Geographic Information Science (GC)

Summary

The goal of the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science (GISc) program is to educate students in Remote Sensing, Geographic Information System (GIS), Global Positioning System (GPS), geovisualization, geoanalytics, geospatial modeling, and various associated sciences. The program provides students the skills necessary to investigate spatio-temporal patterns that result from human-environmental interactions. Emphasis is on vector and raster based models in Geography, Social Sciences, Business, Physical and Environmental Sciences, Health, Engineering, Recreation, and Resource Management.  It is designed for students who want to acquire or advance their knowledge in the field of geospatial sciences, and for professionals who need these skills for their current careers. The primary objective of the certificate program is to provide necessary exposure to geospatial data, concepts, methods, tools, models, and programing knowledge so that students can evaluate geospatial issues and construct appropriate plans of action. The certificate provides background and training to enable students to enter careers in the public or private sectors, and to prepare them for higher study in geospatial sciences.

Catalog Year

2019-2020

Degree

Certificate

Total Credits

18

Locations

Mankato

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Program Requirements

Common Core

Comprehensive examination of GIS for manipulation and analysis of spatially-referenced data, including data structure and organization, input and output problems, data management, and strategies for analytical work.

Prerequisites: none

This is an introductory course on theories and techniques of remote sensing. Focus will be placed on providing students with a general overview of the application of remote sensing to practical problems, and hands-on experiencee for image processing and analysis.

Prerequisites: none

Discussion and analysis of contemporary issues in the field of Geographic Techniques. Designed to allow in-depth focus on current problems/issues that geographers will encounter in their professional practice. Topics vary according to instructor.

Prerequisites: none

Restricted Electives

Choose 6 - 8 Credit(s). GEOG 580 must be “Seminar: GIS for Natural Resources” or "Seminar: Programming for GIS."

Four major sets of ideas will be covered: (1) Introduction to Spatial Organization, (2) Network Analysis, (3) Allocation Methods, and (4) Urban Transportation. The emphasis is on these approaches to understanding the geography of transport by description, explanation, and normative or optimal methods.

Prerequisites: none

This course will cover basic strategies for conducting field surveys and gathering from the real world data appropriate to mapping the earth's surface. Emphasis will be upon simple but reliable techniques, ranging from compass-and-pacing to global positioning systems (GPS).

Prerequisites: none

This course provides students the opportunity to develop further knowledge of remote sensing. Emphasis will be placed on introducing advanced theories and techniques for digital image processing and helping students obtain independent research skills using remote sensing data.

Prerequisites: none

Descriptive statistics, probability, hypothesis testing, introduction to non-parametric statistics, correlation, introduction to regression analysis, spatial statistics and principles of data representation in graphs, tables and statistical results.

Prerequisites: none

Survey of theoretical frameworks for spatial analysis and geographic quantitative methods. Includes basic and advanced spatial analysis principles and methods for studying and examining spatial patterns. Designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for carrying our research projects that demand spatial point pattern analysis and analysis of areal units.

Prerequisites: none

This offering will include supervised project work in raster-based and/or vector-based GIS, using problems and data drawn from local or regional agencies or other professional-level organizations with whom the Geography Department maintains a relationship. Students must have completed one of the prerequisite courses, or professional-level experience.

Prerequisites: none

Topics vary in physical, cultural, economic, political, and historical geography, as well as environmental conservation and geographic techniques.

Prerequisites: none

This course teaches students to reconstruct past landscapes and identify environmental hazards related to historical land use using GIS and remote sensing software. Applications include the identification of hazardous waste sites, wetland drainage, bluff erosion and other environmental hazards relevant to local history research, environmental consulting, archaeology, resource management, real estate, planning and civil engineering. Students will learn to use and interpret historical air photos and maps, digital imagery and LiDAR in problem-solving contexts and to report research findings in effective written, graphic and verbal presentation formats used by government agencies and private consulting firms.

Prerequisites: GEOG 373 and GEOG 673

Foundational knowledge related to mapping and analysis of geospatial data using both open source and enterprise level Web Mapping and Web GIS platforms. Students will learn how to use HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Google Maps API, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS API for JavaScript to store, retrieve, manage, analyze, and display geographical information. Students will be introduced to the concepts of mobile GIS technologies and Web based 3D mapping.

Prerequisites: none