GIS and Geospatial Certificate

GIS and Geospatial Certificate Program Overview

Our online GIS and Geospatial Certificate is a 12-credit graduate certificate program that will give you experience applying GIS (geoscience information systems) and geospatial science and technology in areas such as geoscience, environmental sciences, public health, business management, and social analytics. Through an examination of GPS applications, mapping, cartography, and other topics, you’ll gain contemporary, real-world skills that you can immediately apply in your career.

The University of Texas Permian Basin has been serving the GIS and geospatial industry for more than two decades, a unique relationship that has enabled us to develop a program curriculum with an insider’s perspective. All courses are delivered in a 100% online, asynchronous format that enables you to complete coursework anywhere, on your own schedule, around your work and personal responsibilities. There are no prerequisite courses for our program.

Career Benefits for GIS and Geospatial Certificate Holders

The skills and knowledge you develop in our online program will help you in a diverse range of professional roles, including:

GIS and Geospatial Required Courses

You may complete our program’s four required courses in any order you wish.

Courses
Duration
Credits
GEOL 4329 - GIS and GPS Applications
8 weeks
3
Introduction to the basic components of a GIS and some fundamental concepts that underlie the use of a GIS will be taught. Practice working with GIS maps and geographic data, you will learn how a GIS helps people visualize and create information that can be used to make a decision, and solve problems. This is done through interpretation and graphic presentation of these data using GIS (Arc View) software.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Spring A 2024 Spring A 2025
GEOL 6350 - Introduction to GIS
8 weeks
3
This course presents an overview of the principles and practices of Geosciences Information System (GIS). The objective of this class is to emphasize the fundamentals and importance of geosciences information.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Fall A 2023 Fall A 2024 Fall A 2025
GEOL 6351 - Mapping and Cartography
8 weeks
3
This course covers the fundamentals of map use and interpretation, map design, and map production using GIS and geospatial technology. The student will gain experience in the application of map-based analysis in the fields of environment and natural resources management.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Fall B 2023 Fall B 2024 Fall B 2025
GEOL 6352 - Advanced GIS
8 weeks
3
This course provides the advanced understanding of Geosciences Information System (GIS) and geospatial technologies. The objective of this class is to emphasize the practical aspects for GIS and geospatial data managements.
Prerequisites: N/A
Semesters Offered: Spring B 2024 Spring B 2025

Admission Requirements

Our online GIS and Geospatial Certificate is designed for students who have earned an undergraduate degree in science, engineering, or another field (with professor approval) and who have been accepted into the program.

 Regular Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university 
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0 in last 60 credits of undergraduate work
  • Official transcripts

Conditional Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
  • GPA of 2.50-2.99 in last 60 credits of undergraduate work
  • Official transcripts

Official Transcripts
Official copies of transcripts must come directly from the school in a sealed envelope and can be mailed to:

UT Permian Basin
Graduate Studies Office
4901 E. University Blvd.
Odessa, TX 79762

Official transcripts in electronic format can be sent to gradstudies@utpb.edu.

Application Fee

The application fee is $40.

If you have any questions regarding the admission requirements, please email studentinquiries@online.utpb.edu.

 

Assistant Professor, Department of Geosciences
Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator
heo_j@utpb.edu

Chair, Department of Geosciences
Geology Program

Faculty Associate Adjunct
Department of Geosciences
kinzel_m@utpb.edu

Michelle Kinzel earned a Bachelor of Science in biology with a marine science emphasis from San Diego State University. She earned a master's degree in geography with an emphasis in geographic information systems from Oregon State University, where she also completed a graduate-level certificate. Her interests include conservation, remote sensing and digital image processing. She writes curriculum and conducts professional development workshops and webinars.

We’re pleased to offer program admission on a rolling basis.

Rolling admission refers to our process of accepting and evaluating applications as we receive them and moving any applications that miss the deadline to the next semester. However, if you want to enroll in courses for a specific semester, you will need to make note of the application deadlines found below. If you don’t complete your application and submit the required materials by the deadline, your application will be rolled over to the next semester. 

LengthApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlinePayment DeadlineFirst Day of ClassLast Day of Class
Fall A8/14/238/21/238/25/238/28/2310/20/23
Fall B10/9/2310/16/2310/20/2310/23/2312/15/23
LengthApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlinePayment DeadlineFirst Day of ClassLast Day of Class
Spring A1/2/241/8/241/12/241/16/243/8/24
Spring B3/4/243/11/243/15/243/18/245/10/24
LengthApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlinePayment DeadlineCourses BeginCourses End
Fall A8/12/248/19/248/23/248/26/2410/18/24
Fall B10/7/2410/14/2410/18/2410/21/2412/13/24
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