Quick Facts
- Instructors: Todd Bacastow, Greg Thomas
- Course Structure: Online, 10-12 hours a week for 10 weeks
Course Overview
GEOG 594A is a seminar course that brings together the threads of the Geospatial Intelligence program and reinforces the standards of professionalism applicable to geospatial intelligence analysis in government and business. The course's overarching aim is to enhance your understanding of the role of geospatial intelligence, develop individual competencies, reinforce professional concepts, and improve geospatial analytical techniques and methods. For those required to take the 2-credit Geospatial Intelligence Capstone (GEOG 594B), this course provides the foundation for the geospatial problem you will be examining in greater depth.
Note: Completing GEOG 594A may qualify you for a Penn State Geospatial Intelligence certificate. You will also qualify for the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation certificate when you receive a Penn State geospatial intelligence certificate. The USGIF certificate qualifies you for a free 1-year membership to the USGIF. We encourage you to apply for the certificate. You can do this by completing the online application at the Penn State Graduate School. Select the appropriate Geospatial intelligence certificate from the options and complete the online form.
About Your Instructors
Meet Todd Bacastow, instructor of this course (0:58 seconds)
Hi, my name's Todd Bacastow. I'm a professor of practice for geospatial intelligence at Penn State in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
My expertise really started out as geographic information systems. I attended Penn State in the 1980s, and sort of in the early stages of geographic information systems. And then went from Penn State, where I taught at West Point for three years, went off to Europe and did some things, geospatial. And I'm coming back to Penn State again and getting a PhD in geographic information systems.
When I feel a little wilder and stealthier, I go for the field of geospatial intelligence. It's perfect for government, business, and Homeland Security.
Whatever it is—geographic information systems or spatial intelligence—we're here for you.
Meet Greg Thomas, instructor of this course (0:43 seconds)
Hello, my name is Greg Thomas. I'm the Assistant Director for Geospatial Intelligence programs at Penn State, and I teach several fundamental and advanced courses on the topic of geospatial intelligence.
My background is in intelligence and analysis in the law enforcement field, and I bring that experience to the program and the courses I teach.
In my classes I stress the analysis of human activity over place and time, to provide a decision advantage or to solve a problem, and I show how geospatial intelligence as a discipline is used for analyzing data in various fields of study.
I look forward to exploring geospatial intelligence analysis further with you, and hope you enjoy the course!