Geographic Information Systems Certificate of Achievement

Program Description

An increasing number of job sectors require mapping and spatial competency, including architecture, environmental science, finance, healthcare, marketing, policing, transportation, urban planning, and utilities. This certificate is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and automated mapping technology, utilizing satellites, aerial photography, drones, and web-based data. Advanced courses within this certificate equip students with the skills necessary to publish sophisticated web-based maps and create code to customize GIS applications.

The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program.  Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway.  It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.

Division

Science

Department

Geographic Information Systems

Career and Academic Pathway (CAP)

Science, Engineering, Math

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate the skills necessary to become an entry-level GIS technician, including spatial data acquisition, spatial data processing, and publishing web-based maps.

  2. Employ ArcGIS Field Maps, ArcGIS Survey123, ArcGIS QuickCapture, ArcGIS Workforce, and ArcGIS Navigator applications, as well as public-domain datasets to create web-based map.

  3. Create and organize a tabular database and associated metadata through entry of textual and numerical information.

  4. Collect and integrate raster data layers, including remotely sensed imagery, and vector data layers, including points, lines, and polygons.

  5. GIS map analysis, including descriptive spatial statistics, inferential spatial statistics, and spatial autocorrelation.

  6. Demonstrate how GIS can visualize and address longstanding issues related to economic, environmental, racial, and social justice, as well as environmental sustainability.

Program Map

GE General Education
O Available Online
Program Requirement
P Program Prerequisites

Term 1

10 units
GEOG 100 or GIS 100

Have you ever wondered how the traffic map works on your phone? Do you enjoy exploring maps and satellite images online? This class is an introduction to maps, images and geospatial techniques and technologies. The technologies covered in this course include map and aerial photograph interpretation, tabular data, spatial statistics, cartography, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), automated and web-based mapping, remote sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), all of which aid in data collection, analysis and presentation. Theories, methods, and ethics within GIS, GPS, remote sensing, cartography, and field work play a central role in this course. This course also highlights how GIS and geospatial analytical tools can address longstanding issues related to economic, environmental, political, racial, and social justice. (This course is also offered as GIS 100).

Course Details:

  1. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000
  2. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000H
  3. Departmental Recommendation: ECON 208
  4. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000
  5. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000H
  6. Departmental Recommendation: PSYC 105
  • Transfers to CSU
    • OR

    Have you ever wondered how the traffic map works on your phone? Do you enjoy exploring maps and satellite images online? This class is an introduction to maps, images and geospatial techniques and technologies. The technologies covered in this course include map and aerial photograph interpretation, tabular data, spatial statistics, cartography, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), automated and web-based mapping, remote sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), all of which aid in data collection, analysis and presentation. Theories, methods, and ethics within GIS, GPS, remote sensing, cartography, and field work play a central role in this course. This course also highlights how GIS and geospatial analytical tools can address longstanding issues related to economic, environmental, political, racial, and social justice. (This course is also offered as GEOG 100).

    Course Details:

    1. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000
    2. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000H
    3. Departmental Recommendation: ECON 208
    4. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000
    5. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000H
    6. Departmental Recommendation: PSYC 105
  • Transfers to CSU
    • GEOG 130 or GIS 130

    How do corporations know where to locate retail stores and restaurants?  How do epidemiologists know how to confront epidemics, pandemics, and related disease outbreaks?  How does your utility provider know the location of power outages and water leaks?  How do demographers create maps based on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, gender, religious affiliation, and other population characteristics?  The answers to these questions and more are found within Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including the history of automated mapping. It includes a brief introduction to basic cartographic principles, including map scales, coordinate systems and map projections. GIS hardware and software are implemented, as are various applications of GIS technology used in environmental science, business and government.  Using automatic mapping software like ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, and Story Maps, you will create maps that address a variety of local to global issues.  (This course is also offered as GIS 130)

    Course Details:

    1. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000
    2. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000H
    3. Departmental Recommendation: ECON 208
    4. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000
    5. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000H
    6. Departmental Recommendation: PSYC 105
    OR

    How do corporations know where to locate retail stores and restaurants?  How do epidemiologists know how to confront epidemics, pandemics, and related disease outbreaks?  How does your utility provider know the location of power outages and water leaks?  How do demographers create maps based on ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, gender, religious affiliation, and other population characteristics?  The answers to these questions and more are found within Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), including the history of automated mapping. It includes a brief introduction to basic cartographic principles, including map scales, coordinate systems and map projections. GIS hardware and software are implemented, as are various applications of GIS technology used in environmental science, business and government.  Using automatic mapping software like ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, and Story Maps, you will create maps that address a variety of local to global issues.  (This course is also offered as GEOG 130)

    Course Details:

    1. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000
    2. Departmental Recommendation: ENGL C1000H
    3. Departmental Recommendation: ECON 208
    4. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000
    5. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000H
    6. Departmental Recommendation: PSYC 105
  • Transfers to CSU
    • Elective Courses - Minimum of 4 units from the following:

    This course will cover the most common Python libraries as well as teach you programming best practices. We will explore different aspects of Python, including web, utility applications, machine learning, computer vision, IoT (Internet of Things), and data modeling applications. By the completion of the course, learners will complete a project using Python related to their major or area of interest.

    Course Details:

    1. Departmental Recommendation: MATH 102
      2. or
    2. Departmental Recommendation: MATH 115
    3. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000
    4. Departmental Recommendation: STAT C1000H
      5. or
    This is an introduction to the Visual Basic.NET programming language. Topics include problem solving, graphical user interface, program design, software tools, structured logic, object-oriented programming, graphics and animation, procedures, arrays, files, and programming projects.

    Course Details:

      This course involves supervised training, in the form of on the job employment that will enhance the student's knowledge in the selected field of study. The student's major and job must match. For paid work, 75 hours = 1 unit; for volunteer work, 60 hours = 1 unit. Students may earn a total of 16 units toward graduation in Work Experience 098 courses. See department for specific guidelines. 

      Course Details:

      1. Prerequisite/Corequisite: GIS 135
      Students with previous course work in GIS may do assigned projects involving research and analysis of selected topics. This independent study is for students who are interested in furthering their knowledge of GIS. Prior to registration, a written contract must be prepared jointly by the instructor and the student.

      Course Details:

      1. Prerequisite: GEOG 130
      2. Prerequisite: GIS 130
      The introductory course will provide students with a deeper understanding of geography from a water utility perspective, instruction on the basics of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and introduce them to the core principles of how the knowledge may be applied to water resource management. GIS is used to solve real world water problems including infrastructure placement and maintenance, the difficulties associated with sourcing water, moving water, and treating water as well as the impacts of these on human populations and the natural world.

      Course Details:

      Term 2

      12 units
      GIS 133 - GIS Cartography and Base Map Development

      We interact with maps all the time, in the news, on your mobile device, and elsewhere. Accurate, well produced maps are vital for public consumption. Maps are powerful tools in the spatial representation of historically marginalized and underrepresented groups. This course introduces the nature of cartography, standard cartographic conventions, and graphic symbology. Map projections, scale, types of thematic maps, and map accuracy are reviewed. Current industry standard techniques used in GIS base map development are employed, including production and presentation techniques of professional quality maps.

      Course Details:

      1. Prerequisite: GEOG 130
      2. Prerequisite: GIS 130
        3. or
      GIS 134 - Data Acquisition and Management

      There are myriad methods to collect, administer, and display spatial data. Cloud computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), social media, drone and satellite platforms, and traditional on the ground field work all contribute to GIS data. This course addresses the interpretation and understanding of a variety of data formats available in GIS. It introduces the fundamental concepts of primary GIS data creation, and discusses quantitative techniques for collection, classification, and management of geographical data.

      Course Details:

      1. Prerequisite: GEOG 130
      2. Prerequisite: GIS 130
      GIS 135 - Spatial Analysis with GIS

      Cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), web GIS, and automated mapping are becoming increasingly important within spatial analysis. This course is an introduction to spatial analysis with fundamental concepts and analytical procedures used to simplify complex spatial modeling. Specific methods covered include spatial queries, buffering, overlay, interpolation, network analysis, surface analysis, and spatial autocorrelation. Spatial analysis tools and services have the capacity to highlight and address long-standing issues of economic, environmental, racial, and social justice, as well as environmental sustainability.

      Course Details:

      1. Prerequisite: GEOG 130
      2. Prerequisite: GIS 130
      GIS 137 - GIS Advanced Applications

      This course provides hands-on training in advanced applications of GIS using ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Developer, and ArcGIS Enterprise. It includes Application Programming Interface (API), Visual Basic Applications (VBA), JavaScript, and Python scripting for customizing ArcGIS. It includes an introduction to ArcGIS Server, Web Map Service (WMS), ArcGIS WebApp Builder, and building maps and models for publishing to the web. Students will build web applications with GIS capabilities using Application Service Provider (ASP) and application programming interface (API) tools.

      Course Details:

      1. Prerequisite: GIS 135