Apply a geographic perspective to intelligence applications for creative problem solving and data analysis.
Program Overview
Our Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence Applications is designed for aspiring professionals in government, security & law enforcement, business, and related fields. It provides a foundation in geospatial intelligence thought and technology for those new to the intelligence discipline, geographic information sciences, or geospatial technologies. The program applies tools, methodologies, and tradecraft in the defense, law enforcement, and business domains while integrating geospatial information science and investigative analysis.
Apply critical thinking skills to assess ethical and social justice issues that arise in the application of geospatial intelligence analysis.
Leverage geographic information science and technology with intelligence tradecraft to understand challenging issues such as national security, disaster response, and international relief efforts.
Learn how the political, cultural, historical, and economic perspectives of human geography are needed to put geospatial intelligence analyses in context.
Combine spatial thinking, information literacy, and geospatial technology skills with knowledge of cultural and political geography to solve complicated problems in a variety of intelligence fields.
Prepared for the Future
Graduates of this program will have a strong foundation in geospatial intelligence and its many applications in a variety of fields. Many students continue their studies in one of our online master’s degree programs.
USGIF Accreditation
Penn State’s GEOINT certificates are fully accredited by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF). USGIF’s accreditation program was established in 2005 to encourage higher education institutions to develop academic certificates that prepare students to advance the geospatial intelligence field. When you earn a GEOINT certificate from Penn State, you will also receive a certificate from the USGIF.
The Geospatial Intelligence program is academic partners with:
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Curriculum
The Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Geospatial Intelligence Applications is a 13-credit, fully online certificate program. Credits earned in the certificate can be applied toward the Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security, the Master of GIS or the Master of Science in Spatial Data Science degree programs. Students can choose from one of the following certificate track options: Defense, Security and Law Enforcement, or Business. All tracks are 13 credits.
The typical student course load is one course per 10-week session. At that pace, students can complete the certificate in less than one year. Time off can be taken between courses if necessary.
This track highlights GIS and remote sensing. Courses are listed in the order they should be taken.
| COURSE NUMBER | TITLE | NEXT OFFERING | TECHNOLOGY |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOG 882 | Geographic Foundations of Geospatial Intelligence | Fall 1, 2023 | |
| GEOG 482 | Making Maps that Matter with GIS | Fall 1, 2023 | ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Story Maps, Python |
| GEOG 483 | Problem Solving with GIS | Fall 1, 2023 | ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Story Maps |
| GEOG 480 | Exploring Imagery and Elevation Data in GIS Applications | Fall 1, 2023 | ArcGIS Pro |
Each of these courses is worth three credits.
This track focuses on GIS and cyber and human networks. Courses are listed in the order they should be taken.
| COURSE NUMBER | TITLE | NEXT OFFERING | TECHNOLOGY |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOG 882 | Geographic Foundations of Geospatial Intelligence | Fall 1, 2023 | |
| GEOG 482 | Making Maps that Matter with GIS | Fall 1, 2023 | ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Story Maps, Python |
| GEOG 483 | Problem Solving with GIS | Fall 1, 2023 | ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Story Maps |
| GEOG 479 | Spatial Data Science for Cyber and Human Social Networks | Fall 2, 2023 | NodeXL |
Each of these courses is worth three credits.
This track focuses on business location intelligence and cyber and human networks. Courses are listed in the order they should be taken.
| COURSE NUMBER | TITLE | NEXT OFFERING | TECHNOLOGY |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOG 882 | Geographic Foundations of Geospatial Intelligence | Fall 1, 2023 | |
| GEOG 482 | Making Maps that Matter with GIS | Fall 1, 2023 | ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Story Maps, Python |
| GEOG 850 | Location Intelligence for Business | Fall 2, 2023 | ArcGIS Online, Claritas PRIZM, Esri Business Analyst Online (BAO), US Census Bureau |
| GEOG 479 | Spatial Data Science for Cyber and Human Social Networks | Fall 2, 2023 | NodeXL |
Each of these courses is worth three credits.
With mentorship from a faculty advisor, students identify and research a real-world geospatial intelligence program and submit a recorded presentation and research proposal.
| COURSE NUMBER | TITLE | NEXT OFFERING | TECHNOLOGY |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOG 594A | Culminating Experiences in Geospatial Intelligence | Fall 1, 2023 | Varies |
This course is worth one credit.