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About the Program

If you enjoy looking at maps, examining the world around you for patterns and working with computers, then studying geographic information science (GIS) may be the beginning of an exciting, dynamic career solving society’s most important problems. ÃÛÌÒÇéÈË’s GIS Program prepares students to enter a fast-growing job field examining environmental, governmental and business problems such as:

• How should we protect critical natural areas from an oil spill?
• What is the most scenic path for a new mountain bike trail in the state forest?
• Where is the best location for a new Wal-Mart?
• What are the optimal routes for a new public transportation system on the Eastern Shore?
• Where should we redraw the voting districts to match the change in population?
• How have the settlement patterns of the Eastern Shore changed over time?

To answer questions like these, SU students have the opportunity to earn real-world job experience by working with the Eastern Shore Regional GIS Cooperative (ESRGC), an SU outreach unit serving area businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations. SU is home to a truly exceptional GIS learning environment, where you will find experienced faculty and state-of-the-art facilities including the most cutting-edge hardware, software, networks and data.

SU alumni are employed at all levels of federal, state and local government as well as private-sector firms. Geography faculty are consistently overwhelmed by the number of companies attempting to hire our graduates, often before they have finished their academic programs. Many of our alumni take these jobs after completing a course of study at some of the world’s most prestigious graduate schools. In addition, the ESRGC often hires its SU interns upon graduation.

Recent employers of SU alumni include:

What is the Program of Study?

The 21st century is the information age and geographers are leading the way with amazing new information technologies. Tremendous opportunities await students who choose to gain skills and knowledge related to the science and technology of geographic information. The GIScience track includes courses in:

• Introductory and advanced geographic information systems (digital mapping systems used to solve spatial problems)
• Remote sensing (the analysis and interpretation of aerial photos and satellite imagery)
• Cartographic visualization (the visual representation of spatial data, e.g. maps), and
• Spatial statistics.

In addition to our comprehensive academic program, we have a truly exceptional GIScience learning environment where you will find experienced faculty and state-of-the-art facilities (hardware, software, networks, and data) in the brand new Henson Science Hall on the SU campus.

Visit our catalog to see the requirements for this program:

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