Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
Homeland security involves a variety of activities including intelligence gathering and analysis; planning preparedness and emergency response; guarding against natural or man-made threats; securing the nation’s borders; and protecting life, property, and critical infrastructure. Geospatial Information Systems provide the capability for timely, accurate information that is easily accessible and shared. It provides an integration platform for improved decision making and response capability for the homeland security mission. Today, GIS is used throughout federal, state, and local governments for a number of homeland security requirements.
This certificate program is designed to help you acquire cutting-edge skills that you can immediately apply in the workplace, and it fulfills the requirements of the first year of Penn State's world-class online master's degree program in GIS. The certificate program allows you to study around your own schedule, where and when it's most convenient for you.
The GIS certificate program's courses compose the first year of Penn State's online master of geographic systems degree program. Students who successfully complete the certificate may apply to the online master's degree program and, upon acceptance, immediately begin the second year of study.
The certificate program is designed for professionals who wish to enter the field of GIS or who wish to become more competitive within it. The program provides a solid background in the fundamentals of geography that extends beyond a particular software program's capability or features. With this education your tasks will become easier to understand, analyze, and successfully complete.