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Geospatial Information Science (Undergraduate Certificate)

This program is pending approval by the UBC Board of Governors.

Program Overview 

The Undergraduate Certificate in Geospatial Information Science (G.I.S.C.) provides a formal introduction to foundational concepts, principles, and tools for gathering, storing, processing, analyzing, viewing, and portraying geospatial data. Students will learn how human-environment relationships are influenced by their spatial context and why spatial arrangements are critical to understanding how ecosystems, cities, and social interactions work.

The certificate is designed to enrich students’ learning experience, expand their knowledge, and provide valuable technical skills. The interdisciplinary nature of the certificate exposes students to ways of thinking about problems and structuring solutions that may be different from what they might be exposed to in their Major, whether it be Earth and Environmental Sciences, Geography, Computer Science, or any other discipline that involves geospatial data and complex relationships. The certificate concentrates on developing practical skills that can be applied in a variety of professional or academic settings, while also providing the conceptual underpinnings of geospatial information science that will help students understand environmental and social processes. 

Students already enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at UBC Okanagan are eligible to receive the Undergraduate Certificate in Geospatial Information Science upon successful completion of the certificate requirements.

Admission Requirements

Students with third-year standing in an undergraduate degree program at UBC Okanagan are admissible to the certificate program. 

Certificate Requirements

To earn an undergraduate certificate in Geospatial Information Science, students must complete a minimum of 15 credits: 

  • GISC_O 380
  • GISC_O 381
  • GISC_O 480
  • 6 credits from the following:
    • EESC_O 413, 444
    • GEOG_O 257, 270
    • COSC_O 222, 301, 304, 360, 404
    • DATA_O 301
    • Only one of GEOG_271, BIOL_O 202, STAT_O 230 


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