Advanced Certificate Program in Geographic Information Systems

Purpose

The program is designed (1) to train and provide professional recognition to students and working professionals who desire a sound education and practical experience in the fast-growing field relating to geographic information systems (GIS), and (2) to supplement thus enhance related degree programs such as Geography, Geology, Environmental Studies, Urban Studies, and Urban Planning at UMKC. The specially designed curriculum for this program will consist of 5 relevant courses that will cover important and emerging aspects of this field through advanced courses focusing on environmental and urban studies with GIS or remote sensing techniques. The program is not intended to be a requirement for any degree programs at UMKC.

Rationale

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a fast-growing information technology. GIS and other environmental informatics techniques like satellite remote sensing have been widely adopted for thematic mapping and spatial analysis. GIS related geospatial mapping techniques along with nanotechnology and biotechnology were recently identified by the United States Department of Labor as the three most important emerging and evolving fields (Nature, Vol. 427, 2004: 376-377). Increasing demands for GIS-related techniques provide new opportunities in traditional disciplines. Traditional geospatial analyses, such as urban planning, disease surveillance, environmental mapping, geographic visualization, crime location analysis, and public information management, can now be conducted using GIS-related techniques. In the United States, GIS-related technologies have been adopted at all levels of government agencies, most educational and research institutions, and nearly all of the private sector. The UMKC’s GIS instructional program was formally established in 1999 when a GIS faculty position was filled and GIS facilities were set up at the Department of Geosciences. New faculty members with related expertise or interests were hired at the College of Arts & Sciences. GIS-related courses have attracted students across disciplines and schools at UMKC as well as from industries, agencies, and local communities in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Currently GIS courses support the following degree programs at UMKC:

• B.S. / B.A. in Geography
• B.S. in Geology
• B.A. in Urban Planning
• B.A. in Urban Studies
• B.S. / B.A. in Environmental Science/Studies
• M.S. in Environmental and Urban Geosciences

As the private sector, government agencies, and educational institutions increasingly recruit professionals with GIS-related experiences and skills, there is a critical demand for an innovative educational program to effectively organize and utilize our existing instructional resources in order to prepare students with necessary knowledge and skills of this technical field. Therefore, an advanced GIS certification program is proposed for this purpose.

Requirement

Enrollment requirement: The program is open to any students with appropriate academic backgrounds, which will be evaluated for enrollment permission by the program director. Applicants need to submit related transcript(s) with the application. Letters of reference is optional.

Course requirement: For the completion of the certificate program, the student is required to finish
the coursework of 17-18 credits as listed below:

** For undergraduate students, Geography 417 can be used to substitute Geog. 5598D
Note: The online catalog contains the official degree requirements for academic programs.


Individuals experienced with GIS may have the introductory GIS course (Geog. 203) waived. In this situation, the student must consult with the program director and take a substitute course. No more than one course may be transferred from another institution.

Completion requirement: There is no time limit for participating students to complete this program. A 3.0 GPA or better is required for successful completion of this program. Interested students should contact the program director for additional information.

The program is open to any students with appropriate academic backgrounds, which will be evaluated for enrollment permission by the program director. Individuals experienced with GIS may have the introductory GIS course (Geog. 203) waived. In this situation, the student must take Geog. 444/5544, one of the listed electives, as a substitute. No more than one course may be transferred from another institution. There is no time limit for participating students to complete this program. A 3.0 GPA or better is required for successful completion of this program. Interested students should contact the program Director for additional information. The program does not require additional commitment of instructional resources (e.g. additional computer hardware and software or library resources), but its potential to generate revenue is great through the fee incomes of course enrollments.

Application

Contact

Interested students should contact the program director for additional information:
Prof. Wei “Wayne” Ji at jiwei@umkc.edu or 816-235-2981. Or you may contact the Department of Geosciences at 816-235-1334.