Study Mode:
Full time: 3 Years
Part time: 4 Years
Start Date:
September 2025
Administrative Unit:
Department Geography
Email: geography@sta.uwi.edu
Phone: 1(868) 662 2002 ext. 84129
Programme Overview
With climate change, economic globalization, political instability, and natural hazard issues, GIS education through spatial thinking is more relevant now than ever before. GIS offers a powerful decision-making tool, which in the hands of students, helps them to understand content in a variety of disciplines.
The Minor in Applied Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Sustainability focuses on developing an understanding of spatial analysis. It is built around the concepts of collecting, analysing, sharing, interpreting and the visualisation of spatial data. Due to the analytic concepts, techniques, and applications of geospatial data, it is foremost a science. As the science grows, so too does this discipline’s ability to comfortably bridge the social sciences, biophysical sciences and humanities grow. It follows that the applications of Geospatial Science range from natural and social sciences to marketing and communications. Thus, emphasizing the critical and essential role that GIS plays in the world today.
PROGRAMME GOAL
Pursuing this Minor leads to proficiency in basic digital mapping technologies, ability to demonstrate knowledge in spatial data handling and analysis in the GIS environment as well as obtain background knowledge and core principles of remote sensing. One will also be able to interpret spatial information and develop spatial analysis skills including data pre-processing, exploration of data input, visualization and manipulation.
GRADUATE CAREER PATHS
- GIS Engineer
- Geospatial Analyst
- Environmental GIS Specialist
- Cartographer
- GIS technician
- GIS Coordinator
- Data Information Specialist
Programme Breakdown
A minor in GIS would require successful completion of 6 credits of LEVEL 1 PREREQUISITES and a total of 15 credits at the advanced level consisting of 12 credits of core courses and any 3 credits of elective courses. Elective courses are subject to prerequisite and can be taken from Level II/III.
COURSE LISTING
PREREQUISITE COURSES
LEVEL I – SEMESTER 1
GEOG 1131 Human Geography 1: Population, Migration and Settlement
GEOG 1231 Earth Environments 1: Geomorphology and Soils
CORE COURSES
LEVEL II – SEMESTER 1
GEOG 2010 Geographical Information Systems
LEVEL II – SEMESTER 2
GEOG 2013 Geography Research Methods
LEVEL III – SEMESTER 1
GEOG 3305* Planning Development and Sustainability
LEVEL III – SEMESTER 2
GEOG 3113 GIS and Remote Sensing
ELECTIVE COURSES
(Minimum one (1) elective course must be chosen)
SEMESTER 1
AGSL 3015 Geophysical Methods for Environmental Sensing and Analysis
SEMESTER 2
GEOM 2060 Cartography
SEMESTER 3
GEOG 3105 Applied GIS and Remote Sensing
NOTES:
- Where a course is core in another Major programme, students doing that Major cannot count that course as an elective for the GIS programme.
- Where a course is an elective in another Major programme and is also an elective for the GIS minor, it may be counted under either programme, but not both.
Entry Requirements
To enter into this programme, you must possess one of the following
- Certificate in Environmental Geography
- Certificate in Agriculture
- 2 CAPE Science subjects (Units I & II) or ‘A’ Level equivalent, and a pass in Biology, Human & Social Biology, Integrated Science, or Agricultural Science at CSEC level
- 2 CAPE subjects, one (1) of which must be Environmental Science, Geography, or Biology
An approved associate degree with a minimum GPA of 2.5