GO2501: Introduction to Programming for Geosciences

GO2501: INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING FOR GEOSCIENCES (2025-2026)

Last modified: 22 Jul 2026 13:41

Course Overview

This course leads students toward the application of programming to particular problems in the Geosciences. Starting from basic principles of programming and moving towards specific focused solutions.

Course Details

Study Type	Undergraduate	Level	2
Term	Second Term	Credit Points	15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus	Aberdeen	Sustained Study	No
Co-ordinators	Juan Antonio Ramirez Luque

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
Programme Level 2

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

GO2001 Introduction to Programming for Geosciences (Passed)

Are there a limited number of places available?

Course Description

The course assumes no prior knowledge of programming and it will cover the basics consisting of topics such as the following:

What is programming and preparing your computer for it.
Write your first program.
Fundamental programming concepts including variables, conditional statements, iteration and reserved words.
Lists
Functions
How to structure and debug code.
Knowledge and understanding of further basic programming concepts: recursion, modular programming, importing and invoking code from within other code.

At the end of the course, you will be able to:

Have a methodical thinking about how to organise the program to achieve the results you’re a looking for.
Put in practice everything you learnt previously to write a final project. Ex:

Analysis of Satellite Images
Analysis of Geosciences Data from Online Databases
Analysis of spectra for mineralogy, atmospheres studies, ….

Creating databases

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers

Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 21st September 2026 for Term 1 and Full Year courses and 8th January 2027 for Term 2 courses.

Summative Assessments

Portfolio

Assessment Type	Summative	Weighting	50
Assessment Weeks	30,33,38	Feedback Weeks	32,35,40	Look up Week Numbers
Feedback	Word Count: 2,000

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge Level	Thinking Skill	Outcome
Conceptual	Remember	Understanding of basic programming concepts and their application.
Procedural	Apply	Analyse and optimise computer programmes
Procedural	Apply	Download external data from databases through writing a program to extract and process
Procedural	Apply	Be able to write and run programs, particularly focused on analysis of Geoscience datasets

Writing a Programme

Assessment Type	Summative	Weighting	50
Assessment Weeks	41,42	Feedback Weeks	42,43,44	Look up Week Numbers
Feedback	Write a program using the prior knowledge taught during the course. Duration:3 Hours

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge Level	Thinking Skill	Outcome
Conceptual	Remember	Understanding of basic programming concepts and their application.
Procedural	Apply	Analyse and optimise computer programmes
Procedural	Apply	Be able to write and run programs, particularly focused on analysis of Geoscience datasets

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Writing a Programme

Assessment Type	Summative	Weighting	100
Assessment Weeks		Feedback Weeks		Look up Week Numbers
Feedback	Write a program using the prior knowledge taught during the course – hand write. Duration: 3 hours Feedback provided within 1-2 weeks after resit

Learning Outcomes

Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on or with the Course Coordinator
Knowledge Level	Thinking Skill	Outcome

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge Level	Thinking Skill	Outcome
Conceptual	Remember	Understanding of basic programming concepts and their application.
Procedural	Apply	Analyse and optimise computer programmes
Procedural	Apply	Be able to write and run programs, particularly focused on analysis of Geoscience datasets
Procedural	Apply	Download external data from databases through writing a program to extract and process

51cg