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
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.
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- 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 Show expanded career information for Geographers
Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
$84,250 Show expanded career information for Geography Teachers, Postsecondary
- Managers, All Other
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 Pathway Planner 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.
Full-time Sequence
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GIS222 | Geographic Information Science II | 3 | |||
Specialization | Specialization Option | 0–4 |
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
Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | SB | 3 | ||
Specialization | Specialization Option | 0–4 |
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 |
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
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.