Cartography Courses

What is Cartography?

It may seem like there are no new places to explore, but cartography is a valuable skill. Mapmakers have a valuable job, communicating information about land and surroundings through their abilities.It's not just map-making, however. The field also embraces the research into old maps and the information they could be hiding. The history of cartography is a storied field with cartographers producing maps that revealed our ever-expanding understanding of the world. Geographic information shows so much about our human journey, and cartography can open those doors of knowledge. Cartography is changing with technology, and the field is ripe for massive revolution. New technologies like remote sensing or satellite imagery are transforming how we make maps and understand space, so if you thought the field was dying, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Learn Cartography

If the study of maps has ever held your interest, you can learn about old and new technologies designed to address both research and creation. Accurate maps take full advantage of tech advancements, but even paper maps enjoy the 21st-century advantage. Whether you're studying the maps or building a research-based approach to their study, edX.org can open those doors. Studying population density can shed light into questions of urbanization. Geographic data can help us build more responsible cities. Everyone from the Ancient Greeks to modern civilization used maps to explore and to inspire.

Cartography Courses and Certifications

EPFL offers a course in the study of space and social justice. You use the concept of maps to study human movement and the link between space and issues such as globalization and urbanization. The course is offered in French and English, giving you multiple avenues for studying the human question of space. ETH Zurich has a two-part course in using map making for visualization and spatial understanding. You'll learn to make cartographic products using the latest technology. It can also offer you the chance to hone your interactive map, making skills for an accurate representation of modern space.

Explore Cartography as a Career

The age of exploration isn't over. We're examining our space in new ways using the latest technologies. Our map-making may have changed from the 17th century or the 18th century, but the importance of cartography hasn't changed. It builds on skills in detail and spatial data while providing critical insights through the exploration of that visualization. Map projections have the potential to increase our understanding of how we're using space and the ways space is connected to some of our most pressing questions. The production of maps does more than get us from point a to point b. They can teach and inspire. A useful map of the world could ignite your love and set you on the path to explore your biggest questions. Let edX get you on your way.