Geospatial Technology GST.S.AAS

Associate of Applied Science - 61 - 63 Credit Hours

Division: Liberal Arts, Communication and Social Sciences
Department: Geography
Effective as of Fall 2022

What is the program about?

The Associate of Applied Science degree in Geospatial Technologies will prepare students for careers and transfer degrees in geographical information systems (GIS). In this interdisciplinary program, students select a pathway specific to their interest: Analyst, GIS Programming Specialist, or Aerial Sensing Data Analyst. In this profession, graduates are responsible for collecting geospatial data, producing maps, analyzing spatial data, coordinating GIS projects, providing technical expertise to clients or users, and providing programming and software development expertise. This degree program contains one or more embedded certificates which will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the embedded certificate(s), please notify Registration and Student Records at studentrecords@sinclair.edu.

Program Outcomes

• Demonstrate the ability to apply the geographical perspective, including: analyzing and explaining the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on the Earth's surface; recognizing applications of geography in everyday life, understanding of the increasing interdependence of economic, political, and social/cultural processes; and considering problems from alternative points of view (global awareness).
• Demonstrate knowledge of foundational concepts and applications of geospatial technology.
• Demonstrate the ability to use maps and other geographic representations, geospatial technologies and spatial thinking to coordinate multiple geographic representations, evaluate the quality of geospatial data, and analyze geographic questions and communicate information.
• Demonstrate the broad range of skills required to plan and organize a geographic research project, including; managing the workflow of a project, systematically gathering and evaluating geographic information from primary and secondary resources; selecting, designing, and organizing maps and other graphical representations; and evaluating and interpreting geographical information.
• Demonstrate professional effectiveness and teamwork by exhibiting leadership, cooperation, and making productive contributions to group written and oral assignments. Students must also demonstrate a respect for diverse view points within the group.

Career Opportunities

Approximately 80% of all data have a spatial or location-based component. The geospatial industry and market for it continue to expand at a phenomenal rate. The latest Dept. of Labor statistics show more than 850,000 current geospatial workers with an additional 350,000 needed by 2018. Professionals in GIS are needed in organizations of all sizes and in almost every industry, including, agriculture, health care, retail trade, urban planning, law enforcement, defense and intelligence, natural resources, utilities, marketing, unmanned aerial systems and engineering among others.

Transferability

Formal articulation agreements with other colleges and universities indicate how Sinclair programs and courses will transfer to other institutions.

Program Accreditation Information

No accreditation