EKU Logo
EKU Logo
Apply Now Get Info Search
Hero Image

Certificate in Geographic Information Systems

Department of Physics, Geosciences & Astronomy

College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

Certificate in Geographic Information Systems

Department of Physics, Geosciences & Astronomy

College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

On-Campus

Program

18 Credit Hours

to Graduate

Full-Time, In-State Tuition

$5,010 Per Semester

Low-Cost Textbooks

For All Students

Transform Your Community with Geographic Information Systems

Geographic information systems (GIS) has a wide range of applications including urban planning, disaster response, and transportation planning. GIS is a computer-based system that can be used to store, analyze, and display spatial data. It can help users understand patterns, relationships, and geographic context. EKU’s certificate in GIS prepares you for a variety of challenging and rewarding career opportunities. Learn to analyze and map geographic data and produce 3D digital imaging, reports, charts, tables, overlays, and applications. Gain hands-on experience focused on real-world problems and gain the experience needed to lead future generations of geographers, astronomers, environmental geoscientists, physicists, and engineers.

Apply Now Schedule a Visit

Learn More

Loading…

Career Outlook

Although employment growth for geography-related fields is projected to show little change until 2032, about 100 openings for geographers are projected each year, on average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Local, state, and federal governments need GIS technicians in several different agencies: the Department of Defense, the Army, the Air Force, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

– U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

A GIS certificate can open the door to a wide variety of career options across the industry spectrum.

Job Titles Include:

  • Geoscientist
  • Surveyor
  • Surveying and Mapping Technician
  • Urban and Regional Planner
  • Hydrologist

EKU graduates of the Department of Physics, Geosciences, and Astronomy work in various fields and positions.

Employers Include:

  • NASA
  • Rockwell International
  • Clark County, Kentucky Public Schools
  • Danville Independent Schools

The Office of Academic and Career Services is a one-stop shop for all your career and professional development needs.

Services Include:

  • Creating/updating your resume and cover letter
  • Interviewing tips and coaching
  • Career documents review
  • Job search

Why EKU?

  • Low-cost textbooks through EKU BookSmart
  • No application fee
  • Reduced tuition for active-duty military members and their spouses
  • Fast-track opportunities for students with 80 or more credit hours

Curriculum & Admission

Learn essential skills for today’s GIS careers. Our programs are made up of high-quality courses and taught by experienced professors. EKU’s curriculum blends academic and professional preparation through course topics such as GIS cartography, remote sensing, geographic data and techniques, geographic imagery, computer aided drafting (CAD), plane surveying, disaster resilience and exercises, statistical reasoning and applied statistics, web programming, Visual Basic programming, and object-oriented programming.

A minimum of 18 credits are required.

View the program requirements:

EKU Academic Catalog

Please review the admissions requirements before applying for this or any program. If you have questions about the program or are planning to register for classes, please speak to the program advisor.

TermApplication
Deadline		Classes
Begin
FallAugust 1August
SpringDecember 1January
SummerMay 1May

All applicants must provide an application and evidence of appropriate scholastic achievement through prior educational experience.

Please note that certain degree programs have special admission requirements. Admission to the University does not mean automatic admission to all degree programs.

The completed application and all required supporting documentation must be received by the University no later than:

• August 1 for fall enrollment
• December 1 for spring enrollment
• May 1 for summer enrollment

To apply for undergraduate admission to Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), submit an application at apply.eku.edu and submit your materials noted below electronically or by mail to:

Office of Admissions
Eastern Kentucky University
Whitlock Bldg. 112, CPO 54
521 Lancaster Avenue
Richmond, KY 40475-3154.

Enrolling & Advising Information

EKU’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is committed to delivering high-quality enrollment and academic advising for our students. We strive to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and meaningful engagement to help students reach their academic goals and have a rewarding educational experience.

Interested in enrolling? Reach out to your enrollment advisor.

professional headshot of Tevis Milburn

Tevis Milburn

Associate Director, Enrollment Strategy

Call: 859-622-6284

Text: 859-251-2552

cstem.recruitment@eku.edu

Schedule an Appointment
photo of robert munafo

Robert Munafo

Enrollment Advisor

859-622-3101
robert.munafo@eku.edu

Schedule an Appointment

Additional Contact Info

Admissions: 859-622-2106
Academic Testing: 859-622-1281
Big E Central (Financial Aid & Student Account Services): 859-622-2361
Military & Veterans Affairs Office: 859-622-2345

Student Stories & Features

  • Madison High

    EKU Environmental and Applied Geology Graduate
    My degree provided me with the knowledge I needed to get a solid start to my career. I was able to get a job with the Kentucky Geological Survey within a few months of graduating and I am thrilled to be working for them. I also took the ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology exam shortly after graduating and passed it on my first try.

  • James Matthew Christie

    EKU Physics Graduate
    My undergraduate research helped get me familiar with a big range of vacuum equipment that I regularly use for my ongoing research. Professors almost always had an open-door policy, you could just drop by and hang out and chat, and it really made for a much more welcoming environment than I’ve seen in many places.

Quick Links

Upcoming Events

Calendars
Venues
Days of the Week
Time of Day
List
Grid
Plain
Sun
26

EKU Choirs: Spring Concert

at – calendar-day
Mon
27

Chellgren Workshop – Preparing for Finals

at – calendar-day
Tue
28

Chellgren Workshop – Preparing for Finals

at – calendar-day
Tue
28

EKU Wind Ensemble and Concert Band Performance

at – calendar-day
Wed
29

Maroon Madness College Visit

at – calendar-day
Wed
29

Chellgren Workshop – Preparing for Finals

at – calendar-day

News & Updates

A Day in the Life of Graduate Assistant Joshua Castle

While graduate student Joshua Castle may have taken a non-traditional route to pursue his education, he’s now living out his passions studying wildlife biology and working for EKU’s Taylor Fork Ecological Area.  “When Josh stopped by my office to inquire about working at Taylor Fork, it was obvious that he was on a mission,” said […]

From Clues to Careers: EKU’s Forensic Science Program Shapes Tomorrow’s Investigators

Blood spatter analysis, fingerprint analysis, forensic serology and DNA analysis. While these processes are often shown and discussed in television crime shows, students in Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Forensic Science program put the concepts into practice for real-life crime investigation. “EKU’s renowned forensic science program is one of the longest-running in the country and the […]

CSTEM Advising: Driving Student Success and Retention at EKU

As alumni, you remember the mentors, faculty members, and advisors who guided you through your academic journey—whether by recommending a course that shaped your career, offering clarity during moments of uncertainty, or simply reminding you that you belonged. Today, academic advising continues to be one of the most impactful forms of student support, evolving in […]

Related Programs

A female scientist wearing an orange life vest sits on the edge of a boat in the ocean and makes notes on a clipboard.

B.S. in Wildlife Management

Common Job Titles: wildlife biologist, conservation officer, zoologist, game warden, wildlife manager

Modalities: on-campus

Credit Hours: 120

in a classroom an instructor writes a breakdown of public health categories on a whiteboard while students look on

B.S. in Public Health

Common Job Titles: health advocate, prevention specialist, policy analyst, safety and wellness coordinator

Modalities: on-campus

Credit Hours: 120

Contact Information

Department of Physics, Geosciences & Astronomy

Science Building
Room 3140
533 John Hanlon Drive
Richmond, KY 40475

859-622-1521
pgas@eku.edu

Department Directory