Program Overview

Environmental GIS and Biodiversity Conservation Graduate Certificate

Overview

As biodiversity is the life support system of our planet, it is essential to prepare students for careers that require knowledge of both ecology and public policy. This certificate focuses on the fields of conservation biology, land use policy, conservation planning, and modern tools and approaches used in GIS to prepare students to tackle complex environmental challenges in a changing world.

This certificate is suitable for traditional students as well as for student-professionals (such as environmental scientists, managers, practitioners in government, and experts in non-governmental organizations) who wish to acquire further knowledge to advance their careers.

This certificate may be pursued on a part-time or full-time basis.

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

Applicants for this certificate should hold a BA or BS in a related discipline from an institution of higher education accredited by a Mason-recognized U.S. institutional accrediting agency or international equivalent.

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

For policies governing all graduate certificates, see AP.6 Graduate 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.

Banner Code: SC-CERG-EGBC

Certificate Requirements

Total credits: 18

This certificate may be pursued on a full-or part-time basis.

Students should refer to the Admissions & Policies tab for specific policies related to this certificate.

Core Courses

• Geospatial Requirements
  • GGS 553: Geographic Information Systems (3 credits)
  • or GGS 692: Web-based Geographic Information Systems
• Remote Sensing Requirements
  • GGS 579: Remote Sensing (3 credits)
  • or GGS 680: Earth Image Processing
• Conservation Requirements
  • EVPP 518: Conservation Biology 1 (3 credits)
• Statistics Requirements
  • GGS 560: Quantitative Methods (3 credits)
  • or CONS 625: Generalized Linear and Mixed Models in Ecology and Conservation Biology
• Total Credits: 12

Practice-oriented Conservation Coursework

• Select 6 credits from the following:
  • CONS 630: Species Monitoring Conservation
  • CONS 645: Estimating Animal Abundance and Occupancy
  • CONS 697: Special Topics in Conservation
• Total Credits: 6