GIS Certificate Program
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an exciting and fast-growing field with a broad range of applications. It is a discipline that combines cartography, spatial analysis and data management.
The Department of Geography offers a one-year GIS Certificate Program developed to fill a growing demand for GIS skills in todays job market. This graduate-level capstone program is intended to provide a mix of GIS theory and practical knowledge for many possible applications.
Agriculture Archeology Conservation Public Health & Safety Law Enforcement Marketing Natural Resource Management Real Estate Emergency Management Transportation Urban/Regional Planning and more!
About the Program
The primary goal of the program is to ensure that students become sufficiently grounded in theoretical underpinnings of GIS to make informed use of existing GIS applications and gain skills needed to construct new applications in the physical or social realms. The full range of GIS capabilities is covered, including data capture, analysis, modeling and cartographic representation.
The program covers the foundations of GIS and spatial analysis, including cartography and statistical methods. Through hands-on exposure in the form of lab exercises, course projects, and an internship or independent project, experience will be acquired with major GIS software packages, including ArcGIS and MapInfo. By teaching concepts and hands-on use, the program differs from a typical short course designed for GIS training in a particular software package.
The program is intended to serve:
- recent graduates who wish to acquire technical expertise to support the topical knowledge gained in their undergraduate major.
- returning students who wish to acquire specialized training to meet current (or future) job requirements calling for GIS knowledge.
What's the difference between the Certificate and a MS degree in GIS? See the comparison chart.
Courses
The program consists of 4 core courses, 1 elective and an internship/independent project. You will need to complete a minimum of 16 credits while in the program. You may transfer in 4 credits of required coursework taken previously.
The 2-credit internship project tailored to individual backgrounds and interests. We welcome work-related projects by students who are presently employed. The internship can be taken any semester. With the exception of the internship, Certificate courses are not offered in the summer.
Students may enroll full- or part-time, in the fall or spring semester. Students entering in fall can complete the certificate in two semesters of full-time study by enrolling in the following sequence:
Please note: Students entering in the spring semester will normally need three semesters to complete coursework, since the advanced GIS course (Geog 578) is only offered in the spring and requires Geog 377 as a prerequisite. The internship (Geog 602) can be taken any semester. With the exception of Geog 602, no Certificate courses are offered in the summer.
Program Coursework
Core courses (15 credits):
Geog 370: Introduction to Cartography, 4 cr.
Geog 377: Introduction to GIS, 4 cr.
Geog 560: Adv. Quantitative Methods, 3 cr. Fall Only
Geog 578: GIS Applications, 4 cr. Spring Only
Electives (At least one of the following):
Geog 376: Intro to Geocomputing, 3 cr. Spring Only
Geog 572: Graphic Design in Cartography 4 cr. Fall Only
Geog 575: Animated Web-based Mapping 4 cr, Spring Only Env St 401: Intro to Remote Sensing, 3 cr. Fall Only
Listed as 'Special Topics' course for now.
Internship (2 credits):
Geog 602: Internship, 2 cr. Any GIS faculty as advisor
What is GIS?
GIS is a discipline devoted to the acquisition, storage, management, analysis, and visualization of spatial data in a computer environment. Unlike a paper map that displays only one view of information and stores only a limited amount of spatial data, GIS allows for many views of data, virtually unlimited storage, and the ability to integrate and analyze across data sets for a desired purpose. GIS provides a suite of tools used to support many kinds of decision-making and analysis.
GIS Career Articles
- Mapping Opportunities Nature, 2004
- Careers in Geoscience Science, 2005
Application Checklist
- Application (Apply on-line) Choose 'Capstone Certificate' for Reason for Applying
- Letter of Interest (one-page essay)
- Official undergraduate/graduate transcripts
- Three (3) letters of recommendation
(letter of recommendation form)
With the exception of the on-line application, send all application materials to:
- GIS Certificate Program
- Department of Geography
- 550 North Park Street
- Madison, WI 53706-1491
International Students must also submit:
- Official transcripts or academic records from each institution attended in the original language with official English translations. Official certification of degrees and dates awarded including seals and signatures in ink from the institution’s authorized official in original language and English.
- TOEFL scores (minimum score of 580 on paper test or /234 on computer test) or MELAB (minimum score of 82).
- Original financial support documents
Information for international students can be found at International Student Services.
Admission & Application
Deadlines for submitting applications are April 15th for fall admission and October 15th for spring in order to be guaranteed full consideration. Applications received after these dates maybe considered if space allows. There are no summer admissions.
UW-Capstone Certificate programs are a collaboration between the Graduate School and the Department of Continuing Studies. GIS Certificate students are considered to be graduate-level, but enroll into the program as special students through the Division of Continuing Education. You may apply on-line at: https://apply.wisconsin.edu/. There is no application fee.
Admission is competitive. The minimum requirements are a bachelor's degree in any of the physical or social sciences or humanities, a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0, and an introductory course in statistical methods. Student may be admitted with a stats deficiency but will have to take an intro statistics course (Geog 360 or equivalent) prior to taking Geog 560.
GRE scores are not a requirement.
Students may not be enrolled in another undergraduate or graduate program while enrolled in the certificate program.
In addition to the application, we also require official undergraduate student transcripts, a one-page statement of interest and three letters of recommendation. Letters may be from academics, employers, supervisors, or other appropriate individuals.
Cost & Financial Aid
Tuition for the 2008/2009 academic year is $571/credit hour for both in-state and out-of-state residents. While Certificate students are eligible for federal guaranteed student loans, work-study, and other financial aid administered through the University, students are not eligible for teaching assistantships, project assistantships, research assistantships, or graduate fellowships.
Students are eligible for federal guaranteed student loans at the graduate student level. All financial aid questions should be directed to:
- Martina S. Diaz, Senior Advisor
- Office of Student Financial Aid
- 432 N Murray St.
- (608) 262-3060
- martina.diaz@finaid.wisc.edu
Contact Information
Karen Tuerk- GIS Certificate Program Manager
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- 376 Science Hall
- 550 N. Park Street
- Madison, WI 53706
- Phone: 608.265.9975
- Fax: 608.265.3991
- kstuerk@wisc.edu