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Geospatial Technology Minor

Students taking the minor in Geospatial Technology learn to use geospatial hardware and software and apply these tools to the study of society, culture, earth sciences, and socio-environmental phenomena. Through experiential and technology-based coursework, the program prepares students in spatial data acquisition via positioning systems and remote sensing; in spatial data encoding, management, analysis, and display in maps and other visualizations; and in developing models and databases via Geographic Information Systems software. Students completing the minor will be prepared for such diverse careers as business and economics, historic preservation, cultural and natural resource management, and spatial data analysis and mapping.

Program Learning Outcomes

After completing, the minor in Geospatial Technology students will be able to:

  • Identify appropriate hardcopy and digital forms of spatial data pertaining to cultural and environmental phenomena.
  • Use geospatial technology such as Global Positioning Systems, active and passive remote sensing sensors, and geospatial processing software and geodatabases to acquire, create, encode, and store spatial data.
  • Apply appropriate industry standard Geographic Information Software in the analysis of spatial data applicable to different disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, computer science, cultural and natural resource management, earth science, economics, geography, and history to interpret how various academic disciplines and methodologies contribute to Geospatial Technology work and careers.
  • Make digital cartographic representations and other form of geospatial data visualizations of cultural and natural phenomena in both 2-D and 3-D forms.
  • Explain and communicate geospatial information to a wider audience via public presentations and publicfacing digital products such as web applications, digital collections and archives, digital portfolios, digital publications, etc.

Requirements

To be awarded a minor in Geospatial Technology, students must successfully complete at least 20 units as follows:

Lower Division Requirements [4 units]

  • Complete one of the following courses
    • HS 002: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems [4 units]
    • GEOG 002: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems [4 units]

Upper Division Requirements [16 units]

    • Complete four upper division courses chosen from the following range of elective courses:
      • ANTH 171: Human Population Studies: Data and Mapping [4 units]
      • ENGR 180: Spatial Analysis and Modeling
      • ENVE 152: Remote Sensing of the Environment
      • HS 112: GIS for World Economic History [4 units]
      • HS 150: Geographic Information Systems for Cultural and Environmental Heritage [4 units]
      • HS 161 / GEOG 161: Earth from Space: Introduction to Remote Sensing and Global Positioning (4 units)
      • HS 185: Ethnic Geography (4 units)
      • HS 192: Internship in Geospatial Technology [4 units]
      • HS 193: Projects in Geospatial Technology [4 units]
      • MIST 132: Geographic Information Systems Analysis in Management (4 units)

Updated 2023