The GIS online certificate is a professional development certificate (not an academic degree) and, as such, courses carry continuing education units (CEUs), nationally recognized units of measurement for professional development and training. CEUs may be used when employers, agencies and other authorities require a specified number of hours of study and where nonacademic credit is acceptable. One CEU equals 10 hours of instruction.
GIS Curricula
Participants may complete the program requirements and receive a certificate of completion, or attend just those classes that are of particular interest. There are two online certificate options, the regular Certificate and the Certificate with a Concentration in Environmental Analysis.
Required Core (All six online courses are required)
| Course Title | CEU | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 9003: Introduction to GIS | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9004: Managing a GIS Project | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9009: Cartographic Design for GIS | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9015: Database Management for GIS | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9022: Working with GIS Data (Formerly Data Acquisition for GIS) | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9038: Introduction to ArcGIS Online | 1.6 | FA/SP |
Electives (Five courses required)
| Course Title | CEUs | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 9008: Raster GIS and Analysis | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9010: Using GPS for GIS (In Person) | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9011: Introduction to Remote Sensing | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9013: Spatial Analysis and Modeling | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9019: Remote Sensing for GIS, Part II | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9021: GIS Programming with Python | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9020: Scientific Visualization in GIS | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9023: GIS and Remote Sensing Applications for Coastal and Marine Science | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9024: Watershed GIS | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9027: Spatial Analysis of Public Health Data | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9030: Building a Geodatabase | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9031: Introduction to R | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9032: Ecological Applications of GIS | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9033: GIS for Sustainable Planning and Urban Design | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9034: Building JavaScript Web Mapping Applications | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9035: Advanced Remote Sensing | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9036: 2D and 3D Mapping with Drones (In Person) | 1.6 | SU |
| GEOG 9037: Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Assessments Using GIS | 1.6 | FA |
Minimum Student Commitment:
Each student will be expected to complete a minimum of 17.6 CEUs (11 courses).
Required Core (Seven online courses are required)
| Course Title | CEU | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 9003: Introduction to GIS | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9004: Managing a GIS Project | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9009: Cartographic Design for GIS | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9015: Database Management for GIS | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9022: Working with GIS Data (Formerly Data Acquisition for GIS) | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| GEOG 9038: Introduction to ArcGIS Online | 1.6 | FA/SP |
| *Choose One: GEOG 9008: Raster GIS and Analysis OR GEOG 9013: Spatial Analysis and Modeling | 1.6 | FA GEOG 9008/ SP GEOG 9013 |
*A student may take both GEOG 9008 and GEOG 9013, where one may be counted as core and the other may be counted as an elective. No courses may be "double-counted."
Applied Environmental Methods Electives (Four courses are required)
| Course Title | CEUs | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 9008: Raster GIS and Analysis* | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9010: Using GPS for GIS (In Person) | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9011: Introduction to Remote Sensing | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9023: GIS and Remote Sensing Applications for Coastal and Marine Science | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9024: Watershed GIS | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9032: Ecological Applications of GIS | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9035: Advanced Remote Sensing | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9036: 2D and 3D Mapping with Drones (In Person) | 1.6 | SU |
| GEOG 9037: Climate Vulnerability and Resilience Assessments using GIS | 1.6 | FA |
*A student may take both GEOG 9008 and GEOG 9013, where one may be counted as core and the other may be counted as an elective. No courses may be "double-counted."
Programming and Modeling Electives (One course is required)
| Course Title | CEUs | Term Offered |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 9013: Spatial Analysis and Modeling* | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9020: Scientific Visualization in GIS | 1.6 | FA |
| GEOG 9021: GIS Programming with Python | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9031: Introduction to R | 1.6 | SP |
| GEOG 9034: Building JavaScript Web Mapping Applications | 1.6 | FA |
*A student may take both GEOG 9008 and GEOG 9013, where one may be counted as core and the other may be counted as an elective. No courses may be "double-counted."
Minimum Student Commitment:
Each student will be expected to complete a minimum of 19.2 CEUs (12 courses).
Additional Information
Certain core course requirements may be waived and replaced with additional elective courses upon advisement, based upon prior experience or coursework (see waivers, substitutions or equivalencies policy below). However, this does not reduce the total CEUs required for the certificate. Once a candidate has completed the necessary coursework an application for the certificate of completion must be submitted. Once you have passed all required core classes and electives, students are asked to apply for their certificate of completion below.
As of spring 2024, courses will take place fully online, with live meetings and support with the instructor and other attendees. Each class is held on Friday and Saturday, and both days must be attended to complete the course. The program is designed to be completed in less than one year and affords the opportunity to finish in one semester (three months). To guarantee a space in a class, please register early.
We will waive GEOG 9003: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems if you have successfully completed an equivalent GIS course at another university. However, we do not allow any additional waiving of courses. Please note that all our courses are now taught in ArcGIS Pro, so if this is new to you, we recommend working through some of the tutorials on ESRI Training to familiarize yourself with the new interface. Note that you will still be required to complete the minimum number of CEUs (17.6) to apply for a certificate after waiving GEOG 9003.
If you have prior work experience that may qualify you to waive GEOG 9003, please consult the Director, Jerry Davis (jerry@sfsu.edu) to determine whether you're eligible.
We will allow direct substitutions for College of Professional & Global Education GIS Certificate courses for matriculated SF State students according to the GIS Certificate SF State Equivalencies List. Please consult the Director, Jerry Davis (jerry@sfsu.edu) if you have questions.
All materials for classes are provided by the program and included in the cost.
As of spring 2024, courses will take place fully online, with live meetings and support with the instructor and other attendees. Course sequences begin twice per year, in early February and early September, with some in-person classes being offered in summer. Classes are designed as intense two-day trainings scheduled for eight hours (8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.) per day on Friday and Saturday.
In order to participate in GIS classes, you will need access to a device that can run key software. ArcGIS Pro, which is used in most of the classes in the program, is only compatible with a device with a Windows operating system. More details on software requirements can be found in the ArcGIS Pro Installation Instructions.
If you are a Bay Area local, options are available for using our in-person lab located at the SF State main campus. Please contact Chloe Martin at cmartin9@sfsu.edu to inquire about this option.
Once you have completed the necessary coursework, submit the Certificate of Completion Request Form for your certificate.