A degree in Geographic Information Science, or GIS degree, can lead to the beginning of a rewarding career for recent graduates and to a new career for seasoned professionals.
GIS is a system that is designed to capture, retain, study, manipulate, manage, and present spatial and geographic data. Though the type and format vary, the data most often represent locations on the earth.
Geospatial data can be used in a variety of ways. The data can form maps that show features, spatial relationships, densities, quantities, and change. It can also be utilized to find nearby locations and to create directions from one destination to another.
The application of GIS has rapidly grown over the last ten years. Data has become a foundation for many companies and organizations. As the amount of data continues to grow, the need for professionals to manage the data increases.
A GIS degree prepares students to enter the field by providing in-depth knowledge of the subject, hands-on learning experiences, completed research projects, and a vision for future possibilities.
Since GIS has so many applications, the need for professionals with a background in GIS exists in almost every field. Graduates can pursue a path in conservation, land surveying, cartography, forestry, state and federal biology, environmental impact assessment, ecology, wildlife habitat management, research geology, land trust, remote sensing, city and urban planning, data management, and more.
Unity College offers a number of opportunities to learn about GIS. An online GIS master’s degree is available. The M.S. in Professional Science: Environmental Geographic Information Science can be completed within a year if a full load of classes is taken.
A GIS graduate certificate is also available. The courses taken while earning the certificate can later be applied to a master’s degree. In addition, individual graduate-level classes can be taken for those wanting to explore the subject before pursuing further education.
Learn more by visiting online.unity.edu/learn-more or calling 1-833-UnityGO.