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> Degrees & Certificates

Certificate in Remote Sensing

Overview
Wright State University (WSU) in conjunction with the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) for Human Capital Development offers a Certificate Program in Remote Sensing with emphasis in civil and defense applications. The new class will begin September 8, 2008. The certificate is an appropriate elective sequence for students seeking bachelor's degrees in all science and engineering majors. The Program emphasizes the science, technology, and applications of remote sensing, bringing together related information in materials science, physics, optics, electronics, computer processing, and other disciplines. Students completing the Program will be sufficiently well-founded in the phenomenology and practice of remote sensing to approach problems ranging from environmental to social to industrial data gathering and interpretation. Through its tracks, the program will prepare qualified students for entry-level work in either commercial or government positions.

Who Should Apply
This program is geared to a wide range of backgrounds and skill sets. Almost anyone with a technical bent, interested in a career in commercial or civil remote sensing or Technical Intelligence, would benefit from earning this certificate. Examples of the types of people who would do well in the program include: engineering students or practicing engineers (electrical, environmental, chemical, etc.), physicists and physics majors, geology and geography majors, mathematics majors, and economics majors.

What to Expect
Students will be guided through the course of instruction by ATIC/WSU faculty using instructional materials prepared explicitly for the certificate program. Students' performance will be assessed using homework and tests (mid-term and final), as well as class projects that may be assigned by the professors.

Prerequisites
Minimum eligibility requirements for the Certificate include: junior-level standing at Wright State University, PHY 111, PHY 112, PHY 113, MTH 128, MTH 129, MTH 228 or MTH 229/230 or equivalent courses from accredited institution.

Course Descriptions

Intermediate Remote Sensing - ITRESI0701
(4 CEUs)
Purpose and motivation for remote sensing; spectral, temporal, spatial, and radiometric characteristics and resolution issues; propagation of electromagnetic energy; atmospheric effects; image collection and quality; sensor performance measures; platforms and orbits.

Introduction to Security Applications in Remote Sensing - INSARS0701
(3 CEUs)
(US citizens only) Introduction to organization of the National Intelligence Community; the need for remote sensing in security of the United States; submission of requisite forms and interviews for security clearance. (Pass/fail, overload)

Thermal and Infrared Remote Sensing - TIRESI0701
(3 CEUs)
Infrared phenomenology, optical materials, detectors, and cooling systems. Applications and performance characteristics of imaging systems. Analysis of data from calibrated systems to produce pixel temperature and applications. Thermal modeling for interpreting analysis results.

Multispectral and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing - MHRESI0701
(3 CEUs)
Spectral phenomenology, sensors, applications, and analysis algorithms. Multispectral and hyperspectral imaging. Visible and reflective infrared as well as thermal infrared. Ground, airborne, and satellite based platforms. Comparison with polarimetric imaging.

Introduction to Radar and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Remote Sensing - INRSAR0701
(4 CEUs)
History and motivation for SAR; theory, practice, and limitations of radar; radar hardware and operation; radar cross-sections; pulse Doppler radar; collecting SAR data; image formation; image resolution issues; image interpretation; advanced applications.

Civil and Commercial Applications in Remote Sensing - CCRESI0701
(4 CEUs)
Spatial, spectral, temporal, and radiometric characteristics; customer-driven problem statement-data collection-processing and exploitation-problem solution cycle; preparation of collection and processing plans; case studies; fusion of remote sensing data.

-or-

Security Applications in Remote Sensing - SARESI0701
(4 CEUs)
(US citizens only, security clearance required) Overview of National sensors and methods; non-imaging infrared, LIDAR, polarimetric, seismic, acoustic, SONAR, gravimetric, magnetic, and nuclear remote sensing; tasking-collection-processing-exploitation-dissemination cycle; case studies; data fusion; intelligence estimates.

Register

Registration is handled through Wright State University

Schedule

Classes will be held at WSU on Monday and Wednesday evenings. Courses that are 3 CEUs run from 6:05 pm to 8:55 pm; courses that are 4 CEUs run from 6:05 pm to 9:35 pm.

Introduction to Security Applications in Remote Sensing will be offered in Fall Quarter 2008 (September 8, 2008). Intermediate Remote Sensing will be offered in the Winter/January 2009 session. Thermal and Infrared Remote Sensing and Multispectral and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing will be offered in the Spring/March 2009 Quarter. The last two classes to complete the certificate will be offered during the Fall 2009 term.

All Certificate students are required to complete Introduction to Radar and Synthetic Aperture Radar Remote Sensing and have the choice of completing Security Applications in Remote Sensing or Civil and Commercial Applications in Remote Sensing. Students who are US citizens and interested in entering the government job market will select Security Applications in Remote Sensing (a security clearance will be required); those interested in entering the commercial job market will select Civil and Commercial Applications in Remote Sensing. Beginning in Fall 2009, the series of classes will be offered again, allowing students to complete the certificate in either eight (two classes per quarter) or 16 months (one class per quarter).