The Undergraduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems provides students with a strong foundation in the concepts, technologies, and methods used to acquire, manage, analyze, and communicate geographic information across diverse fields of study. Students develop the ability to collect geospatial data from multiple sources, interpret and visualize spatial information, and apply geographic information system (GIS) software to support problem-solving and decision-making.
This 15-credit program emphasizes both interdisciplinary learning and hands-on experience with industry-standard platforms, including ArcGIS and ArcGIS Pro. Open to students in all majors, the certificate equips participants with practical geospatial skills that are widely applicable in today’s data-driven world.
Program Coursework
Total Credit Hours: 15
The GIS certificate consists of three required core courses and two elective courses. This updated curriculum will be effective for all new students beginning Fall 2025. Students enrolled in the program prior to Fall 2025 will continue under the previous 13-credit hour requirements.
Required Core Courses (9 Credit Hours)
| Course Number | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GIS 1000 | Exploring Geospatial Thinking and Technology | 3 |
| GIS 2301 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Sciences | 3 |
| GIS 4303 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems and 3 Sciences |
3 |
Elective Courses (Choose Two - 6 Credits Hours Total)
Students must choose one methods/visualization elective and one broadening elective from the lists below.
| Methods / Visualization Electives (Choose One – 3 Credits) | |
| GIS 4490 | Internship or Capstone in GIS |
| GEOG 1001 | Introduction to Geography (MOTR GEOG 101) |
| HONORS 2002 | Topics in Information Literacy |
| SCMA 3331 | Data Visualization for Business Applications |
| POL SCI 3350 | Political Parties and Elections |
| CMP SCI 3411 | Introduction to Data Visualization |
| SOC 3501 | Social Mapping for Change |
| INFSYS 3830 | Data Programming |
| MATH 4470 | Statistical Data Analysis for GIS |
| CMP SCI 4420 | Digital Image Processing and Computer Vision |
| Broadening Electives (Choose One – 3 Credits) | |
| GEOG 1002 | World Regions (MOTR GEOG 101) |
| GEOG 2001 | Cultural Geography |
| HONORS 2020 | Inquiries in the Fine and Performing Arts |
| HONORS 2040 | Inquiries In Mathematics And Computing |
| POL SCI 2600 | The Geography of Governance |
| HIST 4142 | Inquiries in U.S. History |
| ECON 4160 | Geospatial Analysis in the Social Sciences |
| CMP SCI 4200 | Python for Scientific Computing and Data Science |
| PHIL 4460 | Topics in Logic |
| SOC WK 4755 | Poverty, Human Rights, and Social Justice |
| MGMT 5634 | Sustainability Management 2 |
For more information, contact the Director of UMSL Geospatial Collaborative and Program Director:
Dr. Reda Amer
reda.amer@umsl.edu
https://www.umsl.edu/geospatial/curriculum.html
Questions? Contact:
Dr. Reda Amer
Director of UMSL Geospatial Collaborative
314-516-4838
reda.amer@umsl.edu
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