Geospatial Technologies

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Geospatial Technologies prepares students for entry level positions within the field of Geographic Information Systems. The Geospatial Technologies program will also provide students with the educational foundation necessary for a four-year degree. A Certificate of Completion (CCL) is also available.

Details

Field of Interest
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Geospatial Technologies (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3108
Total credits required
61-73
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2023
Notes

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
Program is designed for students with varying skills; consult with a program director.
Depending on a student's educational experience, additional coursework may be needed to be eligible for MAT220 or MAT221.

What You'll Learn
  • Identify and apply the geospatial core technologies to data collection, storage, and analysis.
  • Identify and explain social and ethical responsibilities associated with the use of GIS as it pertains to environmental and population policies.
  • Identify and describe the characteristics of the Earth and how it is represented on a map.
  • Apply the appropriate representation to environmental and human-related features on a map.
  • Apply geographic knowledge and GIS to create high quality digital and paper maps.
  • Apply spatial analysis and geoprocessing operations on vector and raster data.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of data analysis involved in relational databases.
  • Design, develop, and implement a spatial database to support analytical operations.
  • Perform data management tasks (creating, querying, editing, joining, and customizing spatial and non-spatial data) as well as perform statistical analysis.
  • Apply computer programming concepts of problem solving, data structures, and fundamental algorithms and techniques to spatial data models.
  • Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

Geographers

$70,410

Geography Teachers, Postsecondary

$84,250

There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below:

  • Managers, All Other

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Pathway Map Options

There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the locations, partners, and available tracks of the award.

These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GIS205 Geographic Information Technologies Critical course Gateway course CS 3
GCU102 Introduction to Human Geography G, SB 3
CIS105 Survey of Computer Information Systems CS 3
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
Mathematics Mathematics area 3–6
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GIS211 Geographic Information Science I Critical course CS 4
GPH113 Introduction to Physical Geography SQ 4
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GIS220 Introduction to ArcPy Scripting 3
GIS222 Geographic Information Science II 3
GPH211 Landform Processes SQ 4
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GCU/GPH298++ Special Projects 1–3
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or SB or L or SB 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4
Electives Electives Select 0-5 credits of any course with a CIS prefix in consultation with your program advisor to further develop skills in the areas of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 0–5

Part-time Sequence

Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GCU102 Introduction to Human Geography G, SB 3
Mathematics Mathematics area 3–6
FYE101 or
FYE103		 Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
ENG101 or
ENG107		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
GPH113 Introduction to Physical Geography SQ 4

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
CIS105 Survey of Computer Information Systems CS 3
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking OR Equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GIS205 Geographic Information Technologies Critical course Gateway course CS 3
HU Humanities, Fine Arts & Design HU 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GIS211 Geographic Information Science I Critical course CS 4
ENG102 or
ENG108		 First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3

Term 6

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 6
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GIS220 Introduction to ArcPy Scripting 3
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230		 Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication SB or SB or L or SB 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GIS222 Geographic Information Science II 3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
GPH211 Landform Processes SQ 4
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4
GCU/GPH298++ Special Projects 1–3

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
SB Social & Behavioral Sciences SB 3
Specialization Specialization Option 0–4

Term 10

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 10
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
Electives Electives Select 0-5 credits of any course with a CIS prefix in consultation with their program advisor to further develop skills in the areas of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 0–5
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

  • CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
  • FYC = First Year Composition
  • G = Global Awareness
  • HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
  • L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
  • MA = Mathematics
  • SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
  • SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm3?id=182625).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.

Previous Catalog Years

The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.

Previous catalog years for Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Geospatial Technologies