What are the best GIS courses on Coursera?

Top courses include Fundamentals of GIS from the University of California, Davis , and GIS, Mapping, and Spatial Analysis from the University of Toronto . These programs cover the basics of GIS, spatial data analysis, and real-world applications in fields like urban planning and environmental management.

Can I learn GIS for free on Coursera?

Yes. Many GIS courses offer a free audit option, which allows learners to access video lessons and reading materials at no cost. To complete assignments or earn a certificate, you’ll need to upgrade or apply for financial aid.

What will I learn in a GIS course?

You’ll learn how to collect and analyze spatial data, create maps using GIS software like ArcGIS or QGIS, and apply GIS skills to solve real-world problems. Topics may include cartography , spatial databases, and remote sensing.

Do I need a technical background to start learning GIS?

Not necessarily. Many beginner-level GIS courses on Coursera assume no prior experience and walk you through foundational concepts. If you’re already familiar with data analysis or mapping, more advanced courses can help you deepen your skills.

Can Coursera’s GIS courses help me in my career?

Yes. GIS skills are in demand across industries like urban planning , environmental science , logistics , and public health . Coursera’s GIS courses can help you build job-ready skills, create a professional portfolio, and earn certificates that show your expertise.

Top Gis Courses - Learn Gis Online

Status: Free Trial

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Exploring and Producing Data for Business Decision Making

Skills you'll gain: Descriptive Statistics, Sampling (Statistics), Probability Distribution, Business Analytics, Statistics, Microsoft Excel, Analytics, Statistical Inference, Data Analysis, Exploratory Data Analysis, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Histogram, Data Collection, Data Presentation, Graphing

Status: Free Trial

University of Pennsylvania

Global Trends for Business and Society

Skills you'll gain: Demography, Market Trend, Trend Analysis, International Relations, Socioeconomics, Social Sciences, Systems Thinking, Cultural Diversity, Financial Systems, World History, Economics, Business Economics, Governance

Status: Free Trial

University of Michigan

Fundamentals of Data Analytics in the Public Sector with R

Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Surveys, Tidyverse (R Package), Data Analysis, Demography, Public Administration, Public Policies, R Programming, Statistical Programming, Data Transformation, Data Cleansing, Data Manipulation

Status: Free Trial

University of Michigan

Applied Plotting, Charting & Data Representation in Python

Skills you'll gain: Matplotlib, Data Visualization Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Scientific Visualization, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Statistical Visualization, Data Presentation, Graphing, Scatter Plots, Data Manipulation, Histogram, NumPy, Pandas (Python Package)

Status: Free Trial

University of Colorado Boulder

Fundamentals of Data Visualization

Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Data Visualization Software, Interactive Data Visualization, Visualization (Computer Graphics), Data Storytelling, User Centered Design, User Experience Design, Usability, Human Computer Interaction, Usability Testing, User Research, Design Elements And Principles

Status: Free Trial

Johns Hopkins University

Visualizing Data in the Tidyverse

Skills you'll gain: Ggplot2, Plot (Graphics), Statistical Visualization, Data Visualization Software, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Presentation, Data Storytelling, Scatter Plots, Tidyverse (R Package), R Programming, Histogram, Animations, Data Manipulation

EIT Digital

Geometric Algorithms

Skills you'll gain: Geometry, Algorithms, Computer Graphics, Data Structures, Graph Theory, Spatial Data Analysis, Computational Thinking, Geographic Information Systems, Theoretical Computer Science, Spatial Analysis

Coursera Project Network

Fundamentals of Database Systems

Skills you'll gain: Information Systems, Database Software, Database Systems, Database Design, Information Management, Databases, Relational Databases, Database Management, Data Management

Status: Free Trial

University of Colorado Boulder

Resampling, Selection and Splines

Skills you'll gain: Data Science, R Programming, Statistical Machine Learning, Advanced Analytics, Dimensionality Reduction, Statistical Modeling, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Methods, Sampling (Statistics), Regression Analysis, Statistical Inference

Ball State University

Introduction to Data Science

Skills you'll gain: Data Ethics, Data Collection, Probability & Statistics, Data Literacy, Sampling (Statistics), Data Science, R Programming, Data Structures, Data Integrity, Information Privacy, Tidyverse (R Package), Data Manipulation, Ggplot2, Ethical Standards And Conduct

Ball State University

Data Visualization

Skills you'll gain: Rmarkdown, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Ggplot2, Interactive Data Visualization, Statistical Visualization, Visualization (Computer Graphics), R Programming, Data Storytelling, Data Presentation, Histogram, Scatter Plots, Data Analysis, Data Manipulation

GIS Courses

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