FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I apply?  All applicants must be an ACC student. If you are not an ACC student, you must apply to the college and obtain your ACC ID before enrolling in the ACC GIS program.

How much does a GIS course cost? Most of our GIS courses are four credit hours, so in-district students pay approximately $340 per class (or $85 per credit hour). Out-of-district students pay about three times as much as in-district students. Can't afford our GIS courses, our Introduction to Geospatial Data and Intermediate GIS self-learning courses are offered at no cost for no credit with no instructional, tutor, or staff support. 

How much will the GIS Level I Certificate cost?  The cost of the GIS Level I Certificate is approximately $1,700 total. Out-of-district students incur higher fees.

How long will it take to complete a GIS Level I Certificate?  The program as a whole could be completed in 1 calendar year.

Will completing the GIS Level I Certificate qualify me for entry-level GIS employment?  Our courses are based on the US Department of Labor's Geospatial Technology Competency Model (GTCM) with Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum that the the academic, technical, and professional competencies required to excel as an entry-level GIS professional. Our courses and CBE curriculum are also reviewed twice a year by our GIS advisory committee whose members are private and public sector industry leaders.

Can I attend online? Yes! Courses are offered in several modalities, so student can pick the format that supports their learning style, including:

• Face-to-Face where students attend lecture and lab on campus on a set schedule. Most of the learning happens synchronously during the class session where you can  take advantage of in-person professional instruction.

• Hyflex where students attend lecture and lab on campus in a designated classroom or via a video call online on a set schedule. Again, most of the learning happens synchronously during the class session where you can  take advantage of in-person professional instruction.

• Hybrid where students attend lecture on campus in a designated classroom on a set schedule and lab is completed asynchronously either on or off campus. Hybrid courses can be 'flipped' where the lab is in a designated classroom on a set schedule and the lecture is completed asynchronously.

• Online where students complete lecture and lab asynchronously online according to a general course schedule that includes proctored test dates. While our hyflex and hybrid courses may have an online component, our asynchronous online curriculum is 100% online.

• Self-Learning where students complete lecture and lab asynchronously online according to their own schedule. Courses are provided at no cost for no credit with no instructional, tutor, or staff support.

Do I need a computer?  You do not need a computer if you are enrolled in our face-to-face courses. You will need a desktop or laptop computer if you are enrolled in our hyflex, hybrid, online, or self-learning courses. Computers should have a Windows Operating System, access to the Internet, and be less than three years old. More specifically, computers should be capable of running ESRI's ArcGIS Pro desktop software.

What course materials are provided to the student through our online format?  All students are given lecture and lab slides with associated videos recorded by full-time faculty members, reading materials, quizzes, exercises, software demonstrations, tests, and projects. Students are also provided licenses to the required software used in each course.

Will I have an instructor?  Yes. Each course is taught by an experienced GIS instructor who is available to answer questions, provide feedback, and grade assessments.

Who do I contact for more information? Please contact ACC GIS Program Assistant Jennifer Black (jennifer.black@austincc.edu) for more information or simply submit the form below. We look forward to answering your questions about this online program.