GIS is widely used both in 'industry' and as a research tool by nearly every academic discipline at the university level. GIS skills are highly desirable in agriculture, cartography, city management, urban planning, law enforcement, real estate, archaeology and much, much more.

GIS is an applied discipline. A person does not simply 'do GIS.' Rather, GIS is applied to a wide variety of professions. Therefore, as a part of the Foothill College Certificate Program in Geographic Information Systems students select focus area from the list below. A student with course work from another institution, or in a discipline not listed below may petition to have the focus area work considered in lieu of six units of coursework in one of the areas listed below:

Agriculture/Ornamental Horticulture, Anthropology, Biology, Business, Economics, Geography, Geology, History, Political Science, Psychology, Real Estate, Sociology