Certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIS)

Offered by: Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biology

Coordinators: 
Dr. C.S Greene csgreene@dal.ca (Earth and Environmental Sciences)
Dr. D. Tittensor Derek.Tittensor@dal.ca (Biology)
Dr. E. Rapaport eric.rapaport@dal.ca (School of Planning)

The GIS Certificate program provides training and experience in geographic information science as part of an undergraduate degree program, usually in Earth Sciences, Environmental Science or Biology, and prepares students for further study or employment in the area. The Certificate requires the completion of GIS-related courses and completion of a major project that involves work with geographic information systems and geomatics.

Admission to Certificate

It is recommended that students enrol in the GIS Certificate in their second or third year of studies, and that they contact the Certificate Coordinator at that time. To enrol, students must declare the Certificate through Dal Online (https://dalonline.dal.ca >Web for Students>Admissions>Declare Major/Minor/Certificate). To qualify for the Certificate, students must complete all course requirements, and have received approval for the research component (project) from the Certificate Coordinator if intending to use an alternative to the Geographic Information Science Research course to satisfy the research component of the certificate.

To graduate with the Certificate, students must apply to graduate with a certificate at the time they apply to graduate from their degree program.

Certificate Requirements:

1. A minimum grade of B- in each of the following courses:

• ENVS 2850.03/ERTH 2850.03/GEOG 2850.03: Foundations of Geospatial Information Science and Technology or  GEOG / PLAN 2006.03: Space, Place and GIS or ENVA 3005.03 Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
• ENVS 3850.03/ERTH 3850.03/GEOG 3850.03: Advanced Geospatial Information Science and Technology
• ENVS 4520.03 / ERTH 4520.03/GEOG 4520.03: GIS Applications in Earth and Environmental Sciences

1. A minimum grade of B- in at least one of the following courses:

• GEOG 2000.03: Cartography
• BIOL 3633.03/ENVS 3633.03/GEOG 3633.03: Spatial Information and GIS in Ecology
• ENVS 3400.03/GEOG 3400.03: Environment and Human Health
• ENVS/ERTH 4530.03/GEOG 4530.03: Environmental Remote Sensing
• ERTH 4320.03/OCEA 4320.03: Seafloor Mapping

1. Completion of a research project with an emphasis in geographic information science via one of the following sets of courses (minimum grade of B-). Set 1 research options are approved by the course instructor. Set 2 research options must be pre-approved by the Certificate Coordinator.

Set 1

• SCIE 4850.03/BIOL 4850.03/ENVS 4850.03/GEOG 4850.03: Geographic Information Science Research Project

Set 2

• SCIE 4851.00 Certificate in GIScience Set 2
  • Note: All Set 2 requirements will be managed through the SCIE 4851.00 course code. Students wishing to use any course that is NOT from Set 1, must contact the course instructor for permission to register in SCIE 4851.00. Please include the course name and syllabus (or learning contract) for the course you are intending to use to fulfill this requirement (i.e., completion of a research project with an emphasis in geographic information science). Some examples of courses that may fulfil this requirement (depending on focus of project) are listed below. This list is not exhaustive, and courses are subject to review by coordinator to ensure they meet the necessary coverage.
    • BIOL 4901.03 and BIOL 4902.03 or MARI 4901.03 and MARI 4902.03: Honours Thesis (or the former BIOL 4900.06/MARI 4900.06)
    • BIOL 4806.03 or BIOL 4807.03 or BIOL 4809.03 or MARI 4806.03 or MARI 4807.03 or MARI 4809.03: Independent Research I, II, and III
    • ENVS 4901.03/ENVS 4902.03: Honours Thesis
    • ERTH 4101.03 and ERTH 4102.03: Research Project
    • ERTH 4201.03 and ERTH 4202.03: Honours Thesis
    • PLAN 4500.06: Thesis Project
    • SUST 4800.03: Independent Study
    • SUST 4901.03 and SUST 4902.03: Honours Thesis

Research Project Guidelines for the Certificate in Geographic Information Science

Students should learn how to design, manage and complete a research project that emphasizes the use of a geographic information system (GIS). Students will identify a suitable research problem and work to solve it through acquiring, organizing, analyzing and presenting data using GIS. A substantive analytical component involving GIS must be included. Projects should be undertaken after all or most of the coursework is completed, e.g. students should already be familiar with GIS concepts and functions, and be proficient in the use of at least one GIS package. Supervision and evaluation of research projects must include input from a professor or GIS technician competent in geographic information science, methods and technologies.

Students enrolled in an undergraduate program other than Biology, Environmental Science, Earth Sciences or the College of Sustainability, may be able to complete the project through a directed readings or honours thesis course listed within their home department. The project must be pre-approved by a Certificate Coordinator. Non-thesis students, or honours students who wish to complete the certificate through a project that is not part of their thesis, who are in Biology, Earth Sciences or Environmental Science should complete the project through SCIE 4850: Geographic Information Science Research Project.