Geographic Information Systems are becoming a common information management and
analysis tool used across many academic disciplines, government agencies and businesses.
Students from diverse backgrounds may advance their career potential by building
knowledge in this area. Practitioners in business, industry and government may
be interested in acquiring base skills in this area to keep up with changing information
technology in their work environment. The graduate certificate program is designed
to provide a foundation in key aspects of geographic information systems.
The Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems requires completion
of a minimum of 16 credits of coursework within the Department of Spatial Information
Science and Engineering. The sixteen credits of coursework must include the following
three courses:
The remaining 6 credits may be selected from among the following set of courses:
- SIE 433 Remote Sensing
- SIE 434 Digital Image Processing
- SIE 512 Spatial Analysis*
- SIE 525 Information Systems Law*
Courses may be taken on campus or by distance methods. Assuming that specific
course prerequisites have been met, students may take up to two courses prior
to formal admission into the graduate school. However, formal admission is highly
recommended prior to taking a course to ensure that it counts towards a graduate
program.
Applicants must qualify for and be admitted to either the the Graduate Certificate
in Geographic Information Systems program or the Master of Science in Spatial
Information Science and Engineering. The graduate school standards for admission
to either program are identical. In addition to an application and official transcripts
showing completion of an undergraduate degree, applicants must submit scores from
the Graduate Record Exam and three letters of reference. For an application for
admission, contact the Graduate School.
Distance Education Issues
Some of the courses in this program may be videotaped and offered on-line using
video streaming from the Continuing Education server. For these courses, other
than textbooks, instructors are placing all or most of their course materials
on-line in order to avoid mailings to students. Some distance courses may require
some travel to campus to complete laboratory exercises. Distance courses may
be taken in any order provided prerequisites for each individual course have first
been completed. If a course in Information Systems is offered by distance methods
and the student chooses to take it by this method, access, software and hardware requirements must be met. To enroll in distance education courses, consult the Continuing and Distance Education Division.
Student Eligibility
Application for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information
Systems is through submittal of an application for admission to this specific
certificate program through the graduate school. Only those formally admitted
to the graduate school will be allowed to pursue this graduate certificate program.
Those with less than a GRE of 1500 and lower than an undergraduate grade point
average of 3.0 are discouraged from submitting an application to the program.
The time limit for completion of the Graduate Certificate is the same as that
set by the Graduate School for completion of a master’s degree.
Students pursuing the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
may stop after obtaining the Certificate or may apply the courses to completion
of the Master of Science in Information Systems (on-line or on-campus) or the Master of Science in Spatial Information Science and Engineering (on-campus).. Students applying for and admitted to either of the MS programs
are automatically approved for the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information
Systems if later they should choose to pursue only the Graduate Certificate.
Additional Information
Course Descriptions
Application for Admission
Graduate School
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