14 weeks
Program duration
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Geographic Information Sciences (GIS and Remote Sensing)
The geospatial field is rapidly growing with increased use and new possibilities. In as little as 14 weeks, gain experience in the latest geographic information systems and remote sensing software. Diversify your skillset and become more marketable in your career.
Quick Facts
6-9 hrs/wk
Time commitment per course
Spring 2022
Next program start date
$610*
Cost per credit hour for Ohio residents
Enhance your body of knowledge
Gain hands-on experience with the latest geospatial technology and software and confidently apply it to solve real-world problems. Immerse yourself in various data formats and techniques for their classification, analysis, and interpretation techniques. Become proficient using ESRI's ArcGIS suite of desktop and online GIS applications, ENVI Remote Sensing software, and explore Python programming basics for automating GIS processes.
Improve job prospects
Enter the rapidly expanding geospatial technologies and applications industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that "job prospects are likely to be excellent due to the increasing use of maps in government planning." GIS spans fields including urban planning, disaster management, transport management, smart cities, business intelligence, customer relationship management, marketing, and enterprise resource planning.
Get Started with Admission
To apply for the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIS and Remote Sensing) program, you'll need:
- A four-year baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
- Undergraduate transcript
Invest in Your Future
Miami University has been named a top 100 best value nationwide by Forbes and Kiplinger's Personal Finance, and our Oxford campus ranked top 20 online college for return on investment by OnlineU. The Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science has a total cost of approximately $7,330 and can be completed in as little as 14 weeks.
Curriculum
Each course is 7 weeks long, and two courses are offered at a time (GEO 541 and GEO 548, followed by GEO 542 and GEO 543).
Introduces students to the structure, concepts, capabilities, and functionality of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and geospatial science inquiry. The course focuses on the management and processing of spatial data, emphasizing data models and structures, geographic data input, data manipulation and storage, spatial analysis, and modeling techniques. Students will learn to frame and solve a sequence of problems with GIS across a wide range of topics including environmental planning, biogeography, conservation biology, sustainable development, natural resource conservation, environmental justice, political geography, and urban geography and planning.
(3 credit hours, 6-9 hours of work per week)
Advanced-level application of GIS technology to geographic problem-solving. Follows on from topics introduced in GEO 541 to provide (a) an in-depth understanding of the technical and substantive issues associated with the use of GIS and (b) advanced-level training in the functionality of major GIS products. Topics addressed include geospatial ethics, cartographic design, mapping with U.S. Census data, advanced geodatabase concepts, topology, web mapping/GIS, mobile data collection, spatial modeling, spatial interpolation, and LiDAR.
(3 credit hours, 6-9 hours of work per week)
Introduces the basic concepts of computer programming languages and how they can be used with geospatial data using Python as an example. The course focuses on writing scripts that work with geospatial data and automate geoprocessing tasks within ArcGIS. Python concepts addressed include variables, conditionals, lists, loops, functions, and error handling. Python GIS concepts addressed include geoprocessing, data exploration, spatial & attribute queries, cursors, and raster analysis.
(3 credit hours, 6-9 hours of work per week)
Introduces the basics of remote sensing concepts and technology, including satellites and instruments. Students gain experience with image processing software and techniques, applications of remote sensing. Remote sensing concepts addressed include image interpretation using ENVI software, sources of remote sensing data and how to access the data, spectral vegetation indices, data transformations, accuracy assessments of classified imagery, change detection, and applications in fire management.
(3 credit hours, 6-9 hours of work per week)
Your Future Starts Here
Gain experience with the latest geospatial technology with a Certificate in Geographic Information Science.
