Accreditation
Q: Is the University of West Florida accredited?
A: Yes we are a fully SACS accredited institution named once again as a best southeastern college by the Princeton Review.
Q: Is this program approved by the Dept of Veterans (MGI Bill)?
A: Yes it is. It is a credit earning certificate from a regionally accredited SOC institution.
Contact Information
Please visit www.uwf.edu/gis/gisonline for all information. With specific questions please contact gis@uwf.edu. Do to the high volume of emails questions may take 5 - 7 days to be answered. Please help us limit the questions by fully exploring the website before emailing questions. Ninety percent of questions asked are answered on the website. Please do not call UWF admissions or faculty / staff within the Department of Environmental Studies as they will not be able to provide you with the correct information.
Application
Access the application for admittance at http://www.uwf.edu/gis/gisonline/enroll/.
This link provides the only application you will need to complete until we contact you regarding acceptance. No other form or application will be accepted. Upon acceptance, we will work with you personally on enrollment and registration tasks. Paper applications will not be accepted for this program.
The program is aimed towards those who work (or who desire to work) in the GIS field but have no, little, or no academic GIS background. The experience levels of our students are typically wide in range from no experience to years of experience. No matter what skill level you fall under, the certificate in GIS at UWF is a worthwhile learning experience. Launch or advance your career in the field of GIS with a certificate in GIS!
Information about open and close dates for enrollment will be posted at http://www.uwf.edu/gis/gisonline/enroll/. We typically have the first application window opened during the summer term (early June – late July). A second application window may be employed early Fall if our quota is not met during the first application period.
After submitting your application, please allow up to 8 weeks to hear back from the University regarding acceptance. Initially, you will be contacted via postal mail.
Q: What are the qualifications for your program?
A: There are no qualifications in the traditional sense. The online program is targeted at people who are employed in GIS.
Q: Do you need to be enrolled in an undergraduate program to be considered for the online certificate program?
A: No
Correspondence
It is imperative you provide reliable contact information within your application. Initial correspondence will be through postal mail, but once you have been accepted, we will shift to email. Please provide a valid email account you visit regularly. We will contact accepted students via phone at least once before the year begins.
Additional information and instruction regarding registration, non-degree student applications, and tuition payment will be given upon acceptance. Please be patient during the initial application process (about 8 weeks).
Mailing List
Add your contact information to our mailing list for an email reminder regarding the enrollment dates and other important certificate information at http://www.uwf.edu/gis/gisonline/mailing_list/.
Tuition
Information regarding current tuition rates can be found on our website at http://www.uwf.edu/gis/gisonline/tuition/.
Tuition will be paid through the Continuing Education Department. The preferred payment method is check or credit card. More information will be presented to students once accepted into the program.
International students (not U.S. or Canada) must pre-pay by 9/30/2008.
What tuition includes
You should find our tuition rates to be very competitively priced.
In this program the University does not tack on extra lab fees, course fees, etc., that you would normally pay as a degree seeking student. Out of state tuition is waived. This program has a flat tuition rate regardless of location. The application fee is also waived.
Software fee
The software fee is a set fee, meaning it is not included in the discount when tuition is paid up front.
Please see the technology section of the FAQ for more information regarding software.
All students pay this fee unless they take the laptop option below. Students with their own software or access to software will stay pay this fee.
Laptop fee
If you would prefer a laptop over the software option, you will pay a $500 rental fee. Like the software fee, this is a non-discounted fee.
Please see the technology section of the FAQ for more information regarding laptops.
Tuition Discount
The 10% discount is the only discount or form of financial assistance we offer. This discount if for students who prepay for the entire program.
Please see the financial aid section of the FAQ for more information on this topic.
When calculating the discount price, simply subtract the software fee from the total program cost listed and subtract 10%. This will work for either undergraduate or graduate costs.
Tuition Due Dates and Payment
We follow the tuition/registration payment due dates set by the University unless notified otherwise. If you do not pay up front, a payment will be due at the beginning of each new semester equal to the amount of credit hours times the current rate listed in the tuition section for the courses you are enrolled in.
For specific due dates please visit the UWF academic calendar: http://uwf.edu/registrar/cal200808200905.cfm .
Upon acceptance international students (outside of the US and Canada) must take the pre-payment option and payment must be received by 9/30/2008.
Students will be purged for non-payment.
Financial Aid/Tuition Assistance
Obtaining financial aid is the student's responsibility. Our program does not offer financial aid. The University of West Florida offers minimal or no financial assistance for non-degree seeking students. For more information visit the UWF financial aid site http://uwf.edu/finaid/ .
Archaeology Options
Due to the ever-growing demand for Archaeology practitioners with GIS skills UWF will offer a specialized tract for students wishing to utilize GIS in an Anthropological / Archaeological setting. Starting in 2009 students may opt for an Archaeology specialization. During the summer semester students taking this option will branch into two specially designed courses before rejoining the rest of the certificate students in the fall semester. Students will not have to provide this information until the end of their first semester.
Military Students using GI bill
Continuing Education accepts the GI Bill for payment.
State Tuition Waivers (Florida Employees)
As this is not a state funded program, we do not accept State employee tuition waivers.
UWF Policy
“Waiver of fees is not authorized for the following kinds of courses: directed studies, practicums, internships, music and theatre performance, Continuing Education, and other one-on-one course situations such as theses and dissertations.”
Employee Reimbursement
This is between student/employee and employer.
Typically, the student will pay for courses either up front with the discount or per semester to spread out the cost. Depending on the reimbursement plan with the employer, the student will receive reimbursement for tuition from his/her employer once the certificate is complete or after course credit has been awarded by semester.
Software/Laptop/Technology Requirements
You may have heard that our program offers laptops to students. In previous offerings, we required or offered the laptop option to our students, but we have since changed requirements. Beginning with year 2009 cohort, all software needed for the entire certificate will be available through remote access. A software fee is assessed. Please view the tuition link for specific pricing information.
More information will be provided closer to the 2009 start date.
Laptops will be available for students if so desired at a first come first serve basis for a $500 non-refundable rental fee. Dell laptops will include all software needed for the certificate. The laptop is UWF property and must be returned.
Students must have access to a broadband connection to be accepted into the program. These requirements are set because of the high download and upload requirements for each course in terms of course materials, assignments and laboratory exercises.
Why the UWF GIS Online Certificate?
Like our home web page states, GIS is a key emerging and evolving industry with numerous opportunities as a career path. Our certificate can help you achieve the skills and knowledge needed for a job in the GIS field or for advancement in your current GIS position.
There are many people working in the field without an educational background in GIS. Our program covers both theory and analysis. There is an opportunity for students of all skill levels to learn and to be challenged.
You can make yourself more marketable by becoming a GISP. Our program credits count as points towards earning your GIS Professional License. For more information regarding the GISP visit: www.gisci.org
As far as measuring the success of students who complete the program, we can do this by assessing the passing rate and how many students have kept in touch with us sense completing the certificate. The majority of our students have found GIS work in both the governmental and private sectors. We have had two oversubscribed years and expect future offerings to mimic past.
Our program tuition rates are competitively priced. Offering courses at a lower rate than our competitors makes an education in an exciting and growing field much more attractive and manageable.
The certificate is completely online, including the software needed for courses. So, you do not need to meet in a class room at a particular time, simply keep up with course materials on your own time and wherever you can access the internet. Our students will have access to software via Internet for the duration of the certificate or one whole year.
UWF and the Continuing Education department strive to offer its students the most up-to-date learning experience in terms of software and course content. We update our program content and software used on a yearly basis.
We are often asked how our program differs from a course offered through ESRI. The UWF certificate program teaches GIS theory as well as wide array ArcGIS software skills. ESRI campus teaches how to maneuver within ArcGIS software and complete specific tasks. We teach our students how to find data outside of the University archives and how to make it work for their particular needs. ESRI provides data in a neat, ready to use file. While both provide support, the certificate offers a more personalized environment. Students have access to multiple outlets of communication with the instructors and fellow students including discussion forums, email, phone, and chat. I would suggest an ESRI campus course over our certificate only if the student wanted to learn a specific task, such as how to use Spatial Analyst. Online Certificate students at UWF may request to take any ESRI virtual campus course free of charge. Many of our ArcGIS exercises are self made, but we also supplement with ESRI virtual campus courses as well.
Courses
All courses are completely online. For an idea of what courses will look like online, please view this demo http://onlinecampus.uwf.edu/demos/d2ldemoguest.htm.
Q: Is it possible to get more detailed information about each course?
A: The course catalog http://uwf.edu/catalog/crs.cfm is the best place for this. All courses are described; most of the certificate courses will be listed under GIS. The specific syllabus is professor dependent and could change semester to semester depending on the instructor. The website course schedule will also have summaries for each course attached http://www.uwf.edu/gis/gisonline/ol_courses/.
Q: How much time should I prepare to spend per week on course materials and assignments?
A: The way our program is set, you will "go to class" on your own time. All course materials/lectures/readings/labs/etc. are available online 24-7. Expect to spend up to 15 to 20 hours a week on course materials and assignments. You can figure out how much time to spend on a particular class by doubling the credit hour the course is worth. Example: A 4 credit course = 8-12 hours of work per week and a 3 credit course = 6-9 hours a week. The amount of time needed will vary per student.
Q: If I already work in the GIS field, do I need to work for another company in order to meet the requirement for the GIS Internship or will my current job suffice?
A:If you work in GIS your current job should suffice.
Q:There are two costs for enrollment: one for undergraduate credit and one for graduate credit. A few courses have dual listings (4000 and 5000). Please clarify.
A:4000 or below = undergraduate, 5000 or above equals graduate.
Course waivers
Experience alone will not be accepted as a form of credit to waive any course in our program.
If you have completed a course from a Regionally Accredited University in the United States that is listed in our program, you may qualify for a course waiver (exempt from taking the course).
We will accept one equivalent course at equivalent level per student for up to 3 credit hours if the qualifications are met.
After acceptance, students wishing to receive a waiver will need to provide transcripts and accompanied course syllabus.
We will provide instructions on where to send your transcripts after the application process. Please wait for notification before sending your transcripts.
A cohort-based program
The program starts in January and January only, it takes one year to complete the program, and you cannot jump in mid-way. There is no summer or fall entry.
Courses are only offered once per year or cohort.
Undergraduate level certificate
All courses are offered at an undergraduate level. There are no pre-requisites to our program and you do not need to provide transcripts.
Upon acceptance, applicants will apply and be enrolled as non-degree seeking students.
At the end of the program, you will receive a certificate in GIS.
This is not a degree program. If you are a student seeking degree-credit, you will need to speak to a UWF advisor and gain permission.
All accepted students will be enrolled as undergraduate unless you request or pay for graduate level. Please see the Graduate level section below for more information.
Please see the tuition link for undergraduate certificate cost.
Graduate-level Certificate:
Four of seven total courses are offered at the graduate-level. Applicants wanting to earn graduate level credit or complete our graduate level certificate must hold a bachelor’s degree before enrollment.
The GRE is not required. Our program is not a degree program. You will receive a graduate certificate in GIS at the end of the program.
Q: What makes the grad-level certificate different from the undergraduate certificate?
A: The differences are:
Q: Why take graduate level?
A: Various Answers:
Q: Which courses are offered at the graduate level?
A: Any classes cross-listed as 5000 level are available at graduate level. You would have to pay the graduate rate for these semesters if you enroll at the 5000 level. Please view the course schedule link and view scroll down to the Graduate GIS Certificate Course Schedule http://www.uwf.edu/gis/gisonline/ol_courses/.
Q: What types of graduate programs can these credits be applied to?
A: The type of program is very much at the discretion of the department. Here at UWF Applications in GIS, Special Topics in GIS and GIS Internship may all be accepted in the Environmental Science program if your course of study is GIS based. For any graduate program to which you apply it is a good idea to verify in advance if they will let you “roll in” these credits. My graduate school allowed 6 graduate credits to be imported but more could be requested. It differs by school, program, department and advisor. My advice is always check in advance.
For a list of online MS programs offered at UWF that may accept our courses for grad credit visit our online campus site http://onlinecampus.uwf.edu/offer/grad.cfm.
These UWF/On-campus MS programs accept our certificate courses for credit:
Class registration
Upon acceptance, students will not register themselves for classes. Our courses require special permission codes. The UWF Continuing Education department will register students in all online GIS certificate courses. We cannot be responsible for students who enroll in classed themselves. This may incur late fees as well as partial payment fees. Do not enroll in classes, we will do this for you and notify you when you are enrolled. Typical a few days before classes start and after your payment has cleared.
Once students are registered for courses, all course and student information will be viewable in Argus. For more information on Argus and how to create your student ID, please view the online campus home page and scroll over “How to get started” http://onlinecampus.uwf.edu/.
International Students
Upon acceptance international students (outside of the US and Canada) must take the pre-payment option and payment must be received by 9/30/2008.
