Come speak with me if you are unsure of how to cite other's work or what constitutes plagiarism. Don't plagiarize. It's all too easy for me to type a phrase in Google and find the original source.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is dedicated to a safe, supportive, and non-discriminatory learning environment. It is the responsibility of all undergraduate and graduate students to familiarize themselves with University policies regarding Special Accommodation, Misconduct, Religious Beliefs Accommodation, and Absence for University Sponsored Events. (For details, please refer to the Undergraduate and Graduate Timetables "Rights and Responsibilities" section of the Undergraduate Bulletin; the Academic Requirements and Policies and the Facilities and Services sections of the Graduate Bulletin and the "Student Academic Disciplinary Procedures" [UWS Chapter 14]; and the "Student Nonacademic Disciplinary Procedures" [UWS Chapter 17].
Revised 10/021 of 6