Overview
Why Our 100% Online Geographic Information Science Certificate Stands Out
Cultivate your knowledge in the innovative and rising scientific discipline of GIScience with the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science program from Northwest Missouri State University. Delivered 100% online, this five-course program offers you the wide-ranging scientific exposure and cutting-edge tools that can propel your career forward in this exciting, up-and-coming field.
The Geographic Information Science certificate online program is ideal for GIS professionals who want to broaden their expertise quickly, as well as professionals in other fields who aspire to learn more about GIScience and transition into that specialty area. A GRE score is not required for admission into this certificate program.
In the online GIS certificate program, you will explore hardware and software technology systems that are used for data-mapping; learn to capture, process, analyze and represent data in real-world settings; and gain a foundation of remotely sensed information in a GIS landscape. Upon program completion, students may apply their earned credit hours toward the Master of Science in Geographic Information Science online and meet the GRE waiver requirements.
Our highly qualified GIScience faculty are committed to your success. They have years of experience working as specialized geographers in sectors such as academia, public and private agencies and GIScience research; and they maintain strong ties with industries that seek to employ well-trained GIS candidates.
In this geographic information science certificate online program, you will be able to:
- Explore the use of remotely sensed information in a geographic information science environment, with emphasis on understanding data sources, tools and techniques in remote sensing
- Understand the analysis and statistical tools used by geographers and uncover the fundamentals of geostatistics that are used in research and business
- Study advanced vector data models and analytical methods using vector data
- Comprehend the process of GIS database design, including user needs assessment and conceptual, logical and physical database design, with an emphasis on the design of spatial components in GIS data
Geographic Information Science Careers:
- Conservationist
- Climate Scientist
- GIS Manager
- Health Geographer
- App Developer
- Meteorologist
- GIS Technician
- Cartography Technician
- Precision Agriculture Researcher
- Marine Survey Analyst
Have questions or need more information about our online programs?
Also available
Northwest offers a variety of specialized online degree options. Check out our other online graduate programs.
Tuition and Fees
Find Out How and When to Pay Your Tuition
Our Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science online program offers affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included.
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course | Per Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science | $350 | $1,050 | $5,250* |
Important Refund Information
| 2nd day of class | Last date for 100% refund for dropped course |
| 4th day of class | Last date for 75% refund for dropped course |
| 6th day of class | Last date for 50% refund for dropped course |
| 8th day of class | Last date for 25% refund for dropped course |
*Tuition and fees are subject to change. Current amounts are based on 2020-21 tuition rates. Textbooks and laptops are not included with tuition.
Northwest Missouri State University is ranked #1 among the "Best Online Colleges in Missouri" by SR Education Group (2019).
Calendar
Important Dates for Our Students
Northwest online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.
| Term | Program Start Date | Application Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Payment Due | Last Class Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 1 | 01/11/23 | 01/03/23 | 01/03/23 | 01/04/23 | 01/06/23 | 03/03/23 |
| Spring 2 | 03/13/23 | 02/24/23 | 03/01/23 | 03/07/23 | 03/08/23 | 04/28/23 |
| Summer 1 | 05/09/23 | 04/25/23 | 04/28/23 | 05/02/23 | 05/04/23 | 06/23/23 |
| Summer 2 | 06/26/23 | 06/09/23 | 06/14/23 | 06/16/23 | 06/21/23 | 08/11/23 |
| Fall 1 | 08/21/23 | 08/07/23 | 08/10/23 | 08/14/23 | 08/16/23 | 10/06/23 |
| Fall 2 | 10/16/23 | 10/02/23 | 10/05/23 | 10/09/23 | 10/11/23 | 12/01/23 |
Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from Northwest?
Admissions
Requirements for the Online GIS Certificate Program
At Northwest, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science online program, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them. The requirements include:
View all admission requirements
To apply for this program, you must meet these requirements:
- Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited higher education institution with a GPA of 2.5 or higher
- Acceptance to graduate study by the Associate Provost of Graduate Studies and Special Programs
Official transcripts can be emailed to [email protected]. To submit official documents by mail, send them to:
Graduate Records SpecialistNorthwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001
Have a question? Call us at 844-890-9304 844-890-9304.
Click here for State Authorization information.
Courses
A Look at the Online GIS Graduate Classes
For the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science online, the curriculum is comprised of 5 courses (15 credit hours), including 12 credit hours of core courses and 3 credit hours of elective courses.
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
GIS is a powerful technology for managing and analyzing geographic data. This course provides students with the conceptual background for a rigorous study of fundamental GIS principles, including the nature of spatial data, vector and raster data models, and key GIS analysis operations. It provides a strong foundation for advanced courses or work in GIS.
GEOG 32604: Applications of Remotely Sensed Data
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course integrates the use of remotely sensed information into a GIS environment. Emphasis is placed on understanding image formats, imagery sources on the internet, composite color display schemes, visual interpretation, and getting data out of images.
GEOG 32606: Cartographic Design and Visualization
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
A cartography course that introduces fundamental cartographic theory and emphasizes effective visual thinking and visual communication with Geographic Information Systems.
GEOG 32620: GIS and Spatial Analytics
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course helps students develop a comprehensive and systematic understanding of spatial analysis methods and learn practical skills in using GIS and spatial analysis to discover features of spatial distributions.
Students must choose one of the following courses.
GEOG 32630: Raster-Based GIS and Modeling
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Covers advanced topics in GIS using the raster data structure. Emphasis is placed on the use of raster-based data for spatial modeling applications.
GEOG 32641: Geoprocessing with Python™
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
An introductory course for developing programming skills for geoprocessing in ArcGIS using the Python scripting language. Python fundamentals and the use of ArcGIS geoprocessing functions and methods will be the primary focus of this course. A brief overview of ModelBuilder for developing geoprocesses will also be discussed. No previous programming experience is required.
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
This course provides concepts and hands-on experience on current technologies for disseminating maps on the internet. Students will learn how to author and publish GIS maps online and develop web applications. Experience in web programming is helpful but not required.
GEOG 32650: GIS Database Design
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
A comprehensive study of the process of GIS database design, including user needs assessment and conceptual, logical and physical database design. Emphasizes design of the spatial component of GIS data.
GEOG 32660: Trends and Applications in GIScience
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
Addresses the applications and latest trends in Geographic Information Science and provides a framework and theoretical concepts for understanding spatial problems along with real-world case studies to implement GIS solutions.
GEOG 32663: Digital Image Processing
Duration: 7 weeks | Credit Hours: 3
An advanced remote-sensing course focusing on image-processing techniques. In this course, we will further the understanding of the concepts learned in the introductory remote-sensing course (Geog 32-604) and explore various image-processing techniques to extract information from remotely sensed images.
Still undecided?
Check out our other online programs.
