Fleming College: Learn | Belong | Become

Please note: This program is 10 months duration.

Program Highlights

You've got to have a good plan in order to successfully complete a project. The Geographic Information Systems Application Specialist is the "wizard" who provides technical expertise to produce effective and useful plans and project reports through the applied use of technology. Specifically, a GIS Application Specialist will help various agencies and government do effective planning to manage all aspects of the environment and community life. For example, you might work on natural resources, agriculture, or community health projects. You'll be collecting information, and then distilling it to be put into a form that specialists and technicians can use.

• This post-graduate, intensive GIS program will have you using current, high-end technology tools to collect, store, manipulate, analyze, interpret, and communicate geographic information within a variety of disciplines.
• Fleming's leadership in this field has been recognized by industry, government and business through their support in establishing the Geomatics Institute at Fleming.
• These outstanding partnerships offer students access to the latest computer hardware, software, data resources and field technology used in the industry today, as well as unprecedented learning and employment opportunities.
• You will have plenty of opportunities to practice your skills in a work-like setting, with a student to computer ratio of one-to-one.

Not sure which of our two GIS Ontario College Graduate Certificate programs is right for you? The common first semester in the GIS Applications Specialist and GIS Cartographic Specialist programs gives you a good overview and understanding of the technologies and diverse skills particular to careers in these fields. You will have the opportunity to explore the right fit for you, and decide which area of specialized study you will pursue in semester two. In addition to acquiring a hands-on, firm foundation using GIS technology tools, you will have many opportunities to build on your teamwork, team building, project management, problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Since employers are seeking these broad-based transferrable skills, this experience working in technology teams will give you an edge in the workplace.

This three-semester program starts in September with a 15-week semester ending in December, continues in January with another 15-week semester ending in April, and concludes with a seven-week semester starting in May and ending in June.

Why Choose Fleming?

Our track record and our constant evolution to provide the latest in technology and quality teaching are two very good reasons to consider Fleming's Geographical Information Systems Application Specialist program. Fleming was the first college to offer GIS training in Ontario, and has been doing so for over 20 years - all other college GIS programs have only been established in the last few years. We're constantly upgrading and changing our program to suit the current and future demands of the field. For instance, we've recently revised the curriculum to add new courses in remote sensing, web applications and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for spatial data. As well, graduates of this program receive an Ontario College Graduate Certificate - a credential that recognizes the comprehensive and advanced level of study required in this program.

Work Experience

You'll spend a significant part of your time in the program doing experiential work - putting theory into practice. A co-operative GIS project in the final semester involves cross-disciplinary teams from the GIS Applications Specialist and Cartographic Specialist programs working together on a project for a business, government, or industry client.

What it Takes to Succeed

Knowing your way around a computer, hardware and software, is definitely high on the list of skills you need to succeed in this field. You should also possess the following:

• interest in ongoing education and upgrading
• creativity
• perseverance (there are many challenges)
• willingness to work hard (a 40 - 60 hour work week in the program)
• energy and persistence
• analytical skills
• problem solving ability

Career Opportunities

There's a consistently high placement rate within six to 12 months of graduating, with an average starting salary in the $35,000.00-$45,000.00 range. On graduation, when combined with your previous education/work experience, you could work in positions as diverse as GIS programmer/analyst, applications specialist/consultant, ecosystem IT manager, utilities manager, database manager, GIS systems operator, and land information manager. The options for career change are strong. You can go back to your previous profession and apply your GIS studies there, or make a move into a new career.

Minimum Admission Requirements

A university degree or college diploma, or equivalent education or work experience. On rare occasions, substantive work experience in the field of Geomatics will be considered as equivalent to a degree or diploma, and these cases will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Although traditionally GIS training accompanied a degree or diploma in natural resources, with exponential growth in the field of GIS sciences, applicable backgrounds now range from forestry to marketing, from resource extraction to municipal planning, from health care to law enforcement. Previous GIS experience, while helpful, is not required for admission.

Applicants without a degree or diploma should consider beginning their Geomatics career with the Geomatics Technician Program. 

Recommended:

Since GIS is a field of study that makes extensive use of computer hardware and software technology, students entering the GIS-Applications Specialist program must be familiar with computers. While not required, advantageous skills include: introductory level statistics, or finite mathematics, database and computer programming experience.

Related Programs

Trent University

You can obtain a Trent University Honours Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts Degree in either Geography or Environmental Science/Studies and a Geographical Information Systems Ontario College Graduate Certificate in four years, with the third year spent studying at Fleming College. In other words, get both qualifications in four years - instead of five. For details, see Trent/Fleming Joint Degree, Geographical Information Systems Special Emphasis.

School of Military Mapping, Mapping & Charting Establishment of the Canadian Armed Forces

If you are a graduate of the Geomatics Technician program from the School of Military Mapping, Mapping & Charting Establishment of the Canadian Armed Forces, at the QL5 Level, you are eligible to apply for advance standing into the second semester of the three-semester Geographic Information Systems - Applications Specialist or Geographic Information Systems - Cartographic Specialist graduate certificate programs. For complete details see Transfer Credit Articulation Agreement.

Other computer related programs that might be of interest to you include GIS - Cartographic Specialist and Geomatics Technician. 

Additional Costs

Plan on spending $1000 for books and supplies.

Course	Hours
Semester 1
GIS Database Principles	45.00
Geodesy	21.00
Geovisualization I	45.00
Problem Solving and Programming	60.00
Remote Sensing and Image Analysis	45.00
Spatial Analysis I	45.00
Surveying and CAD Mapping	21.00
Web Design and Programming	45.00
Semester 2
Advanced Remote Sensing	60.00
Customization of GIS Applications	45.00
Environmental Modeling	21.00
GIS Database Development	45.00
Project Planning and Management	21.00
Spatial Analysis II	60.00
Web GIS Development	45.00
Semester 3
GIS Co-operative Project	210.00
GIS Data Management	28.00
Survey Camp	40.00

Semester 1

GIS Database Principles

Course Number: GEOM065

This course presents principles and techniques of database design and processing in a GIS environment. Lab exercises and project work provide opportunities for students to develop skills in designing, implementing and managing databases using industry standard software such as Microsoft Access, Oracle and ESRI's Geodatabase. Structured Query Language will be used to build databases and manipulate data in preparation for future work in data processing, GIS analysis, and cartographic presentation.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Geodesy

Course Number: GEOM104

Geodesy is the science related to the determination of the size and shape of the earth. Due to the curvature of the earth, geodetic principles must be applied to small scale maps covering large areas. Students will develop an increased awareness of this foundation science and the issues involved in measuring and mapping the earth, such as applying appropriate map projections and coordinate systems.

Units: 21.00
Hours: 21.00

Geovisualization I

Course Number: GEOM102

This course will engage students in the exploration of the cartographic communication process. Effective geographical display is dependent upon the decisions involved in its design, such as colour, symbology, and typography in map making. Students will also be introduced to concepts and processes that are central to cartography, enabling the student to build a cartographic foundation for subsequent studies. Industry standard, graphic design software will be used to create various paper products and screen images.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Problem Solving and Programming

Course Number: GEOM067

Geomatics software systems include programming capabilities to enable technical users to build specialised applications to process data and automate repetitive tasks. Using these facilities, a few well placed lines of code can save days of tedium or can accomplish tasks that would otherwise not be feasible. In this course students will prepare to utilise these capabilities by: (1) developing problem solving and algorithm design skills, and (2) implementing solutions in a high-level programming language (Visual Basic .NET) and (3) designing graphic user interfaces in objected-oriented, event-driven environments. This course also serves as the foundation to the other programming and technical courses in the GIS specialist programs.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Remote Sensing and Image Analysis

Course Number: GEOM066

This course provides an introduction to the basic interpretation and measurement of physical, biological, and cultural features on remotely sensed imagery. Basic photogrammetry concepts will be examined and practiced in scale determination, height, and measurement. Students will acquire an understanding of basic remote sensing techniques and their application in natural resource disciplines. In lab and field work students will gather control points, register the image to the ground, and compile data from industry standard software. Lab software: PCI Geomatica.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Spatial Analysis I

Course Number: GEOM103

This course will enable students to explore the principles and fundamental concepts and types of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and apply them in projects. Students will be introduced to the five main technical components of a GIS, namely, input, storage, pre-processing, analysis and output using both the raster and vector spatial data models. Hands-on experience, using current software applications is provided through a series of laboratory exercises.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Surveying and CAD Mapping

Course Number: SURV021

Acquiring spatial data and attribute data, in the field, is an important part of mapping and GIS. Once back in the office, this new data must be integrated in an efficient manner. Building on the skill sets associated with measuring for maps and land-type surveys, students will develop methods of placing field data onto existing maps and plans. These collected features will be placed in a GIS/Land Information System and appended to existing digital maps and plans.

Units: 21.00
Hours: 21.00

Web Design and Programming

Course Number: GEOM101

This course introduces students to the growing field of distributed geographic information. Principles of web design will be explored using industry standard software, with a focus on issues of accessibility. Various technologies for building dynamic web sites in a client-server environment will be introduced, and students will use client-side programming languages in the development of a website. This course prepares students for the use and customization of web GIS applications in the second semester.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Semester 2

Advanced Remote Sensing

Course Number: GEOM075

The goals of this advanced course are three-fold. First, today's professional airborne digital mapping systems will be reviewed. In so doing, students will be able to use current imaging and GIS software to compile a 3-D map. Second, a thorough analysis of the applications of synthetic aperture radar (SAR - both airborne and from space) will be completed. In understanding that process students will be involved in measuring ground subsidence by means of GPS data densification achieved through SAR imagery and interferometry. Third, the ever increasing utility of the data from the MODIS and ASTER space-borne sensors will be reviewed, and in parallel, students will perform advanced fully-automated, (as well as semi-automated), data extraction.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Customization of GIS Applications

Course Number: GEOM073

As GIS software packages become more sophisticated, there is a greater need for GIS specialists who not only perform GIS analyses, but also are highly skilled in customizing GIS applications, thereby facilitating the use of GIS applications to end-users. Students will learn how to develop customized GIS applications to meet specific user needs and how to link these applications to other programs. Customization will be done within a GIS application and also by developing standalone programs that integrate GIS capabilities. Students will work intensively with the ArcObjects Model Diagrams and be introduced to a scripting language to automate and customize the geoprocessing tasks.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Environmental Modeling

Course Number: GEOM105

Environmental Modeling is the science of predicting the behaviour and occurrence of environmental processes and variables. The use of GIS in Environmental Modeling extends this science to the creation of spatial surfaces. Environmental modeling using GIS is being applied to a wide variety of environmental and natural resource applications for decision-making at all levels, and as such is an important tool for the GIS Analyst. This course will provide the fundamental knowledge required to perform environmental modeling using industry standard GIS software. Students create surfaces using a variety of interpolation techniques, will learn the appropriate algorithm to choose for a given scenario, and will create and use 3D surfaces for enhanced visualization. In addition, hydrological surfaces will be created and examined in order to better understand the physical processes which take place in our environment.

Units: 21.00
Hours: 21.00

GIS Database Development

Course Number: GEOM070

This course builds on GIS Database Principles to introduce more advanced relational database topics that are increasingly important for GIS and mapping professionals. Through application of the principles of relational database design, students will learn how to design a model of the users' view of their data. Students will also learn the Object-Relational model whereby relational database tables can be built using objects. The core concepts of geodatabase development will be explored, including determining domains, subtypes, and relationships using spatial data. The differences between personal and enterprise geodatabases will be explored. Students will learn how to integrate relational databases with applications using ADO .NET

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Project Planning and Management

Course Number: GEOM068

The skills developed in this course will help students select, design, build, and implement a complex GIS application and/or a cartographic representation in response to an industry defined problem, using a business project management model. The course will assist students in negotiating the complexities of project management unique to this sector, as well as issues such as client relations, time management and scheduling, costing and budgeting, data acquisition, negotiating intellectual property rights and copyrights and managing team work and interactions. Project design principles and cartographic standards, together with guest lectures, will provide a foundation for the iterative process of planning, establishing schedules, and writing, a GIS project proposal. Project Planning and Management precedes the GIS Cooperative Project in the final semester, and develops a skill set critical to its success.

Units: 21.00
Hours: 21.00

Spatial Analysis II

Course Number: GEOM109

This course will provide the conceptual background to more advanced GIS analysis. Designed to provide an understanding of spatial analysis techniques available within a GIS environment, topics covered may include: spatial distribution and trends, geostatistical analysis, geocoding and networking, geodatabase topologies and advanced spatial analysis. Material presented in lectures will be placed in an applied context through laboratory exercises designed to strengthen practical understanding and awareness of complex GIS methodology in a variety of application areas.

Units: 60.00
Hours: 60.00

Web GIS Development

Course Number: GEOM099

This course introduces GIS students to the broad possibilities of the single greatest impetus for change in the GIS industry - the Internet. Building on Web Design and Programming in the previous semester, Web GIS Development provides an overview and develops a conceptual understanding of, existing Web-based applications for GIS and the innovations that will affect the shape of the industry's future. Students will create web GIS sites using the built-in capabilities of several of the leading commercial web GIS applications, and will later customize these sites using scripts and programming. Planning and development stages for a GIS website will also be covered, with practical work in accessing, displaying, querying, and analyzing GIS data over the Internet.

Units: 45.00
Hours: 45.00

Semester 3

GIS Co-operative Project

Course Number: APST062

This course provides the student with an opportunity to finalize the design, development and implementation of a GIS project initiated in the Project Planning and Management course. This team based project will address a variety of GIS issues and use mapping techniques to promote the research, development, testing, and analyzing of real world information in a 'real world' environment. Students will be challenged to assign responsibilities, create and maintain satisfactory working relationships with the client, accept feedback, meet project deadlines, manage the production of deliverables to industry standard, and formally present their findings.

Units: 210.00
Hours: 210.00

GIS Data Management

Course Number: GEOM111

This course will teach participants how to design, manage and access spatial databases in an enterprise environment using Oracle Spatial. Students will learn the structure of Oracle's Spatial Data Model, how to work with spatial objects and perform spatial analysis using spatial operators and spatial functions. Students will also gain practical skills processing spatial data with Oracle's PL/SQL. Students will learn how to integrate databases in an enterprise environment with applications such as ESRI's ArcServer.

Units: 28.00
Hours: 28.00

Survey Camp

Course Number: APST087

Through project work in the field and in lab, students will gain practical experience in equipment use, maintenance and troubleshooting in survey camp. Collected features will be placed in a GIS, adjusted and points positioned by control methods. Students will have hands on experience using Total Stations, Data Loggers, GPS differential corrections and trigonometric leveling for TIN models.

Units: 40.00
Hours: 40.00