Program Overview

About the Certificate in Geospatial Information Technology

The Certificate in Geospatial Information Technology is a program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize how geospatial technologies can be used to visualize, analyze, and interpret the influence of space on social and environmental phenomena and processes. Students will gain the ability to competently communicate these ideas to others and develop a fundamental knowledge of the geospatial sciences. They will also obtain practical skills with geospatial software applications for managing geographic data and conducting geospatial analysis.

Program Details

Overview

In the certificate program, students will learn to collect and analyze imagery and spatial data, use geospatial technologies to visualize, analyze, and interpret the influence of space on social and environmental phenomena and processes. The program exposes students to the tools, technology, and theory, teaching them the science behind positioning, mapping, and geospatial analytics.

Is this Program Right for You?

The certificate in Geospatial Information Technology is suitable for individuals who want to diversify their skillset and apply geospatial technology to their field of study and expertise. It is ideal for those who have previously graduated with a four-year undergraduate degree or are interested in completing the certificate concurrently with their graduate degree in disciplines such as:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Biological sciences
• Computer science
• Ecology
• Environmental science
• Geology/geophysics
• Geomatics engineering
• History
• Business/management
• Mathematics
• Political science
• Psychology
• Tourism
• Transportation studies or engineering
• Urban studies

Apply Geospatial Technology to Your Area of Expertise

Students from a wide variety of academic backgrounds can enter the certificate program. The knowledge and skills built will depend on the student's goals and previous or concurrent degree. The range of applications for geospatial information technology is broad and diverse. Examples include:

• Uncovering opportunities for new markets for products using geospatial analytics to collect and evaluate business intelligence that is geographically based
• Understanding how to engage with traditional cartography to map and track goods and people
• Acquiring, processing, and interpreting imagery from satellites and drones
• Predicting animal habitats in a particular region using GPS tracking data
• Learning about the technology behind predictive models using spatial modeling

What You Will Learn

The program will teach students to:

• Recognize the fundamental properties of spatial features and geographic phenomena
• Recognize the differences between geographic data and non-spatial data, and determine appropriate data models to store and manipulate geographic and non-spatial data
• Exercise critical spatial thinking when confronted with problems that have an inherently spatial component
• Develop knowledge about geospatial software applications and identify software solutions to geospatial problems
• Obtain practical skills with cutting-edge, industry-standard geospatial software for GIS, remote sensing, spatial/statistical modeling, digital cartography, and geovisualization
• Effectively communicate spatial problems and solutions
• Facilitate communication between geospatial experts and non-experts
• Develop a portfolio from coursework that showcases knowledge and skills, demonstrating mastery of fundamental topics in geospatial information technology

Highlights of the Program

The program features:

• A one-of-a-kind curriculum developed through extensive consultation with faculty members, industry members, and students
• The University of Calgary is designated as an ESRI Canada Centre for Excellence for teaching and research
• Industry nights for networking with people in the field
• Guest speakers, including alumni who work in the industry, to learn how to market unique sets of skills
• The potential to ladder into a future Master of Geographic Information Systems degree program
• The post-graduate certificate in Geospatial Information Technology is the only one of its kind in Canada

Acknowledgement

The University of Calgary acknowledges and pays tribute to the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, which include the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda. The city of Calgary is also home to the Métis Nation within Alberta. The University strives to learn together, walk together, and grow together “in a good way” on this land.