Overview

Stand out in the job market with a transcript-visible Undergraduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science with Oregon State. The use of geographic information technologies is vital throughout scientific, natural resource management, government, industry and business organizations.

Oregon State’s highly-regarded GIScience undergraduate certificate is delivered online by nationally ranked Oregon State Ecampus, and it combines theory and principles underlying:

• Geospatial data collection (remotely sensed imagery from satellites, aircraft, drones, social media, telemetry, GPS, etc.)
• Technologies to manage, analyze and visualize geospatial data (geographic information systems)
• Computational, statistical and mathematical methods to analyze and model geospatial data (machine learning, big data, spatial statistics, spatial modeling, geovisual analytics, etc.)
• Digital cartography and geovisualization (the science and practice of creating maps)
• Cognitive, social and environmental implications of GIScience (professional ethics, privacy, digital divide, etc.)

Learn how earning an undergraduate certificate in GIScience online with Oregon State can make you an in-demand spatial analysis professional in basically every field. Read more »

Prerequisites

You may need to complete additional coursework prior to enrolling in this program and taking the required certificate courses. This could mean completing 3 or more additional credits, depending on your individual educational background as it relates to the program requirements. We recommend that you evaluate this prior to applying for admission.

Note: This certficate is available only to students who are simultaneously pursuing an Oregon State bachelor’s degree or postbaccalaureate students.

Computer software requirements

Three required major courses utilize ArcGIS Pro software that is 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.

Apply your GIScience certificate toward a bachelor’s degree

Enrolling in the geographic information science undergraduate certificate will put you on a direct pathway to earning a full degree in a related field. The GIScience credits you earn online can be applied toward one of the following Oregon State bachelor’s programs:

• Environmental sciences: The certificate credits will help you fulfill the major's specialization requirement.
• Geography and geospatial science: The GIScience coursework corresponds with the GGS degree requirements.
• Natural resources: The certificate provides the majority of credits needed for the major’s landscape analysis specialization option.

Please note: Successful completion of the GIScience certificate does not guarantee admission to an Oregon State bachelor’s program.

Benefits of learning online with Oregon State

• All classes are developed by OSU's world-class faculty, who are known worldwide for their expertise, research and innovation.
• Oregon State is institutionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
• OSU Ecampus students receive the same transcript-visible certificate as on-campus students.

NOTE: The U.S. Department of Education has approved this certificate for federal financial aid eligibility as part of a full degree program, but not as an independent certificate program. Alternate funding sources (e.g. loans, private funds) may be required to cover the costs associated with this program.