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Geography
Mailing address: Clippinger 231
Chair: Edna Wangui
Undergraduate Chair: Brad Jokisch
Graduate Chair: Thomas Smucker
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Advanced Analytical and GIS Programming Skills
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Online GIS Certificate: Geospatial Analysis & Programming

Note: This program is currently suspended and we are not currently accepting any new students for this certificate program.

Become Competitive in Computational and Software Design Aspects of GIS and Mapping Technology

  • For Professionals Seeking Advanced Analytical and GIS Programming Skills
  • Fully online
  • 12 credits
  • No GRE

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Certificate Name and Number: Geospatial Information Science: Geospatial Analysis & Programming Certificate (CTGISA)

Delivery Mode: Online

For more information, contact the Certificate Coordinator: Dr. Gaurav Sinha.

About the Certificate

Geospatial information science (GIScience) is the interdisciplinary field that studies the foundations of geographic concepts and the design and application of geographic information systems (GIS) and allied geospatial technologies.

This GIScience certificate is designed for professionals seeking advanced analytical and GIS programming skills to become competitive in the computational and software design aspects of GIS and mapping technology.

Exposure to the basics of web-mapping, Python-focused GIS programming, and advanced geospatial analysis prepare students for a wide variety of computational GIS jobs across a wide spectrum of professional settings in industry and academia.

The expected time to complete this certificate is three semesters.

Career Opportunities

According to the GIS Certification Institute, the number of professionals engaged in the geospatial industry will exceed 675,000 after 2020. However, a large proportion of such professionals use geospatial hardware and software but lack the knowledge to customize geospatial software and engage in advanced geospatial analysis.

This certificate is designed to address this gap in the geospatial workforce. After certificate completion, professionals will be able to apply for better paying and more challenging positions, such as GIS analyst and (basic level) GIS developer. This certificate will also provide professionals the required analytical and computational foundations for acquiring further expertise in (geospatial) data science.

Completion Requirements

Students must complete three graduate level courses (12 credits) as listed below and must earn a minimum grade of C in every course. Additionally, as required by the graduate college, the minimum overall GPA requirement for earning this certificate is 3.0. 

Required Courses

  • GEOG 5610 - Cartography II (4 credits)
  • GEOG 5740 - GIS Design & Application Development (4 credits)

Elective Courses

  • GEOG 5760 - Advanced Spatial Analysis & GIS Applications (4 credits)
  • GEOG 5770 - Advanced Topics in Geoinformatics (4 credits)

Admission Requirements

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  • Bachelor’s Degree
  • intermediate level proficiency with GIS: Eligibility for enrollment in this certificate also requires establishing prior experience and intermediate level proficiency with GIS theory, applications and software. Such proficiency in GIS may be established by providing a college transcript showing proof of having earned a C grade or higher in an upper-level GIS course equivalent to GEOG 4/5730 - Principles of GIS offered at Ohio University. Alternatively, proficiency may be established by passing a special GIS proficiency test designed for enrollment in this certificate, or by providing extensive proof of related professional work for evaluation by the certificate coordinator. If students lack proficiency in GIS, they must take the prerequisite course GEOG 5730 - Principles of GIS (4 credits). Credits for this course will not count toward this certificate.
  • Transcripts
  • Resume, which must include a list of every school attended, as well as the GPA obtained at each institution.
  • International students: Non-native speakers of English must demonstrate English proficiency by submitting official test scores for either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Photocopies and/or faxes of English proficiency scores are not accepted.

The certificate is open to anyone who has earned a bachelor’s degree, is not currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at Ohio University, and meets the minimum requirements of admission to university graduate programs in addition to certificate-specific requirements.Additional questions about the certificate can be directed to the Certificate Coordinator. 

The deadline for the fall semester is July 15. And the spring semester deadline is Dec. 1.

International Students:  This certificate program does not permit full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 cannot be issued based on admission to this program.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are assessed based on the number of credit hours of enrollment, Ohio residency, and program.

Courses are 4 credit hours each, and the certificate is a total of 12 credit hours.

When Courses Are Offered

Students can start any term.

Certificate Learning Outcomes

Upon certificate completion, students will be able to:

  • define and discuss the major theoretical issues of and emerging trends affecting the computational representation, visualization, and analysis of geographic information.
  • correctly identify problems and decision-making situations that require the use of geospatial data and GIS technology.
  • demonstrate ability to think spatially, engage in spatial analysis using GIS software, and interpret and communicate about geographic patterns to support geoscientific analysis and decision making.
  • demonstrate practical knowledge of GIS software for mapping, database management, and geospatial analysis.
  • explain and apply basic object-oriented programming concepts and best practices in geospatial programming.
  • demonstrate knowledge of when and how to use web-mapping technologies (e.g., Javascript, ArcGIS Online, MapBox) for creating and sharing interactive web-maps.
  • apply the Python programming language and select libraries for automating to increase efficiency, accuracy, and repeatability of complex GIS workflows.