American River College boasts one of the largest GIS programs in the nation. The Geography Department offers twelve unique GIS courses that provide a breadth of topics unrivaled by any academic institution in the U.S. Students may earn a GIS Certificate and an A.S. Degree in GIS. At twenty-one years of age, the program continues to adapt to the constantly changing demands of the geospatial industry. Most of the instructors are GIS professionals who bring real-world perspective to the classroom. The GIS Advisory Committee keeps the program grounded in the world of GIS employment.
Located in northeast Sacramento County, the program regularly draws students from Roseville, Davis, and Elk Grove. Some students travel 50 miles or more to attend our classes. Graduates work as GIS specialists, technicians, and analysts for city, county, state, and federal agencies. Others work for engineering, archaeological, and consulting firms. Over 200 students are served per semester and an average of 23 certificates and degrees are awarded per year.
The program was designed to be accessible to working professionals: all courses begin at 6:00 PM and some courses are offered online. They are extremely affordable at $46 per unit.
The campus has two large-capacity computer labs managed by a full-time GIS IT professional who maintains all levels of ArcGIS including Desktop, Pro, Online, and Enterprise. Students are provided with ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Pro, free of charge, for use at home. The program’s Work Experience course serves as an educational capstone for students, and provides real-world work experience that often proves invaluable in job searches after graduation. The ARC GIS Jobs web page alerts students (and former students) to recent job announcements. Graduates had a 91% job placement rate in the last year tracked (2015-16).
ARC Geosciences Web Site: arc.losrios.edu/geosciences
ARC GIS Promotional Video: https://youtu.be/qV5yUV6L2QI
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