- Transfer Preparation
- Geospatial Technology Certificate of Achievement
- Geospatial Technology Department Certificate
- Completion of the area of emphasis with a grade of C or higher in each course, or with a P if the course was taken on a Pass/No Pass basis, and the P is equal to a C or higher;
- Completion of at least 50% of area of emphasis units at Santa Monica College. Department Chairs have the discretion to waive the 50% minimum units required at SMC to meet the major or area of emphasis. All major coursework must be completed with a “C” or better grade.
A Department Certificate is granted upon successful completion of a program of study with a designated minimum number of units, including:
- Completion of the area of emphasis with a grade of C or higher in each course, or with a P if the course was taken on a Pass/No Pass basis, and the P is equal to a C or higher;
- Completion of at least 50% of area of emphasis units at Santa Monica College. Department Chairs have the discretion to waive the 50% minimum units required at SMC to meet the major or area of emphasis. All major coursework must be completed with a “C” or better grade.
Note: Department Certificates are not noted on student transcripts. Students must submit a petition to the relevant academic department to be awarded a Department Certificate.
Over 80% of data used for decision-making in government, business, and industry has a spatial component (i.e. geospatial data). New areas of rapid growth are in criminal justice, homeland security, marketing, retail site location, resource allocation, banking, healthcare, planning, disease control, insurance, real estate, and disaster preparedness, management, and response. Most local, state, and federal government agencies use geospatial technologies and maintain a staff of GIS technicians, geospatial analysts, and GIS professionals. Geospatial technologies are also commonly used in the private sector by businesses, planners, architects, foresters, geologists, environmental scientists, archaeologists, real estate professionals, marketers, sociologists, and bankers. The expansion of jobs using geospatial technologies is anticipated to continue for many years to come.
Many colleges/universities offer baccalaureate degrees in this field. Students planning to transfer to a four-year college or university should complete the lower-division major requirements and the general education pattern for the specific transfer institution. SMC has articulation agreements with the many UC and CSU campuses, as well as several private and out-of-state institutions.
Exact major requirements for UC and CSU campuses can be found online at assist.org.
A listing of private, nonprofit California colleges and universities can be found online at aiccu.edu. For articulation agreements between SMC and some of these institutions see smc.edu/articulation.