Collegiate certificate program provides students with GEOINT knowledge and skills

Herndon, Virginia (March 15, 2018)—The United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) recently renewed academic accreditation for James Madison University’s (JMU) geographic science and intelligence analysis program.

JMU became accredited in 2016 and offers a geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) certificate to undergraduate students in the department of integrated science and technology.

“An increasing number of JMU students hope to have GEOINT careers with federal agencies, as well as the many contracting and consulting firms in the Washington, D.C., area,” said Dr. Timothy Walton, associate professor. “USGIF's GEOINT certificate, as a nationally recognized credential, is a great supplement to our curricula in helping those students achieve their professional goals.”

James Madison University is one of 14 academic institutions under USGIF’s Collegiate Accreditation Program. USGIF partners with colleges and universities around the country—and more recently, internationally—to offer qualifying students a GEOINT certificate accompanying their college degree. Through the program, students gain the knowledge and skills needed in the GEOINT professional workforce.

“JMU’s curriculum is a well-balanced mix of technology, critical thinking, and applied science coursework,” said Dr. Camelia Kantor, USGIF’s director of academic programs. “I recently visited the campus and was impressed with the high level of expertise among the faculty, the knowledge and eloquence of the students, and the strong institutional support of the program. I am honored to offer JMU continued participation in the USGIF Collegiate Programs family and wish them a successful and sustainable growth of their program.”

USGIF-accredited institutions include Fayetteville State University, George Mason University, James Madison University, Northeastern University, Pennsylvania State University, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, the University of Missouri at Columbia, the University of Redlands, the University of South Carolina, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Utah, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Military Academy.

Learn more about USGIF’s Collegiate Accreditation Program at usgif.org/education/accreditation.

About USGIF

USGIF is a nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to promoting the geospatial intelligence tradecraft and developing a stronger GEOINT Community among government, industry, academia, professional organizations, and individuals who develop and apply geospatial intelligence to address national security challenges. USGIF achieves its mission via its strategic pillars: Build the Community | Advance the Tradecraft | Accelerate Innovation.

For more information, please visit www.USGIF.org and follow USGIF on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.