Master’s in Geographic Information Science (GIS)

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Work with top experts in the field—and with pioneering technologies—to forge a distinguished career in geographic information science (GIS).

If your goal is to be a leader in the GIS field, our Master’s in Geographic Information Science (GIS) is designed for you. The GIS master’s program is a natural extension of our internationally recognized work on the frontier of geospatial technology, and we are pioneering the interpretation of remote sensing, mapping, and analytics, continually revealing new information about our world.

The M.S. in Geographic Information Science (GIS) is a collaboration among three areas of the university: the Graduate School of Geography, the International Development, Community, and Environment (IDCE) Department, and Clark Labs, a leading developer of software-based geospatial solutions, founded and housed here at Clark University. The TerrSet/IDRISI platform developed at Clark Labs has quickly become one of the most widely used GIS systems in the world and is shaping approaches to geospatial problem-solving.

Our students work closely with faculty experts to research, assess, and apply inventive geospatial approaches to some of the most pressing societal challenges. We work at the leading edge of areas such as conservation GIS, land-use change, public health, environmental justice, food security and humanitarian assistance, and earth systems information science. Our four concentration tracks provide an opportunity to study these topics at even greater depth, positioning you for immediate impact upon graduation.

International Students

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees are in tremendous demand across most major industries in the United States. If you graduate with a STEM-designated degree, such as the Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems, you may be eligible to remain in this country for up to 36 months on Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Why a Master’s in Geographic Information Science (GIS) at Clark University

Learn GIS programming skills for web mapping, automation, and advanced analytics from international leaders in the field.
Gain a competitive professional edge in a department that has been ranked #15 in the world for development studies (based on academic reputation) by QS World University Rankings.
Work closely with renowned faculty to advance the development of the software.
Access the latest technologies, including your own dedicated workstation in a Clark lab fully equipped with a range of GIS and remote sensing software.

Clark’s GIS Program Prepared Sean McCartney ’15 for a Career at NASA

Sean McCartney ’15 is excited to go to work every single day. At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, he works among the largest collection of engineers and earth scientists on the planet. Sean consistently applies the fundamentals he learned during his two years in the M.S. in GIS program.

What prepared me for NASA was definitely the two years I spent in the GIS program at Clark. The fundamentals that I learned in geospatial technology and vector raster, and how to apply them, formed a very strong foundation for what I’m doing at NASA.
—Sean McCartney ’15

The Essentials

Program Overview

Clark’s master’s degree in GIS combines rigorous academics with widely varied, highly applied learning opportunities. Our two-year program offers ample opportunities to take what you learn in the classroom and put it to work in the wider world through creative engagements with communities, nonprofits, government, and the private sector. By working hands-on with partners, you gain valuable experience applying theories and implementing your creative solutions to complex problems.

In addition, we offer four concentrations within the GIS degree that enable you to focus your studies: GIS for Development and Environment, Conservation Applications, Global and Community Health Applications, and Remote Sensing. Each requires the completion of a set of concentration-specific courses, and each provides a valuable set of skills — and credentials — that will serve you well throughout your career.

Mastering the core concepts in GIS and remote sensing
Developing high-tech expertise that leads directly to a career
Applying GIS tools to real-life problems
Coding and developing software applications for GIS
Integrating and synthesizing diverse information sources

Landscape Ecology
Advanced Vector GIS
GIS and Map Comparison
Advanced Remote Sensing
Python Programming

Requirements

The M.S./GIS program requires the completion of 12 course units, including a series of required courses, prerequisites and electives that vary according to the concentration.

Concentrations include:

Geographic Information Science for Development and Environment
Conservation Applications
Remote Sensing
Global and Community Health Applications

Course Catalog

When you study GIS at Clark, you’ll find that your fellow students and faculty — who come from around the world — share an inspirational ambition to use GIS technology to enact positive social change. This vision fosters a unique campus culture of intellectually daring academic-activists who share your values, and who are eager to develop skills to effect change on local, national, and global levels.

Beyond the classroom, we dedicate ourselves to meaningful research and engaged projects that advance the well-being of individuals around the globe. Our students have been selected as Switzer Environmental Fellows and summer fellows at Azavea, and have won monetary awards for their research papers from the American Association of Geographers and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association. You also can take courses from other academic departments at Clark, helping you expand your horizons and learn from diverse peers and faculty members.

Engage with our close-knit community in our departmental house, complete with classrooms, faculty offices, lounges, and a computer lab.
Learn in an interdisciplinary environment alongside people from all walks of life, many of whom have returned from the Peace Corps and other international humanitarian efforts.
Live in our Social Change House with students from all four IDCE programs.
Participate in student organizations that give you the opportunity to play an active role in the intellectual and social life of Clark University.
Attend guest lectures and sponsored events hosted by the University.

IDCE-Skills-You-Learn

Clark faculty in Geographic Information Science have research interests that focus on biodiversity and conservation, land change modeling, forest monitoring and fire dynamics, software design and system development, decision science, health and community planning, international development, climate change adaptation, and food security applications. Within this vibrant research community, there are many opportunities for students to become directly engaged in real-world issues for which geographic information science and its associated technologies are critical tools.

Mapping agriculture in Africa, including developing innovative algorithms and logic that support continental-scale monitoring
Tracing the causes and consequences of forest disturbances such as fires and insect outbreaks
Determining the extent of the spread of the Asian longhorned beetle in the Worcester region
Monitoring and mapping mangroves and shrimp aquaculture on a global scale

Graduate-Program-GIS-research — Clark researchers develop geospatial technology to create a 24,000-acre nature preserve in California. Read More…

GIS skills are increasingly valuable in today’s professional world. Our graduates find success in a growing number of fields, such as urban and regional planning, emergency response, epidemiology, environmental planning, forestry, and ecology. In addition, here you will gain skills — like project management, problem-solving, and communication — that prove invaluable in any number of industries.

Clark GIS alumni pursue their passion in meaningful careers around the world. Students:

Go on to earn their doctorates (about 10 percent)
Consult for environmental groups
Work for international NGOs
Work at software development companies
Join government agencies, planning offices, and transportation departments

“GIS has revolutionized the organization of data for the municipality. The knowledge and experience I gained in my time at Clark was priceless and enabled me to change the Palestine GIS interface. GIS now is part of Ramallah city’s daily works.”
— Safaa Karaki Aldwaik, M.A. ’07, M.A. ’10, Ph.D. ’12

Career Outcomes

Center Lead
NASA DEVELOP Program
GIS Analyst
American Red Cross
Research Editor
National Geographic
Cartographer
Library of Congress
Program Officer
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations
Support Analyst and Product Engineer
ESRI
GIS Specialist
Industrial Economics
Economics and Planning Officer
Conservation International
GIS Specialist
Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University

Relevant. Challenging. Transformative.

Faculty Research Areas

Cutting-edge Geographic Information Systems

Professor Eastman has been a member of Clark’s faculty since 1981. His interests include geographic information systems, earth system informatics, conservation GIS, remote sensing, and cartography.

Ronald Eastman

Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger

Associate Professor

A Roadmap for a Healthier Future

Professor Ogneva-Himmelberger uses spatial analysis to address preterm births, asthma, heat-related mortality, health disparities, noise pollution, and more.

Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger

John Rogan

Professor

Where There’s Smoke

Professor Rogan specializes in landscape ecology, fire ecology, optical remote sensing, and GIScience. He recently researched fire and weather mapping in Mexico and insect mapping near Detroit, Michigan.

John Rogan

Florencia Sangermano

Assistant Professor

Keeping an Eye on our Planet’s Well-being

Professor Sangermano researches geospatial analysis and satellite remote sensing to evaluate changes in the earth system, and to assess effects on ecosystems and biodiversity.

Florencia Sangermano

Robert Gilmore Pontius

Professor

Predicting Land Cover Change

Professor Pontius develops innovative means of predicting land cover change for effective planning, as well as the tools necessary to assess model skill.

Robert Pontius

Lyndon Estes

Assistant Professor

Taking on the Issue of Food Security

Professor Estes develops and uses Earth Observation technologies to study the drivers and impacts of agricultural change, primarily in Africa.

Lyndon Estes

Explore the International Development, Community, and Environment Department.

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