Graduate Certificate in Geographical Information Systems

Geographical information systems (GIS) allow us to capture, manage, query, analyze, and model geospatially referenced data. GIS ties the idea of location to information, making it possible to visualize it all in map form. Using geospatial techniques we combine and overlay data to show complex scenarios from a geographic perspective. GIS also allows us to integrate data from diverse sources, helping identify relationships, trends, and patterns of distribution.

GW's certificate program provides students with a solid grounding in geospatial theory and techniques, combined with the practical skills to apply these techniques to real-world problems. Students are exposed to a combination of industry standard software and open source programs in classes that encourage an extensive hands-on approach. The program features service learning components in courses that increasingly incorporate the growing field of open source GIS.

In today's job market, demand for geospatial science skills is growing at a fast rate, and GIS is increasingly popular in many different disciplines and industries, such as scientific investigation, resource management, marketing, archaeology, environmental research, urban planning, demography, development, policy, public health, emergency management, and logistics.

Certificate students have an opportunity to pick from a broad range of electives that match their interests. Faculty members have expertise in GIS, remote sensing, and spatial analysis. The department's state-of-the-art spatial analysis lab is available for student research.

A bachelor’s of arts (B.A.) degree or bachelor’s of science (B.S.) degree with a GPA of at least 3.0. Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may be considered if they submit a letter of recommendation from a professor in a related field.

English Language Requirements:

The university's minimum scores are:

TOEFL: 80 on the internet-based test (iBT), 550 on the paper-based test (PBT)

IELTS: Overall band score no less than 6.0, no individual band score less than 5.0

PTE Academic: 53