Geospatial Technology and Applications: Social Science

Certificate School of Arts and Social Sciences · Merced College · 2026-2027 Catalog

School of Arts and Social Sciences

The GeoSpatial Technology and Applications certificate is a CTE program intended to offer students opportunities to gain skills and knowledge in the area of geospatial technology and its various applications. GeoSpatial technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS), and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have wide applications in many fields. Labor Market data from our region and elsewhere support the assumption that having skills in this field gives students primary skills and supplementary skills to their major that increase their employment marketability and potential salary significantly. Opportunities to apply GeoSpatial technology skills exist in Business, IT, Social Science, Criminology, Environment, Earth Sciences, and Agriculture.

A Certificate of Achievement in Geospatial Technology and Applications: Social Science will be awarded upon the satisfactory completion of the curriculum listed below, with a minimum grade of a “C” (or P) in each course in the certificate and maintains a 2.0 GPA.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

A. Create geospatial data through GIS remote sensing, and drone technologies.

B. Understand the variety of geospatial technologies including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software and remotely sensed data--including data sensed at close, medium, and long ranges.

C. Analyze geospatial data as applied to real-world projects and solutions.

D. Apply geospatial technologies to social science questions and issues.

Program Requirements:

Program Core: (16 Units)

CourseTitleUnits
GEOG-12Introduction to Human Geography3
GEOG-20Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Techniques with Lab2
GEOG-25Map Interpretation and Remote Sensing2
DRON-01Introduction to Drones2
DRON-02Federal Aviation Admin. Drone Pilot Test Preparation1
Take 2 courses from the following:
POLS-05Introduction to Political Science Research Methods3
AGRI-10Agriculture, Environment and Society3
SOCI-02Contemporary Social Problems3
SOCI-05Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality3
SOCI-06Introduction to Crime3
CRIM-01Criminology3
Total16

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