Online GIS Professional Certificate

Add GIS to your professional skill set

Add GIS to your professional skill set

Overview

The School of Professional & Continuing Studies offers the Geographic Information System (GIS) Professional Certificate, a six-month program offered entirely online that prepares certificate earners to start working toward GISP® certification from the GIS Certification Institute.

GIS technology has broad applications in business, natural and social sciences, environmental studies, engineering and management. The use of geospatial technologies continues to rapidly grow and values a certified workforce. Esri, the global GIS market leader, notes that because organizations increasingly rely on location intelligence to make better decisions, careers in GIS are in demand more than ever. Esri points to a number of careers that rely on, or can incorporate, GIS skills.

The GIS Professional Certificate consists of two blocks of instruction — GIS Fundamentals and Advanced GIS Topics — split into special topics modules and two main deliverable projects. Graduates will leave the GIS Professional Certificate program with knowledge of the newest GIS software and best practices for utilizing it in your field.

Student Experience

Classes focus on a comprehensive suite of GIS techniques, covering everything from creating spatial data and georeferencing to web mapping, advanced spatial analysis and statistics, and specialized applications. Each class features hands-on learning experiences that will expand your technical capabilities and build practical, job-ready skills. Advanced specialty topics provide deeper dives into cartographic techniques (including 3D mapping), alternatives to ESRI software, GeoAI, GIS AI assistant, and GIS career pathways.

As part of the program, students will be introduced to emerging tools at the intersection of geospatial technology and artificial intelligence. This includes an overview of GeoAI and the ways Esri software is integrating machine learning and AI-driven capabilities into the software. Students will explore tools using built-in workflows in ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online. These exercises will demonstrate how AI can enhance spatial analysis, automate tasks, and support problem-solving in real-world applications.

The curriculum is structured in two core blocks: fall courses establish foundational GIS knowledge, while spring courses explore advanced topics and analytical methods. Unlike other GIS certificate programs, the University of Richmond GIS Professional Certificate focuses on how desktop GIS software transitions to web-facing applications and the role web GIS plays in today’s organizations.

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Program Curriculum

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GIS Fundamentals

The first core block, GIS Fundamentals, includes the following modules:

  1. Introduction to GIS and ArcGIS Pro Fundamentals
  2. Working with and Managing Data
  3. Web Mapping and Digital Storytelling
  4. Capstone Project 1
satellite map image of a city

Advanced GIS

The second core block, Advanced GIS, includes the following modules.

  1. Spatial Analysis & Statistics
  2. Special Topics and Advanced Workflows
  3. Final Projects and Career Pathways

Program Components

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Theory

Theory is taught throughout the course, combined with hands-on activity, to ensure theory and application are linked.

  • Become familiar with the five parts of a GIS.
  • Learn the basics of how to find, store, create and edit spatial data.
  • Discover the importance of coordinate systems and projections in GIS.
  • Explore basic principles and applications of spatial analysis.
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Desktop Software

Most instruction will take place in ArcGIS Pro, the premier professional desktop GIS application. ArcGIS Pro is set to replace ArcMap. Students familiar with ArcMap will learn new workflows to help with the transition to ArcGIS Pro.

Students will learn the following essential workflows:

  • Visualizing spatial data
  • Performing spatial analysis
  • Sharing completed maps in static and web formats.
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Web Mapping Application

ArcGIS Online is a collaborative web GIS that allows users to create and share maps, apps and data to the web for easy access.

Students will learn and practice the following skills:

  • Create your own web maps and easily share them on the web.
  • Explore mapping data.
  • Connect ArcGIS Online work with your skills in ArcGIS Pro, combining desktop and web-based GIS.
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Presentations & Cartography

Two applied projects are required to earn the certificate, which contribute to your professional portfolio. The initial project covers the GIS Fundamentals section, while the final project covers the entire program.

  • Includes data collection, analysis, interpretation and final layout.
  • Cartography is emphasized in the final presentation.
  • Projects communicate spatial information effectively and aesthetically.

Registration & Payment

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2025-2026 Schedule

The GIS Professional Certificate is a 26-week program excluding campus holidays and breaks.

  • Term Dates: Oct. 8, 2025–April 22, 2026
  • Live Remote via Zoom: Wednesdays, 6-7:30pm
  • Online Self-Paced Content: 2 hours each week
  • Registration Deadline: Oct. 3, 2025
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Register

Register for GIS Professional Certificate

$3,999 includes materials and ArcGIS Pro license. Payment in full is due at registration.

UR Employees

A limited number of eligible UR employees may use tuition remission benefits for this program. Contact the program manager for details.

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Hardware Requirements

Windows operating system on laptop or desktop required to participate in class. ArcGIS Pro will not work on Apple or Linux operating systems, nor on tablets or mobile devices.

Recommended Hardware

  • Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
  • Intel i5 or AMD equivalent (4+ cores)
  • 32 GB RAM (minimum 8 GB)
  • 500 GB SSD storage
  • Dedicated graphics card (not integrated)