John A. Dutton Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence

The Master of Geographic Information Systems (M.G.I.S.) degree is awarded to students who demonstrate mastery of the technical competencies and leadership skills required to design, manage, and use geographic information technologies successfully in a wide range of professional fields. The M.G.I.S. program is intended specifically for working professionals who are able to participate only on a part-time basis and at a distance.

Program Options

You can choose to pursue a specialized option in:

• Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Option — Produce information and insights through skillful and conscientious analysis of diverse geo-referenced data to manage natural and cultural assets, enforce the law, and plan and conduct military operations.
• Geodesign (GEODZ) Option — Combine science and evidence-based approaches with the design process, enabling you to become more adept at assessing the impact of designs on people and nature.

Careers

• Environmental resource management
• Urban and regional planning
• Local government
• Surveying and cartography
• Facilities management
• Transportation planning

This certificate was designed to help geospatial professionals become skillful developers of software for the GIS and mapping industries. These skills include the ability to script the automation of geospatial business processes, to develop custom user interface tools on top of existing desktop applications, and to author web-based mapping applications that support the exploration and analysis of geospatial datasets. Such skills are in high demand in the geospatial industry. This program is designed specifically for geospatial practitioners who seek formal education in geospatial programming and web mapping for the purposes of advancing their professional development or seeking a career change. It covers software development in the uniquely geospatial context using a mixture of proprietary and open source languages and technologies. 

Complete this certificate to acquire the excellent geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) knowledge and critical thinking skills that companies and government organizations seek. The certificate was designed to prepare you to use the knowledge of human and physical geography, problem-solving abilities, and geographic information technologies to confront challenges such as disaster response, emergency management, and military operations.

Careers

The geospatial intelligence analytics graduate certificate can help start or advance your career as a geospatial intelligence analyst, imagery analyst, intelligence image analyst, remote sensing scientist or technician, or remote sensing program manager.

Designed for both novices and professionals, this certificate provides firsthand experience using the most up-to-date tools and techniques available in the field of GIS today. Choose between two tracks: one for current and aspiring geospatial professionals looking to become more skillful users of GIS software and related tools, and the other for certified or licensed professionals looking to bypass introductory courses while selecting others more appropriate for their focuses.

Careers

Penn State’s online certificate in GIS can help you start or advance your career in urban and regional planning, environmental resource management, and surveying and cartography. These fields include architects, engineers, GIS analysts, environmental scientists, surveyors, and cartographers among others.

The master's degree in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems (RESS) - Sustainability Management and Policy option was designed to prepare leaders in the renewable energy field, specifically related to sustainability planning and policies that affect renewable energy. Completing this program could help you bolster your knowledge of renewable energy, energy trading, and systems management. 

Careers

Graduates of this program may be prepared for roles in the renewable energy sector such as project manager for sustainability projects, chief sustainability officer, renewable energy manager, sustainability engineer, or sustainability analyst.

If you have a technical mindset and are interested in focusing on the implementation and interpretation of existing sustainability policies, this graduate certificate may be right for you. Learn to create business plans for the adoption and deployment of technologies to address critical economic, environmental, political, and societal challenges.

Careers

The courses in the Sustainability Management and Policy program were designed to prepare you for careers in management that concern issues of sustainability and energy resources, including sustainability coordinators, renewable energy managers, and sustainability engineers.

Prepare yourself to serve as a leader of the emerging green economy through the Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems (RESS) master's degree program. This online program provides you with the technical depth in areas related to renewable energy. You can also gain a comprehensive understanding of the applications of technology in society, the energy economics, and the project development process.

Careers

This program can benefit you if you are already in the renewable energy and sustainability field and looking to advance in your current position or if you want to move into another segment of this rapidly evolving energy industry.

A master's degree in renewable energy and sustainability systems can prepare you to make an impact in the industry by serving in professional roles, such as sustainability project manager, energy efficiency analyst, energy project manager, environmental risk analyst, renewable energy consultant, and community planner.

Learning innovative forecasting techniques in this online certificate program can help you learn about meteorology, enrich your hobby, supplement your professional career, or build a preparatory foundation for future study or work. This certificate can be fully completed online through Penn State World Campus.

As a student in this program, you will have an opportunity to become a better-informed, critical consumer of weather-related news. Whether you are an amateur weather enthusiast or a weather-related industry professional, enrolling in this 12-credit certificate program can help you refine your skills to more effectively predict the weather.

Careers

Hobbyists, storm chasers, weather forecasters, or other professionals who rely on weather data to perform their job duties successfully can all benefit from this program.

Pursuing a minor in Earth Systems can help you build a better understanding of the global extent and impact of environmental problems. This minor focuses on a large-scale and interdisciplinary approach to questions of global change and the interactions of the physical and human environments. It provides a wider interdisciplinary perspective for majors in the traditional Earth science disciplines (geography, geoscience, and meteorology), and provides an introduction to Earth sciences and a broad exposure to Earth systems/environmental studies for other science and engineering majors. 

The Geography minor can complement most majors in the social sciences, physical sciences, biological sciences, and technical disciplines. The Geography minor is flexible so that students can tailor their course choices to accommodate individual interests. A broadly based approach to selecting minor courses can be appropriate for students whose majors are highly specialized or narrowly focused. Alternatively, students may choose to fulfill Geography minor requirements with a particular content emphasis, such as an interest in environmental issues or urban and regional planning. Looking through course choices and talking with geography staff can make earning the Geography minor an important enhancement to one's academic program.

Offered Online or through Resident Instruction

This minor can be completed either online via Penn State World Campus or through resident instruction.