Geographic Information Systems

Coordinator: Associate Professor R. Kirk

Professor: MacFall

Associate Professors: Morgan, Xiao

Senior Lecturer: Kleckner

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) minor is designed to prepare students with the basic training necessary to enter the rapidly expanding field of geographic information science. Employment opportunities are limitless for students who are proficient with this interdisciplinary tool. The U.S. Department of Labor has listed geospatial technologies like GIS as one of the three most important high growth industries in the 21st century. Well-qualified GIS specialists are sought in the areas of business, disaster mitigation, economics, education, emergency management, environmental studies, homeland security, law enforcement, physical sciences, political campaign management, public policy research and analysis, transportation, and urban development and planning. The minor provides students with fundamental knowledge and skills in GIS, and opportunities to explore application of these skills in courses selected from a wide variety of disciplines. Students are given hands-on experience with state-of-the-art computer programs and software.

This minor includes courses from the computing sciences, communications, economics, environmental studies, history and geography, marketing and entrepreneurship, political science and policy studies, sport and event management, and statistics departments. There are three components to the curriculum: a set of three core technology courses, a pair of elective disciplinary courses in which GIS can be a supporting tool, and a capstone experience consisting of a significant project or internship in the student’s area of interest.