This hands-on course introduces students to the foundational principles and practices of geodesy, the science of measuring and representing the Earth’s shape, gravity field, and spatial orientation. Through a combination of lectures, lab work, field exercises, and online tools, students will gain practical experience in geodetic surveying, coordinate systems, error propagation, and the use of modern geospatial technologies. The course will also cover the application of geodesy with tools developed by NOAA's National Geodetic Survey (NGS) and the use of point clouds for detailed spatial analysis. By the end of the course, students will be equipped to perform accurate geodetic measurements and apply these skills to various geospatial challenges.
GIST101