Geographic Information Systems
Map Yourself a Great Future
From engineers and real estate agents to farmers and scientists, GIS helps people make better decisions. GIS Technicians use highly specialized technology skills and computer-based tools to map, manage, analyze, display and model spatial information.
As a GIS Technician, you could be mapping out evacuation routes for emergency services organizations, developing economic pattern studies for policy planners, creating a visual market analysis for businesses looking to expand, making weather pattern maps for storm tracking, or mapping bike paths and community trails for a city-wide greening project.
GIS is used in a huge variety of industries – many you wouldn’t expect – such as insurance, agriculture, health care, law enforcement, environmental studies, geology, engineering, planning, business, transportation planning, market research, political science, utilities, and much more. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination!
Your skills in applying information from many different sources to solve problems along with your knowledge of computers, patience for meticulous and detailed work, and ability to visualize spatial relations and interpret maps and graphs will put you and your career on the map.
Want to find out if this career is for you? Check it out on the web at http://www.acinet.org/, and select Occupation Information.
Program Description
The 18-credit hour certificate includes training in the latest software available for cartography, remote sensing and digital image processing, spatial and 3D analysis, mapping, database management, real-time and historical tracking, and more.
Career Path Notes
Guided field study and internships are an integral part of the program, so you get real-life experience and make employment contacts to boot.
Program Information
Click here for program specific information.
For More Information
Call the Division of Health, Environmental, Natural and Physical Sciences at 719-502-3400.
Employment Opportunities
GIS and geospatial information are a high-growth industry worldwide, with great career prospects. The PPCC GIS program provides training for entry-level employment for positions such as GIS Technician, Surveying/Mapping Technician, Assistant Cartographer.
Earnings Outlook
In Colorado, the median hourly salary in 2005 for Surveying and Mapping Technicians was $18.19, with a salary range of $11.53 – $27.32. From 2004 to 2014, there are expected to be an average of 80 job openings per year. The median hourly salary in 2005 for Cartographers was $26.27, with a salary range of $14.43 – $37.84 and an average of 40 job openings anticipated per year. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Financial Aid
Advising
Apply
Find Out More About Your Future Career
Contact Career Planning and Advising at (719) 502-3232
www.ppcc.edu/Advising
Associate of Applied Science Degree
1st Semester - Fall
CSC 120 Problem Solving with (Software Package)
CIS 145 Complete PC Database
ENG 131 Technical Writing I
or
ENG 121 English Composition I
GIS 101 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
Semester 1 Credit Hours 12
2nd Semester - Spring
CSC 150 Visual Basic Programming
or
CSC 154 Introduction to MS Visual Basic .NET(OOP)
GIS 205 GIS Applications
GIS 212 Remote Sensing & Digital Image Processing
MAT 121 College Algebra
or
MAT 135 Introduction to Statistics
Semester 2 Credit Hours 14
3rd Semester - Summer
GEO 105 World Regional Geography
GIS 131 Global Positioning Systems for Global Information Systems
Semester 3 Credit Hours 6
4th Semester - Fall
GEO 111 Physical Geography-Landforms
GIS 110 Introduction to Cartography
GIS 165 GIS Project Management
Elective 6 credits
Semester 4 Credit Hours 16
5th Semester - Spring
GIS 211 Spatial Data Modeling & Analysis
GIS 280 Internship
Electives 6 credits
Semester 5 Credit Hours 14
Total Credit Hours 61-62
GIS Certificate Available