Program Overview

Geographic Information Science Graduate Certificate

Overview

This graduate certificate prepares students for employment in federal, state, and local government positions that require GIS skills. The certificate has been found suitable for the needs of business and industry, including those corporations that serve as contractors to governments in the United States and overseas.

Admissions

• University-wide admissions policies can be found in the Graduate Admissions Policies section of this catalog.
• International students and students having earned international degrees should also refer to Admission of International Students for additional requirements.

Eligibility

• All applicants should have a working knowledge of, or prior education or training in, computer technology.
• Knowledge of GIS, remote sensing technology, and cartography are preferred.
• Students from any discipline are welcome to apply.

Application Requirements

• To apply for this certificate, prospective students should submit the George Mason University Admissions Application and its required supplemental documentation.
• GRE scores and letters of recommendation are not required but will strengthen an application, if available.

Policies

Transferring Previous Graduate Credit into this Certificate

• Previously earned and relevant graduate credits may be eligible for transfer into this certificate; details can be found in the Credit by Exam or Transfer section of this catalog.

Premium Tuition Rate

• This professional certificate program charges students at a differential (premium) tuition rate.
• This rate applies to all students who enroll in this certificate program, regardless of in-state or out-of-state status.
• The differential tuition will be used to fund continuing improvements in the departmental computational facilities used to support the certificate program.

Certificate Requirements

• Total credits: 15
• This certificate may be pursued on a full-or part-time basis.

Core Courses

• GGS 550: 3 credits
• GGS 553: Geographic Information Systems: 3 credits
• Select 3 credits from the following:
  • GGS 563: Advanced Geographic Information Systems
  • GGS 650: Introduction to GIS Algorithms and Programming
  • GGS 653: GIS Analysis and Application
  • GGS 692: Web-based Geographic Information Systems
• Total Credits: 9

Electives

• Select an additional 6 credits from the following:
  • GGS 505: Transportation Geography
  • GGS 531: Land-Use Modeling Techniques and Applications
  • GGS 551: Cartographic Design
  • GGS 560: Quantitative Methods
  • GGS 563: Advanced Geographic Information Systems
  • GGS 579: Remote Sensing
  • GGS 631: Spatial Agent-Based Models of Human-Environment Interactions
  • GGS 632: Spatial Modeling for Public Health
  • GGS 650: Introduction to GIS Algorithms and Programming
  • GGS 653: GIS Analysis and Application
  • GGS 655: Geovisualization
  • GGS 658: Terrain Mapping
  • GGS 664: Spatial Data Structures
  • GGS 675: Location Science
  • GGS 692: Web-based Geographic Information Systems
  • GGS 773: Interoperability of Geographic Information Systems
  • GGS 787: Scientific Data Mining for Geoinformatics
  • GGS 788: Deep Learning for Geoinformation
• Total Credits: 6