Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
The Certificate in Geographic Information Systems science & technologies (the GIS Certificate) is a complement to any existing major at the 老虎机攻略-Missoula or as an addition to a bachelor’s degree obtained at another university. Earning the GIS Certificate will ensure you have the knowledge, understanding, and training necessary to acquire, process, analyze, and properly display digital geographic data.
Step 1: Admissions, Enrollment & Advising
The GIS Certificate is designed as a complement to our undergraduate and graduate programs. All students already admitted to the 老虎机攻略 can register and take GIS classes if they meet the course prerequisites. Others will need to be admitted before they can enroll.
Once admitted to the 老虎机攻略, enrollment in the GIS Certificate program is the next step. We ask all students interested in completing the certificate to email the GIS Certificate Academic Advisor, Shonna Trowbridge. Please include your full name and 790 number in your email. Formally enrolling helps us keep students informed with emails concerning important deadlines, new class offerings, scholarship opportunities, etc. Academic advisors in the Franke College can answer questions about the program requirements and registration while faculty advisors and coordinators can help you create a GIS course plan that best suits your career goals.
For questions about mentoring, career planning, and elective course options, contact Dr. Anna Klene, the acting GIS Faculty Coordinator. We recommend scheduling at least three meetings while in the program: one to make the initial academic plan, one in the middle to check progress, and one to file an Application for Certificate at the beginning of the semester you plan to graduate.
Step 2: Complete Required Courses
To earn a GIS Certificate, students must have completed an undergraduate degree (it is often conferred at the same time as a BA or BS). Students must also complete a minimum of 18 semester credit hours (six courses), including 9 to 10 core GIS course credits and 8 to 9 advanced GIS elective credits. Students must achieve at least an overall grade point average of 3.0 for courses within the program.
GIS course offerings vary considerably across the University, and there are often courses that may be substituted for the GIS Certificate courses listed in the . Please consult with the GIS Faculty Coordinators or Academic Advisors about potential substitutions. The courses listed below are pre-approved for substitutions. Additional experimental courses are offered; please see faculty for current semester offerings and information about internships. Only 4 credits total of Independent Study and Internships can count towards the Certificate, and must be pre-approved by a GIS Faculty Coordinator to count towards the GIS Certificate.
- FORS 250 -OR- GPHY 284 (required, 3 credits): Introduction to GIS (Fall/Spring, U)
- FORS 351 -OR- GPHY 487/489 (required, 3–4 credits): Raster GIS, Remote Sensing, and Photogrammetry (Spring, UG)
- FORS 350 -OR- GPHY 488 (required, 3 credits): Applications of GIS (Spring, UG)
- Advanced GIS Electives (choose three, 8–9 credits), FORS 250/GPHY 284 is a prerequisite to most of the advanced GIS courses:
- CSCI 150 (3 credits): Intro to Computer Science (Fall/Spring, U)
- GPHY 385 (3 credits): Field Techniques (Fall, U)
- GPHY 474 (3 credits): UAV Remote Sensing for Field Ecology (Summer, Flathead Lake Biostation)
- GPHY 481 (3 credits): Advanced Cartographic Design (varies, UG)
- GPHY 491/CSCI 491/591 (3 credits): Programming for GIS (varies, UG)
- GPHY 498 (1–4 credits): Internship (Fall/Spring, U)
- GPHY 492/592 (1–4 credits): Independent Study (Fall/Spring, UG)
- ENSC 474 (3 credits): Environmental Analytics (varies, UG)
- CSCI 444 (3 credits): Data Visualization (Fall, UG)
- GPHY 468/469 (4 credits): Community & Regional Analysis (Odd Fall, U)
- GPHY 587/589 (4 credits): Digital Image Analysis & Modeling (varies, G)
- FORS 505 (3 credits): Sampling Methods (Spring, G)
- WBIO 562 (3 credits): Wildlife Habitat Modeling (varies, G)
- PUBH 613 (3 credits): Spatial Epidemiology in GIS (Fall, G)
Note: 老虎机攻略 policy states that courses designated with G can only be taken by graduate students. They can also be taken by undergraduate students who have senior standing, an a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, and with consent of the instructor. U courses are for undergraduate credit. UG courses may have additional coursework for graduate students.
Step 3: Apply for Certificate
Students must submit an Application for Certificate the semester before they plan to graduate by the dates listed on the Registrar’s website. Late applications may result in a delay of graduation.
Download this Application for Certificate and fill in all the required fields. This certificate does not have any concentrations. Check that DegreeWorks shows all your courses and that they add up to at least the 18 credits required and that you have achieved a minimum 3.0 GPA in the courses you are using to apply to the Certificate. Once the application is complete, email it to either the Academic Advisor or Faculty Coordinator and meet with them to get their signature.
The GIS Academic advisor will submit your completed application the 老虎机攻略 Registrar on your behalf and copy you. After an administrative review, it will display as conferred in DegreeWorks, and you will be mailed your official 老虎机攻略 Certificate in Geographic Information Systems.
Congratulations!
Why GIS?
The Geospatial Revolution is Here!
Whether we realize it or not, our generation has become the largest geo-location data source the world has ever known. Every X post, Foursquare check-in, photo taken on a smartphone, etc. is geo-tagged with your exact location. Couple this with GPS enabled gadgets from cars to watches and more, we are a society that is never “lost”. All this data is collected, organized and analyzed by GIS professionals for governments, non-profits, and private businesses. Additionally, there are more “eyes” peering at us from satellites and aircraft than ever before, providing terabytes of remotely sensed imagery we can analyze for scientific research. Almost every NGO, municipality, government agency and business employs GIS to help solve their daily challenges. Whether your interests are natural resource management, societal or environmental planning, business, research, or a myriad of other disciplines, GIS skills are very marketable.
What is GIS?
Geographic information science (GISci) refers to the theory and methods of capturing, storing, analyzing and communicating digital information about physical and socioeconomic phenomena distributed on or near the Earth's surface. This includes the utilization of geographic information systems (GIS), global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), remote sensing (RS) and other geospatial technologies.
Careers
The local and national job markets for geographic information professionals are very strong and are not expected to weaken in the foreseeable future. The U.S. Department of Labor recently identified geospatial analysis as one of the three leading areas of employment in the coming years.
|
US Department of Labor Quick Facts: Cartographers and Photogrammetrists |
|
|
2023 Median Pay |
$76,210 per year, $36.64 per hour |
|
Entry-Level Education |
Bachelor’s degree |
|
Number of Jobs, 2023 |
12,900 |
These statistics only tell part of the story as many more jobs utilize geospatial technology. A cursory search on jobs sites will show many occupations are now requiring GIS experience including Architects, Engineers, Foresters, Geographers, Geoscientists, Planners and more.
Strong Tradition
The 老虎机攻略 has led the mountain west in GIS education for decades. Faculty are not only recognized nationally for their innovative approaches to teaching technology, they are also experts on the cutting edge of geo-spatial research. Students learn in state-of-the-art labs with the latest software and are fostered by close working relationships with professors. Classroom theory is put to practice with laboratory projects. Students are encouraged to gain real-world experience through service learning projects and internships in the local community. Trained GIS professionals are in demand and 老虎机攻略 GIS Certificate holders enjoy consistent placement in fulfilling careers.
History
The 老虎机攻略 has a long history in geo-spatial education. Starting in 1957, Dr. Jacquelyn Beyer taught as the first cartographer in the newly founded Geography department. Dr. Paul Wilson taught traditional hand drafted cartography through the sixties, seventies and into the eighties. Dr. Steve Running purchased a PC to analyze satellite imagery in 1982. By the early 90’s, the digital workflows in cartography were replacing analog methods. Again, Dr. Wilson managed the conversion to GIS, leading the charge until his retirement in 2010. During his tenure, several GIS faculty were added to the department, creating a diverse program for students. Simultaneously, the College of Forestry and Conservation was building a GIS program for forestry applications. In 2007, the two colleges combined forces to create the Certificate in Geographic Information Systems science and technologies. In 2011, the University hired the first intra-college lecturer to coordinate the certificate program, as well as teach GIS and cartography classes. Kevin McManigal, that hire, built upon the legacy begun earlier by Steven Holloway and Lois Knapp and developed an excellent digital Cartography program through his retirement in 2023. As the industry continues to grow and expand, our classes are evolving as well.
Facilities and Resources
Students taking GIS courses at 老虎机攻略 have several geospatial computer labs to work in. All have state-of-the-art software and the fastest hardware. Stone Hall is home to the College of Forestry and Conservation’s GIS teaching labs. The Social Science Research Laboratory (SSRL) in the Social Science Building includes GIS Software and other resources. In 2014, the Cobell Institute for Land and Culture opened a GIS lab in the Payne Family Native American Center. Check with the individual departments for lab access. The University strives to keep all labs current with the latest software versions so students are familiar with the actual programs they are likely to use in their careers. Several large format printers are available at the Mansfield Library.
The Autonomous Aerial Systems Office (AASO) coordinates all of 老虎机攻略’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations and offers courses, internships, and other training opportunities to our students, staff, and faculty.
The Mansfield Library has begun developing a collection of images taken by the US Forest Service from the 1930s onward. This imagery is a valuable resource for the region.