Online Graduate Remote Sensing & GeoAI Certificate

Our Program

Utah State University announces a new Applied Remote Sensing and Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) Post-Baccalaureate Certificate offered through the Department of Environment and Society. This graduate certificate introduces students with a Geographic Information Science (GIS) background to the development and application of artificial intelligence to remote sensing and data-driven geospatial methods.

Remote sensing via satellites and drones and advanced geospatial science tools that harness GeoAI allow for analyzing large amounts of data to understand and address a variety of complex social, economic, and environmental challenges facing society. As automation through machine learning increases efficiency, the role humans play is transforming, moving from lower-level data management tasks to higher-level tasks of problem definition, inquiry, and innovation. Humans must engage with, troubleshoot, and guide GeoAI efforts, drawing upon critical thinking, creative problem-solving, complex reasoning, the application of emotional intelligence, and other distinctively human capabilities.

Students can pair the certificate with the Master of Natural Resources or another graduate degree program, or they can pursue it as a standalone certificate. Students also can pursue both the online Graduate GIS Certificate and this Certificate for simultaneously broad and deep skillsets in emerging geospatial technologies. 

Program requirements consist of 12-13 credits of coursework including a capstone experience that consists of a one-credit project design and implementation experience under supervision of program faculty. The certificate can be completed fully online, or with a combination of online and in-person courses for enrolled graduate students at the Logan campus.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the certificate program will be available as soon as September 2024. Interested USU graduate students can already enroll in coursework.

Students pursuing the Applied Remote Sensing and GeoAI Certificate are not required to be enrolled in a graduate degree program. However, credits obtained from the certificate may be applied toward a graduate degree. Please contact the Program Coordinator if you have any questions.

Experience in Geographic Information Science (GIS) is required for admission. Students without such a background should first complete coursework through the offered GIS Certificate.

Course Requirements

Publication of required coursework in the USU Catalog is pending. Catalog link will be added here when available. Course descriptions are available in the Catalog.

Remote Sensing and GeoAI Core

Complete all of the following courses.

• NR 6805 - Introduction to Geospatial Artificial Intelligence: The Remote Sensing and GeoAI Frontier (3 cr)
• NR 6815 - Insights from Above: Processing and Analyzing Drone Data (1 cr)
• NR 6825 - Geospatial Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, & Society (1 cr)
• NR 6835 - Geovisualization for Remote Sensing Applications (1 cr)
• NR 6855 - Advanced Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (3 cr)

Certificate Elective

Complete 2-3 credits from the following list of courses. With advance approval, a different course, including from the Natural Resources Distance Learning Consortium (NRDLC), can be used to meet this elective requirement. Elective selection should address any gaps in GIS or remote sensing knowledge or skills.

• NR 6880 - Advanced Remote Sensing & GeoAI Internship (2-3 cr)
• NR 6920 - Python Programming for GIS (3 cr)
• NR 6930 - Advanced GIS for Natural Resource Applications (3 cr)
• NR 6940 - Principles of Remote Sensing of Natural Resources (3 cr)
• NR 6950 - Geospatial Analysis for Natural Resource Management (3 cr)

Capstone Project Course

Complete at least one credit of the capstone experience:

• NR 6890 - Advanced Project Design and Implementation for Remote Sensing & GeoAI (1-3 cr)

Logan Campus Student Options

Students also enrolled in a Logan Campus graduate program may substitute the following courses for the certificate. Please contact the program advisor for details.

• GEOG 6805 - Introduction to Geospatial Artificial Intelligence: The Remote Sensing and GeoAI Frontier (3 cr)
• GEOG 6815 - Insights from Above: Processing and Analyzing Drone Data (1 cr)
• GEOG 6825 - Geospatial Artificial Intelligence, Ethics, & Society (1 cr)
• GEOG 6835 - Geovisualization for Remote Sensing Applications (1 cr)
• GEOG 6855 - Advanced Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (3 cr)
• GEOG 6870 - Geospatial Analysis with R (3 cr) for the elective
• GEOG 6880 - Advanced Remote Sensing & GeoAI Internship (2-3 cr) for the elective
• GEOG 6890 - Advanced Project Design and Implementation for Remote Sensing & GeoAI (1-3 cr) for the capstone project course