GIS Certificate Course Work

Students are required to take seventeen (17) units of graduate level coursework, consisting of eight (8) units of core curriculum and guided practicum and nine (9) units of elective credit, from the list of selected courses. See GIS Certificate Checklist.

Students who have demonstrated competency in GIS by completing GEOG 416a (or its equivalent) or RNR 417 (or its equivalent) with a grade of B or above will have the corresponding graduate level course waived and can earn the GIS Certificate by completing fourteen (14) units of graduate core and elective courses.

All courses in the curriculum are taught at the University of Arizona; none are offered through distance learning. Courses utilize the ArcGIS software. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA.

CORE CURRICULUM
The core curriculum consists of 8 units of regular classroom instruction and guided practicum/internship experience in GIS. The core curriculum is designed to provide students with a solid background in GIS database structures and spatial analysis. The classes provide a foundation in the design and development of GIS databases and familiarity with spatial analysis techniques for a variety of applications. The practicum/internship is included in the core curriculum to ensure that each participant has the opportunity to apply the theories and methods presented in the core courses.

GEOG 516A: Computer Cartography (3 units) (Fall)
Introduces the principles of map design, production and analysis. Graduate-level requirements include an instructor approved 5-8 page paper on a related topic and analytical cartography demonstrating scholarly analysis in contemporary analytical cartography. (Identical to RNR 516A)
OR RNR 519 Cartographic Modeling for Natural Resources (3 units) (Fall)
Computer techniques for analyzing, modeling, and displaying geographic information. Development of spatially oriented problem design and the use of logic are applied to the use of GIS programs. Emphasis on applications in land resources management and planning. Graduate-level requirements include a research paper. (Identical to GEOG 519)
PLUS
RNR 517: Geographic Information Systems for Natural and Social Sciences (3 units) (Fall and Spring)
Introduction to the application of GIS and related technologies for both the natural and social sciences. Conceptual issues in GIS database design and development, analysis, and display. Graduate-level requirements include a thorough bibliographic review and a scholarly paper on a current application of geographic information systems in the student's major field. (Identical to GEOG 517, SWES 517)
AND
RNR 594/GEOG 594: Practicum in Geographic Information Processing (2 units)
Supervised instruction in the processing of geographic data for applications in natural resources. The student will be responsible for the supervised processing of research data sets. Emphasis will be placed on methodological practice and documentation of procedures. A practicum supervisor will be be selected by the student in consultation with the curriculum advisor.

ELECTIVES
Students must take 9 additional units from the following electives. The electives represent coursework from which a student can customize a curriculum to meet their interests.

RNR 503: Applications of Geographic Information Systems (3 units) (Fall,Spring, Summer)
General survey of principles of geographic information systems (GIS); applications of GIS to issues such as land assessment and evaluation of wildlife habitat; problem-solving with GIS. Graduate-level requirements include completion of a project on the use of GIS in their discipline or an original GIS analysis (100 points) in coordination with the instructor. (Identical to GEOG 503)

RNR 519: Cartographic Modeling for Natural Resources (3 units) (Fall)
Computer techniques for analyzing, modeling, and displaying geographic information. Development of spatially oriented problem design and the use of logic are applied to the use of GIS programs. Emphasis on applications in land resources management and planning. Graduate-level requirements include a research paper. (Identical to GEOG 519)

RNR 520: Advanced Geographic Information Systems (3 units) (Spring)
Examines various areas of advanced GIS applications such as dynamic segmentation, surface modeling, spatial statistics, and network modeling. The use of high performance workstations will be emphasized. Graduate-level requirements include the development of a GIS study plan. Prerequisite: RNR 517 (Identical to GEOG 520)

RNR 522: Resource Mapping (3 units) (Summer)
Use of computer technologies to map and inventory natural environments; integration of global positioning systems, remote sensing, and geographic information systems. Graduate-level requirements include a detailed report on the application of resource mapping to a specific problem in natural resource management. (Identical to GEOG 522)

RNR 573: Spatial Analysis and Modeling (3 units) (Spring)
Examination of spatial analysis and statistical techniques for investigating natural phenomena. Topics include point pattern analysis; spatial autocorrelation; point to surface transformation; geostatistical techniques; and landscape analysis and modeling. Prerequisite: RNR 517; and a statistics course. (Identical to GEOG 573, HRW 573, WS M 573)

GEOG 516C: Urban Geographic Information Systems (3 units)
Introduces concepts and application skills for use of geographic information systems to investigate a range of urban spatial issues and decision-making processes. Emphasis on complete process of GIS-based problem solving, including project planning, spatial data sources/acquisition, preparation/coding, analysis, representation, and communication. Prerequisite: GEOG/RNR 517 or consent of instructor. (Identical to RNR 516C, PLNN 516C)

GEOG 516D: PPGIS: Participatory Approaches in Geographic Information Science (3 units)
A project-based course focusing on applications and impacts of GIS
and other spatial analysis technologies in grassroots community development, participatory decision making, and community-engaged social science. Class format includes discussion seminar, GIS workshop, collaboration, and out-of-classroom community involvement. Prerequisite: GEOG/RNR 517 or consent of instructor. (Identical to RNR 516D, PLNN 516D)

GEOG 516E: Geovisualization (GIS) (3 units) (Spring)
Introduces principles and practices of Geovisualization (Geoviz) and softwares (Community Viz and ERDAS Image). Prerequisite: GEOG 516A, RNR 517 or consent of instructor. (Identical to RNR 516E, PLNN 516E)

GEOG 516F: GIS for the Social Sciences (3 units) (Fall)
An advanced course integrating social science data and geographic information science; lecture/laboratory format. Prerequisite: GEOG/RNR 417. ( (Identical to RNR 516F)

GEOG 524: Integrated Geographic Information Systems (3 units) (Fall,Spring)
Integration of airborne and spaceborne remote sensor image data with non-image geographic information system (GIS) data. Prerequisite: GEOG 583, RNR/GEOG 517, equivalent coursework or consent of instructor.

GEOG 553: Advanced Location Theory (3 units) (Spring, 2-year intervals)
Advanced location theory, including such topics as spatial variation in costs and demand, consumer travel behavior, spatial competition and strategic marketing, geographjy of economic impacts, and the location of public and private facilities. This is a GIS-intensive course. Prerequisite: RNR/GEOG 517 or equivalent. (Identical to PLNN 553)

GEOG 579: Spatial Statistics and Spatial Econometrics (3 units)
(Formerly GEOG 577,657) This course provides the statistical and econometric techniques required for the analysis of geocoded data. Identification of spatial heterogeneity and inclusion in a formal regression model. An important aspect of the course is to gain hands-on experience in applying the appropriate techniques and using state-of-the-art software. Prerequisite: GEOG 557 (Identical to PLNN 577)

GEOG 583: Geographic Applications of Remote Sensing (3 units) (Spring)
Use of aircraft and satellite imagery for monitoring landforms, soils, vegetation and land use, with the focus on problems of land-use planning, resource management and related topics. Graduate-level requirements include the completion of a project report. (Identical to RNR 583, PLNN 583, SWES 583)

GEOG 584: Fire Mapping (3 units) (Spring, 3-year intervals)
Mapping fire-prone landscapes using aerial photographs and satellite images. Graduate-level requirements include a research project that reviews critically the fire mapping literature OR demonstrates a fire mapping application using actual data. (Identical to RNR 584)

REM 590: Remote Sensing for the Study of Planet Earth (3 units) (Spring)
A multidisciplinary course delineating the physical basis of electromagnetic remote sensing, the concepts of information extraction, and applications pertinent to earth systems science. Graduate-level requirements include an additional term paper. (Identical to RNR 590, GEOG 590)

SWES 553: Remote Sensing of the Environment (3 units)
Remote sensing techniques and applications for improved natural resource utilization of soils, water, grasslands, and forest. Fundamental energy-matter interactions that influence the spectral characteristics of vegetation, soil, and water. Graduate-level requirements include an in-depth research paper on a single aspect of a current topic.

LAR 622 Landscape Planning (3 units) (Fall)
Emphases of this course are 1) landscape planning theory and 2) the use of computer-aided spatial analysis techniques within a GIS to solve landscape resource-based problems and develop alternative planning and design solutions. Students will learn techniques in planning and regional landscape resources: visual simulation, computer map overlay, resource modeling, application of research into automated decision-support systems, solving problems through the use of automated spatial modeling and analysis. Requisites: For LAR majors only or consent of instructor.

LAR 623 Landscape Planning Studio (3 units) (Spring)
Theories and models in landscape planning; planning issues and methods; case studies; one major studio planning project. Prerequisite: LAR 622 or consent of instructor.