Cartographic Research Lab Map Library

 
GIS Certificate Program

Program Information

Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based information system that is capable of storing and analyzing spatial data. GIS integrates various map layers and non-spatial data and produces new spatial information for the decision-making process. GIS includes common database operations, spatial statistical analysis, computer graphics and visualization, and geographic analysis. Current satellite remote sensors provide GIS with the latest information about the earth environment. Today, GIS is not only taught and studied in colleges and universities, but applied in many areas ranging from emergency planning to landfill site selection, and from mapping wild life habitat to land use / land cover change detection. GIS has become a multi billion-dollar industry employing hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

The objectives of the certificate in GIS are 1) to provide participants with a concentrated geography background focusing on geographic information techniques, 2) to prepare participants with technical skills in using GIS, and 3) to qualify participants for applications of GIS in various areas.

A certificate will be awarded to the participants who successfully complete the required course work.

Career Opportunities

GIS jobs can be found at public (federal/state/local) and private agencies and organizations. The following are examples of the possible fields:

  • Land cover mapping and land use planning
  • Emergency planning
  • Transportation planning
  • Conservation and wildlife management
  • Forestry inventory and management
  • Environmental planning and protection
  • Coastal water quality management
  • Real estate assessment
  • Commercial marketing
  • Site selection and analysis
  • Urban planning
  • Business logistics

Undergraduate/Graduate Credit

Our goal is to offer the certificate program in a flexible format. Therefore, the courses in the GIS Certificate Program can either be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level. When you apply for admission please indicate if you want to take courses at the undergraduate or graduate level. These credit hours can be applied toward the bachelor and master programs in geography if you decide to participate in later.

Admission

The minimum requirement for admission for those who pursue the undergraduate-level GIS certificate includes two years of work experience in a field that deals with geographic information, such as geography, natural resources and land-use management, environmental analysis, regional and environmental planning, civil engineering, or business applications.

The requirement for the graduate-level GIS certificate is a bachelor degree in one of the above fields.

Faculty

Luoheng Han, Ph.D., Nebraska, 1994.

Professor and Chair - remote sensing, GIS. Dr. Han is interested in remote sensing of water quality and GIS applications.

Joe Weber, Ph.D., Ohio State 2001.

Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Land Information Analysis and Mapping - GIS, transportation, urban. Dr. Weber is interested in using GIS to model people's travel behavior and mobility within cities despite traffic congestion and urban sprawl. He is also involved in a project using GIS to analyze cancer patterns at different scales and locations in rural areas of the South.

W. Craig Remington, M.S., Florida State, 1981.

Adjunct Professor and Director of Cartographic Research Lab - computer cartography, GIS. Mr. Remington is working with several research libraries in offering historical map resources on the Internet. He also edits several atlas publications dealing with both current socio-economic data and the historical resources of Alabama. He oversees a wide range of GIS projects as the Director of the Cartographic Research Laboratory.

Course Requirements

Required Courses (12 hours)
GY 330 Computer Mapping and Graphics 4 hours
GY 420/520 Remote Sensing I 4 hours
GY 430/530 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4 hours
Electives (8 hours)
GY 335 Computer Mapping Applications in Business 4 hours
GY 435/535 Remote Sensing II 4 hours
GY 436/536 Advanced Geographic Information Systems 4 hours
GY 438/538 Applications of Geographic Information Systems 4 hours

Information

For specific information about course requirements contact:

Dr. Joe Weber
Department of Geography
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0322
(205) 348-0086
jweber2@bama.ua.edu