Credits required
19 Oregon State University is on a quarter-term system. There are four quarters each year and classes are 11 weeks long. This program's 19 quarter credits are equal to 12.67 semester credits.*
Cost per credit
$560 Based on current tuition rates. No additional charge for nonresident students. Does not include course materials and associated fees and expenses.
Delivery
Online You can complete all or nearly all requirements of this program online. View the curriculum.
Start terms
3 per year

Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science – Online

Curriculum

Upon completion of this 19-credit online program, you will receive graduate-level university credits and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science. You can also apply the certificate as needed points toward the national credential of GISP (Certified GIS Professional) offered by the GIS Certification Institute.

Program curriculum is geared toward working professionals interested in advancing their careers within the GIScience field. The courses offer quality content that is engaging, interactive and effective. Visit OSU's academic catalog for curriculum details.

Required courses (8 credits)

  • GEOG 580 – Remote Sensing I: Principles and Applications (4)
  • GEOG 560 – GIScience I: Introduction to Geographic Information Science (4)

Elective courses (11+ credits)

  • GEOG 510 – Internship (1 or more)
  • GEOG 551 – Planning Principles and Practices for Resilient Communities (4)
  • GEOG 564  Geospatial Perspectives on Intelligence, Security & Ethics (3)
  • GEOG 561 – GIScience II: Analysis and Applications (4)
  • GEOG 562 – GIScience III: Programming for Geospatial Analysis (4)
  • GEOG 581 – Satellite Image Analysis (4)

Additional program features

Internship

You may participate in a 10-week internship (GEOG 510) in which you complete a project of a GIScience nature and submit a final report. Many students in this program are employed by an agency or organization where a GIScience-related internship experience can be easily arranged. If you are not currently employed in the field or are making a career change, the program will try to match you to internship providers in your area.

Computer software requirements

The courses that utilize ArcGIS Pro software are not Mac-compatible. Your PC must meet these requirements: 

  • Operating system: A 64-bit version of Windows 8.1 or Windows 10
  • Processor: A quad-core Intel Core i5 2.4GHz processor or better
  • Memory: 16 GB of RAM or more
  • Storage: 32 GB or more on a solid-state drive (SSD)
  • Monitor/Video card: SVGA or better resolution display (1024 x 768, 24-bit graphics)
  • Video/Graphics adapter

See Open GL or DirectX adapter and additional system requirements at the ArcGIS Pro website.

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Notice: Oregon State University students may now take part in internships anywhere in the United States. Read more about Ecampus’ authorization and compliance.

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