Certificate Programs

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS SPECIALIST

Program Competencies

The purpose of this curriculum is to provide students with the concept knowledge and skills necessary to transfer successfully into a Baccalaureate GIS program or to enter the workforce as a GIS technician or analyst. The coursework in this program will focus on the development of four areas of GIS-related concepts and skills, as identified below.

Area #1: The student will acquire a basic understanding of the geographic terms and concepts that are necessary for the appropriate use of GIS. These will include concepts of spatial variables, scale, map projection, and map coordinate systems. The student will also be aware of the history of GIS, how it fits into overall information management, and a variety of applications in which GIS can contribute to analysis and decision-making, and have a sense of where the technology will be headed in the future.

Area #2: The student will acquire skills in the use of GIS software, with experience in at least two major GIS software products such as ArcView and Autodesk Map. The student will be able to load the software, import and use data in the software, conduct analysis of the data in the software, and produce output from the software. The student will also be able to program in the software in order to change the user interface or simplify tasks for other users of the GIS.

Area #3: The student will be able to deal with a variety of GIS database issues, including, but not necessarily limited to, database creation (through digitizing and on-screen drawing), editing, design, management, and data conversion for use in GIS software. The student will also be aware of the importance of metadata, privacy concerns, and issues of data sources, modification, and accuracy.

Area #4: The student will be able to perform a GIS project (analysis for decision-making or creation of a GIS product, such as a map or database). This will include the initial problem statement, identification of data needs, acquisition or creation of data, determination of the type of analysis to be conducted or type of product most appropriate to deal with the problem statement, performance of the analysis, and the creation and presentation of the results.