Geographic Information Systems Certificate

Geographic information systems Courses

The program consists of four courses designed to build a real-world skill set in GIS:

gis 101: foundations of geographic information systems

In this foundational course, you will examine the concepts, history, and applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The course covers geospatial data types, software tools, and spatial analysis techniques to solve real-world problems. You will develop skills in creating maps, performing basic geospatial analyses, and applying GIS across various domains.

gis 201: Cartography and remote sensing 

This course introduces you to the principles of cartography and the fundamentals of remote sensing. You will learn to design visually effective maps and acquire, process, and interpret remotely sensed data, such as satellite imagery. The course will emphasize hands-on, experiential learning using QGIS software to visualize spatial data.

Gis 301: gis for social and natural sciences 

This advanced course transitions from GIS fundamentals and data creation to practical, problem-based applications. You will learn to design and implement spatial analysis workflows to address real-world challenges in both the social sciences (e.g., public health, urban planning, environmental justice) and the natural sciences (e.g., conservation, natural resource management, hazard modeling). The course emphasizes critical thinking and project management.

gis 401: applied gis project

This capstone course serves as the culminating experience for the GIS certificate program. You will design, manage, and execute a comprehensive, independent GIS project from conception to completion. You will select a topic of interest, formulate a research question, acquire and process relevant data, perform advanced spatial analysis, and produce a set of professional-quality deliverables. The course emphasizes project management, independent problem-solving, and the effective communication of complex spatial information.

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Faculty Spotlight

Rebecca lemons, ph.d.

Rebecca Lemons earned her doctorate in Earth Systems Science and Policy from the University of North Dakota, where she studied large-scale landscape changes across grassland and forest regions in North Dakota and Minnesota. Throughout her career, Rebecca has worked in private, federal and academic settings on projects involving climate, wildfire, vegetation, imagery analysis and watershed studies. Most recently, she worked with the U.S. Forest Service helping manage and reduce wildfire risk in Oregon and California. One of the things she enjoys most about GIS is how widely it’s used in almost every field that can benefit from spatial thinking, whether it’s environmental science, planning, emergency response or something entirely different. 

Husson University has been approved to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements.