Fundamentals of Geospatial Science

University of Alaska Fairbanks via edX Professional Certificate

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Provider

edX Professional Certificate
Pricing

$567.00
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Level

Intermediate

Found in

Overview

This professional certificate program provides a comprehensive introduction to remote sensing and geospatial analysis, equipping learners with the skills to analyze environmental changes and solve real-world problems using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Core Topics Covered:

Fundamentals of imaging, airborne remote sensing, and multispectral imagery
The electromagnetic spectrum and its applications in remote sensing
Visualization of 3D mapping, including stereo-photogrammetry
Advanced remote sensing techniques such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and hyperspectral sensing
Earth observation methodologies and their applications

Hands-On Learning & Technical Skills:
Participants will gain practical experience in data management, vector and raster analysis, and elevation data processing. Through hands-on exercises in ArcGIS Pro, they will learn to:

Analyze multispectral reflectance signatures
Measure shape, size, and height from images
Work with raster and point-based data
Assess height information using stereo techniques
Analyze SAR and hyperspectral datasets

Specialized Focus on the Arctic Domain:
Given the critical role of remote sensing in monitoring environmental change, this program emphasizes geospatial science applications in the Arctic. Learners will explore:

Change detection and landscape monitoring
Snow and water observation techniques
Remote sensing methods for wildfire analysis
Mapping and assessing landslides using optical and radar data
Evaluating Arctic domain trafficability for geospatial intelligence

Verified Track Benefits:
Learners who enroll in the Verified Track will have access to:

Computational labs using ArcGIS Pro and Jupyter Notebooks
In-depth exercises in data processing and geospatial analysis
Real-world applications of remote sensing techniques

This program is ideal for professionals seeking to expand their expertise in remote sensing, GIS, and environmental monitoring, with a particular focus on Arctic geospatial applications.

Syllabus

Courses under this program:
Course 1: Geospatial Science: Remote Sensing

This course conveys geospatial remote sensing concepts starting with the basics of imaging and geospatial data. It introduces airborne remote sensing and provides an introduction to multispectral imagery. It discusses stereo-photogrammetry and summarizes advanced remote sensing methods such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and hyperspectral sensing.

Course 2: Applied Remote Sensing and GIS

This course enables students to solve real-world problems using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing. Students will acquire skills in data management, vector, and raster analysis. They will work with elevation data and point coordinates in a GIS environment and learn how to assess data accuracy in GIS.

Course 3: Geospatial Science in the Arctic Domain

This course focuses on a range of remote sensing and geospatial science applications in the Arctic domain. Based on a brief introduction of fundamental remote sensing principles, this course will discuss general change detection applications, will introduce methods for the monitoring of snow and water; and teach remote sensing methods for wildfire analysis. In the final module, the course will discuss increasing landslide hazards in the Arctic and reveal how shallow and deep-seated landslides can be mapped using optical and radar remote sensing. All these applications are actors of change in the Arctic and impact geospatial intelligence applications such as the assessment of Arctic domain trafficability.

Courses

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4 weeks, 4-6 hours a week, 4-6 hours a week
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Starting with the basics of imaging, we will discuss concepts and functionality of airborne remote sensing and provide an introduction to multispectral imagery and the electromagnetic spectrum. The course will also introduce visualization of 3D mapping on earth from images including stereo-photogrammetry and discuss earth observation, advanced remote sensing methods such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and hyperspectral sensing.
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3 weeks, 4-6 hours a week, 4-6 hours a week
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This course enables students to solve real-world problems using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing. Students will acquire skills in data management, vector, and raster analysis. They will work with elevation data and point coordinates in a GIS environment and learn how to assess data accuracy in GIS.

The course includes the following modules:
- Module 0: Course introduction
- Module 1: GIS Foundations
- Module 2: Introduction to Elevation Data and its Applications
- Module 3: Geospatial Data Accuracy and Precision in the Context of GIS Analysis
Learners on the verified track will get hands-on experiences with working with raster and point-based data in ArcGIS Pro. Exercises in data analysis and data processing exercises, in which class participants will measure shape, size, and height from images, analyze multispectral reflectance signatures, assess height information derived with stereo techniques, and analyze SAR and hyperspectral data. Learners who select the verified track will also have access to computational labs and tutorials using ArcGIS Pro.
0 reviews
4 weeks, 4-6 hours a week, 4-6 hours a week
View details
This course enables students to solve real-world problems using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing. Students will acquire skills in data management, vector, and raster analysis. They will work with elevation data and point coordinates in a GIS environment and learn how to assess data accuracy in GIS.

Remote sensing observations from airborne and spaceborne platforms have become an essential tool for monitoring environmental change. This is especially true for the Arctic, where accelerated climate warming has caused exceptional changes of landscape and ecosystems, and where the vastness and remoteness of the landscape has made remote sensing an indispensable observational tool.

In light of this need for remote sensing, this course focuses on a range of geospatial science applications in the Arctic domain. Example applications include general change detection, the monitoring of snow and water; the analysis of wildfires, and the mapping and assessment of landslides. All these applications are actors of change in the Arctic and impact geospatial intelligence applications such as the assessment of Arctic domain trafficability.

This course includes the following modules:
- Module 0: Introduction to the Course
- Module 1: Monitoring Environmental Change From Imagery
- Module 2: Mapping Snow Cover with the Normalized Difference Snow Index
- Module 3: Wildfire Mapping Concepts
- Module 4: Landslide Mapping using Remote Sensing
Learners on the Verified Track will put their learned knowledge into action in data analysis exercises related to all four course modules. In these exercises, learners who select the verified track will have access to online computational labs using ArcGIS pro and Jupyter notebooks. These will facilitate a deeper immersion into the subject matter.