The School of Continuing Education & Workforce Development is proud to present the Introduction to Geographic Information Systems course. GIS Mapping integrates specific data points into geospatial contexts, enabling organizations to analyze, interpret, and forecast information globally. It enhances understanding of spatial relationships and provides insights on issues like national security, climate change, and disaster response, depending on data quality, technology, and professional expertise.
This course offers students a thorough understanding of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), encompassing key concepts, applications, and software platforms. It delves into spatial data acquisition, management, analysis, and visualization techniques. Students will investigate diverse GIS applications across fields such as environmental management, urban planning, infrastructure analysis, human geography, and business analytics. Practical learning is reinforced through hands-on exercises and case studies to develop theoretical knowledge and real-world skills.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Utilize GIS software platforms for spatial data analysis, management, and visualization. Apply spatial analysis techniques to address real-world problems in environmental management, urban planning, and infrastructure analysis.
- Demonstrate proficiency in importing, managing, and preprocessing spatial data from various sources. Conduct environmental assessments, infrastructure analysis, and demographic studies using GIS tools and techniques.
- Design and create thematic maps based on principles of cartographic design.
- Understand advanced concepts such as 3D city modeling and LIDAR data processing, and their applications in GIS.
- Use Community Analyst and Business Analyst tools to conduct community assessments and business analytics.
- Communicate effectively through visual representations of spatial data and analysis results, and create story maps.
This course is ideal for:
Students: Those in environmental science, urban planning, geography, public health, or any field where spatial data is relevant.
Professionals: Individuals seeking to enhance their data analysis, visualization, and problem-solving skills within their respective industries.
Saturdays and Sundays
August 9, 2025 thru August 31, 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT
$350 (introductory price)
Day 1: Orientation, course description, schedule, and student expectations.
Day 2: Spatial Data, Coordinate Systems, and Map Projections
Day 3 & 4: Spatial Data Acquisition and Management
Day 5: Spatial Analysis Fundamentals
Day 6: Human Geography and Urban Planning
Day 7: 3D City Modeling and LIDAR Data Processing
Day 8: Infrastructure Analysis & Environmental Sustainability
Technical Requirements:
Throughout the course, students will use QGIS, a free software program that provides hands-on experience. Instructions for downloading and installing the software will be provided at the beginning of the course.
Operating System: Windows (7/8/10/11) (Though QGIS also runs on macOS and Linux, the class will be taught in a Windows environment).
Processor: Minimum dual-core CPU, Core i3 2.7 GHz
Memory: At least 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
Storage: At least 2 GB of free disk space
If you have any questions about other courses, please visit https://www.hccc.edu/programs-courses/continuing-education/index.html or email Alexis Muniz at amuniz@hccc.edu.
