Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Geography Department


Contents

Overview

The Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems provides introductory and in depth study into the design and application of geographic information systems (GIS) technology. Students enrolled in this program will complete 20 credits of coursework at Portland State University. Courses in the program will be taken by students admitted solely to the certificate program, or concurrently enrolled as Masters and Doctoral students in a degree program at the University.
Reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of GIS, the certificate will consist of core introductory courses and advanced topics and applications development courses drawn from theGeography, Urban Studies and Planning, and Geology departments at PSU. The certificate program is administered by the Department of Geography.

Relationship with National Certification

The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association  (URISA) is piloting a national GIS certification program in 2003.  The PSU GIS certificate and the individualcourses offered as part of the PSU GIS certificate will count towards URISA's national certification.  National certification will be administered by the GIS Certificate Institute .  

Program Objectives
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The learning objectives of this certificate are threefold:

1.   Provide a solid grounding in the science of geospatial data representation and spatial analysis;

2.   Provide opportunities to work with advanced specializations in GIS, and;

3.   Include GIS projects imbedded in the courses and use a range of technical and analytical skills required of GIS practitioners.


Administrative Details
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• Admission requirements : BA/BS from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Students in the GIS certificate program typically come from a diverse set of disciplinary and professional backgrounds and bring a range of expertise to the program. Applicants with degrees from disciplines other than Geography or students with a deficiency in basic skills as determined by the program director must take GEOG 380 (Maps and Geographic Information) in the term they are admitted (or prior) and receive a grade of 3.0 or above.

• Certificate requirements: Successful completion of 20 specified graduate credits with a cumulative PSU graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (all graduate credit taken at PSU) and a cumulative program GPA of 3.0 or higher (all courses used for the Graduate Certificate), distributed as follows: 8 credits of core courses and 12 credits of electives.

Course Requirements
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Required core courses (8 credits)1:
(Click on the links to individual course syllabi and web pages)
Course Number
Course Name
Credits

GEOG 588/
USP 591

  GIS 1: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems  
4 credits
588L/591L   Concurrent registration in GIS I Lab sessions
0 credits
GEOG 592/
USP 592		  GIS 2: Applications
4 credits
592L/592L Concurrent registration in GIS 2 Lab sessions  
  0 credits

 

You may request a waiver of these courses from the program director on the basis of prior educational background under the following circumstances:

1) if you have taken the courses at the undergraduate level or taken them as part of an undergraduate program at PSU

2) If GIS I and GIS II equivalent courses were taken at another institution you must submit syllabi from those courses as part of your waiver request.

Waivers are at the discretion of the program director. If the waiver is not approved you must take GIS I and GIS II. If the waiver is approved you must take additional credits from the following list to fulfill the required 8 credits of core curriculum:

GEOG 575 Digital Compilation and Database Design
4 credits
GEOG 581 Satellite Digital Image Analysis
4 credits
GEOG 597 Spatial Quantitative Analysis
4 credits

___________________________________________________

Electives (12 credits)2:
G 525 Field GIS 
4 credits
GEOG 575 Digital Compilation and Database Design 
  4 credits
GEOG 580 Visual Image Analysis
4 credits
GEOG 581 Satellite Digital Image Analysis  
4 credits
GEOG 582 Satellite Image Classification and Change Detection 3
   4 credits
GEOG 585 Map Design and Production    
   4 credits
GEOG 589   Building a GIS Database with GPS 3
4 credits
GEOG 594 GIS for Water Resources 3
4 credits
GEOG 595    Maps, Models, and GIS
  4 credits
GEOG 597 Spatial Quantitative Analysis 
4 credits
USP 543 Geography Applications to Planning
4 credits
USP 593 Advanced GIS Applications   
   3 credits

1 USP 531 or G 524 may be substituted for GIS I only if taken S06 or later.

2 USP 531 or G 524 may be used as elective credits only if taken W06 or earlier.

3 These courses may be substituted for elective credit even if taken earlier as omnibus courses – 507 or 510.

Approved by Faculty Senate, 6 March 2006

Transfer Credits
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Transfer credit is defined as eligible graduate credit taken at other accredited institutions.  Two-thirds of the Graduate Certificate program requirements or 15 credits minimum, whichever is larger, must be taken at Portland State University.  Transfer credit must be letter-graded with a B or higher and eligible for use in master’s degree programs at PSU.  The Proposed Pre-Admission and Transfer Credit (GO-11GC) must be used for approval of transfer credit.

Program Requirements and Application Procedure

In order to be admitted to the certificate program you must have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Current PSU graduate students must be in good academic standing.

All applicants must submit all of the information below in ONE application packet including:

Students who have NOT been admitted to a PSU Graduate Program

Students who HAVE been admitted to a PSU Graduate Program

 >  PSU’s Application for Graduate Certificate Program form

 > A complete set of official transcripts (unless your undergraduate degree was from PSU.)  

 > $50 application fee (check or VISA/Mastercard) – see PSU application form for details.

>  GO-19M for students in a PSU Master’s Program.

 >  GO-19D for students in a PSU Doctoral Program.

-AND-

 >All applicants must send the following materials:
  > GIS certificate application form
 > unofficial copies of all transcripts
 > a one-page statement of purpose

Please send all of these materials to:

GIS Certificate Coordinator
Department of Geography
Portland State University
PO Box 751
Portland OR  97207-0751

There are three application deadlines per year:
  Application deadline
For Admission to Fall Term June 1
For Admission to Winter Term October 1
For Admission to Spring Term February 1

Failure to supply complete and accurate information will delay the admissions process and subject applicants to the University’s policies governing academic dishonesty.


Phone: (503) 725-3916
FAX: (503)725-3166
E-Mail: geog@pdx.edu

Last modified December 20, 2006