What is Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIST)? In a nutshell, GIST is about using mapped data to solve problems and make better decisions.
The list of industry and government applications is limitless: precision farming, archaeological site inventory, transportation and urban planning for sustainability, wildlife tracking, self-driving cars, new business locations to maximize profitability, utility line mapping and maintenance, supply chain and logistics, pollution modeling, crime mapping, military intelligence and operations, disaster prevention and mitigation, renewable energy site selection, forest health, pandemic tracking, emergency services response, oil and gas drilling, local tax assessor maps, surveying, and the list goes on…
The Geography Department offers a wide variety of courses in Geographic Information Systems and Technology (GIST), including GIS, Remote Sensing (RS) and related geospatial technologies such as drones and GPS/GNSS. Your BS degree in Geography with a GIScience Area of Emphasis will include training with GIScience technologies and prepares your for a wide range of jobs in many industries. Earn your degree in the classroom or 100% online!
B.S. in Geography with an Area of Emphasis in GIScience
Students specializing in the Geospatial Information Science (GIScience) area of emphasis must complete the Geography Core Requirements and the following GIScience courses.
Geospatial information science Area of Emphasis Courses
- Note: These courses required in addition to the Geography BS core requirements of GEO423 Cartography and GIS and GEO426 Principles of GIS.
- GEO 431 Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry (3 credit hours)
- Technologies: Choose at least six credits from: GEO 110 Basic GIS (1 credit), GEO 111 Air Photos and Satellite lmagery (1 credit), GEO 112 Smartphone GPS (1 credit), GEO 113 Web GIS (1 credit), GEO 433 GPS and Mobile Geospatial Technologies (3 credits), GEO 454 Drones: Remote Sensing & GIS, GEO485-488 Independent Study (GIS/RS topics only; 1-4 credits)
- Analysis and Applications: Choose a minimum of six credits from: GEO 429 Location Analysis and GIS (4 credits), GEO 430 Environmental Raster Analysis (4 credits), GEO 432 Enterprise GIS (3 credits), GEO434 Flood Hazards and GIS (3 credits), GEO 440 Spatial Statistics and GIS (4 credits), GEO485-488 Independent Study (GIS/RS topics only; 1-4 credits), GEO 490 Internship (1-6 credits)
- Electives: Choose additional GIScience (GEO) courses to reach a minimum of 21 credit hours beyond the Geography Core Requirements.
The Geography Department participates in an Undergraduate Minor in Geospatial Information Science, an Undergraduate Certificate in GIScience and two Graduate Certificates in GIScience.
Please see the Geospatial Information Science web site for more information.
Our latest Geospatial information science technology course features drones for Remote Sensing and GIS.
- GEO110 – Basic GIS (1 hr.)
- GEO111 – Air Photos and Satellite Imagery (1 hr.)
- GEO112 – Intro to GPS (1 hr.)
- GEO113 – Web GIS (1 hr.)
- GEO423/523 – Cartography (3 hrs.)
- GEO426/526 – Principles of GIS (4 hrs.)
- GEO427/527 Principles of GIS 2
- GEO429/529 – Location Analysis and GIS (4 hrs.)
- GEO430/530 – Environmental Raster Analysis (4 hrs.)
- GEO431/531 – Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry (3 hrs.)
- GEO432/532 – Enterprise GIS (3 hrs.)
- GEO433/533 – GPS and Mobile Geospatial Technologies (3 hrs.)
- GEO440/540 – Spatial Statistics and GIS (4 hrs.)
- GEO454/554 – Drones: GIS and Remote Sensing (3 hrs.)
- GEO480-483 – Special Topics (1-4 hours; can be GIS/RS; see an advisor)
- GEO485 – Independent Study (1-4 hours; can be GIS/RS; see an advisor)
- GEO490 – Internship (1-6 hours; can be GIS/RS; see an advisor)
- GEO499 – Senior Capstone Project (3 hrs.; can be GIS/RS; see an advisor)
- GEO631 – Advanced GIS Projects (3 hrs.)
- GEO634 – GIS Programming and Databases (3 hrs.)
- GEO690 – Internship (can be GIS/RS)
- Special Topics courses