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The geographic information systems minor is designed to prepare students with the basic training necessary to enter the rapidly expanding field of geographic information science (GIS). Employment opportunities are limitless for students who are proficient with this interdisciplinary tool. Well-qualified GIS specialists are sought in the areas of environmental study, physical sciences, business, economics, education, government, planning and international industries.
The minor is designed to provide students with basic knowledge and skills in GIS, remote sensing, cartography, database management and computer technology, and 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 core courses from the computing sciences, history and geography and political science and public administration departments as well as the environmental studies program. There are two components to the curriculum: a set of core courses required of all students enrolled in the program, and a set of selective courses that permit exploration of more advanced themes in GIS and/or development of individual research projects or internships in GIS.
The GIS minor requires 20 semester hours chosen from the following courses:
| ENS/GEO 350 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 4 sh |
| GEO 356 | Introduction to Remote Sensing | 4 sh |
| GIS 460 | Advanced GIS | 4 sh |
| Eight semester hours chosen from two discipline-specific courses, including: | 8 sh | |
| CIS 216 | Programming in a Visual Environment or | |
| GEO 121 | Global Physical Environments or | |
| ENS 111/113 | Introduction to Environmental Science and Lab or | |
| PUB 334 | GIS Applications for Administration and Planning or | |
| PUB 443 | Urban Politics or | |
| BUS 416 | Global Marketing or | |
| ECO 440 | Urban Economics and Planning or | |
| TOTAL | 20 sh |
This advanced-level course in GIS will build on the techniques learned in ENS/GEO 350 (Introduction to Geographic Information Systems) by exposing students to more advanced methods in developing and utilizing GIS data. It is designed primarily to provide students with an in-depth understanding of GIS applications, the theoretical/conceptual side of algorithms in GIS software, and GIS research trends. Prerequisites: GEO 350 & GEO 356.
Coordinator:Honglin Xiao, Associate Professor of History and Geography
Michele Kleckner, Senior Lecturer of Computing Sciences
David Powell, Associate Professor of Computing Sciences
Janet MacFall, Associate Professor of Biology
Betty Morgan, Associate Professor of Political Science
Heidi Frontani, Professor of History and Geography