Earn an Online Certificate in Remote Sensing and Earth Observation
The need for GIS professionals who can work with remotely sensed imagery and terrain models is increasing rapidly, along with the rise in new satellite and drone platforms for capturing imagery.
The Penn State World Campus Graduate Certificate in Remote Sensing and Earth Observation provides a foundation in remote sensing, terrain mapping, and image analysis for the geospatial professional who possesses a working knowledge of fundamental principles in GIS.
The Penn State Difference
With one of the most respected online GIS programs in the country, Penn State takes pride in providing convenient online instruction to aspiring and experienced GIS professionals since 1999. As a leader in online geospatial education, we constantly refine our curriculum to incorporate emerging trends to ensure that you gain skills using today's most widely used technologies and analytical methods.
For more than 20 years, our nationally ranked, award-winning GIS programs, coupled with our extensive alumni network, have provided graduates with the knowledge and confidence they need to excel in this growing field.
Your Online Remote Sensing Courses
This 12-credit, four-course online certificate program boasts a curriculum that addresses the theory, methodologies, and techniques for the professional application of remote sensing in geographic information systems and analysis. Completing this certificate can empower you to leverage data gathered from sources such as satellites, drones, and lidar. You'll also learn how to use computational methods to automate the analysis of earth observation data and integrate those skills into a GIS workflow.
Our remote sensing certificate program can help prepare you to sit for the GISP, ASPRS, and/or USGIF certification exams. In addition, the credits you earn in this program may also be applied to the Penn State Master of Geographic Information Systems (MGIS) or Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security – Geospatial Intelligence Option (iMPS HLS-GEOINT), if you apply and are accepted into one of these competitive programs.
Accelerated Admission to an Online Master's Program
Any geospatial certificate student who earns a 3.67 GPA or higher after completing the first three courses of the certificate may qualify for accelerated admission to the Master of Geographic Information Systems, Master of Science in Spatial Data Science, or Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security – Intelligence and Geospatial Analysis option. Advantages of accelerated admissions include:
- No GRE test is required
- No professional experience is required
- No letters of recommendation are required
- Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis, year-round
Information for Military and Veterans
Are you a member of the military, a veteran, or a military spouse? Please visit our military website for additional information regarding financial aid, transfer credits, or application instructions.
