Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Geospatial Technology Minor


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Students taking the minor in Geospatial Technology learn to use geospatial hardware and software and apply these tools to the study of society, culture, earth sciences, and socio-environmental phenomena. Through experiential and technology-based coursework, the program prepares students in spatial data acquisition via positioning systems and remote sensing; in spatial data encoding, management, analysis, and display in maps and other visualizations; and in developing models and databases via Geographic Information Systems software. Students completing the minor will be prepared for such diverse careers as business and economics, historic preservation, cultural and natural resource management, and spatial data analysis and mapping.

Minimum Requirements


To be awarded a minor in Geospatial Technology, students must successfully complete at least 20 units as follows:

Lower Division Minor Requirements [4 units]


Complete one of the following courses:

Upper Division Minor Requirements [16 units]


Geospatial Technology Minor Program Learning Outcomes


After completing, the minor in Geospatial Technology students will be able to:

  1. Identify appropriate hardcopy and digital forms of spatial data pertaining to cultural and environmental phenomena.
  2. Use geospatial technology such as Global Positioning Systems, active and passive remote sensing sensors, and geospatial processing software and geodatabases to acquire, create, encode, and store spatial data.
  3. Apply appropriate industry standard Geographic Information Software in the analysis of spatial data applicable to different disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, computer science, cultural and natural resource management, earth science, economics, geography, and history to interpret how various academic disciplines and methodologies contribute to Geospatial Technology work and careers.
  4. Make digital cartographic representations and other form of geospatial data visualizations of cultural and natural phenomena in both 2-D and 3-D forms.
  5. Explain and communicate geospatial information to a wider audience via public presentations and publicfacing digital products such as web applications, digital collections and archives, digital portfolios, digital publications, etc.

Guidelines Applying to all SSHA Minors


Students should consult an advisor in the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts to officially declare the minor and plan their courses. The following guidelines must be adhered to:

  • To complete any SSHA minor, students must complete a minimum of five courses, at least four of which must be upper division.
  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade.
  • All minor course requirements must be completed with a C- or better.
  • A minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 (C) in upper division courses is required. The only exception is a Global Arts Studies Minor , for which the minimum GPA in upper division courses is 2.7 (B-).
  • At least three of the five required courses must be taken at UC Merced.
  • Only one course may be used simultaneously to satisfy requirements for two minors.
  • Only one course may be used to satisfy both a minor and a major requirement.
  • Students must consult the UC Merced General Catalog for prerequisites to required courses.

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