The GSG typically enrolls over 50 Ph.D., 60 M.S., and 100 B.A. students, and is consistently rated
by the US National Research Council as a top
10 Geography program.
IDCE is a unique center of translational research whose faculty and students work to address some
of the world's most pressing social, political and economic challenges. Clark's MSGIS program accepts both GIS novices and people with prior GIS experience. The program is STEM approved, which allows international students to work in the United States via
OPT for up to three years after graduation.
Established in 1996, the MSGIS Program is one
of the first masters-level GIS programs in the world. In this unique program,
students draw upon Clark's unique history and strength in the Geographic Information Sciences, developing expertise in geospatial technologies, remote sensing, and advanced spatial analysis. Clark faculty in Geographic Information Science have broad research
interests including biodiversity conservation, land change, forest monitoring, fire dynamics, software design, system development, decision science, human health, environmental justice, international development, human-centered design, climate change and food
security. Students draw upon this expertise to address global challenges such as hunger, poverty, refugees, migration, and community development.
Clark University has been active in the development of Geographic Information Science since its formative
period in the early 1980's. In 1987, Professor Ronald Eastman released the first desktop GIS software specifically designed for a microcomputer platform. The IDRISI GIS and Image Processing System, now part of the larger TerrSet Geospatial Monitoring and Modeling
System, is widely distributed across the globe and is supported by the Clark Labs research center.
Students in the MSGIS program can select from one of
four areas of concentration: GIS for Development and Environment, Conservation Applications, Remote Sensing and Global and Community Health Applications. The MSGIS curriculum is designed to be pedagogically structured yet flexible, and creates many opportunities
for students to build a solid foundation of geospatial theories and skills while specializing in areas that will help them meet their professional and academic objectives. The program currently offers
two tracks –
Research and
Internship. The required 12 graduate course units include core courses and electives,
designed to be completed in just two years full-time.
Sample courses include: Introduction to GIS, Advanced Raster GIS, Advanced Vector GIS, Computer Programming
for GIS, Geospatial Analysis with R, Web Mapping & Open Source GIS, Social Applications of GIS, Wildlife Conservation GIS, GIS & Map Comparison, GIS for International Development, Landscape Ecology, Introduction to Remote Sensing, Advanced Remote Sensing,
New Methods in Earth Observation, Remote Sensing of Global Environmental Change.
Recent MSGIS graduates now hold positions such as:
·
Cartographer, Library of Congress
·
Center Lead, NASA DEVELOP Program
·
Geo Data Scientist, Booking.com
·
Geospatial Specialist, National Agriculture Library
·
GIS Analyst , American Red Cross
·
GIS Manager, Conservation International
·
GIS Programmer/Research Associate, West Virginia University
·
GIS Research Specialist, University of Illinois
·
GIS Specialist II, CDM Smith
·
GIS Specialist, Center for Geographic Analysis, Harvard University
·
GIS Specialist, Industrial Economics
·
Imagery Specialist, Mapbox
·
Program Officer, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, United Nations
·
Research Analyst, McKinsey & Company
·
Research Editor, National Geographic
·
Support Analyst and Product Engineer, ESRI
Each year, the MSGIS program awards a large number of scholarships to
incoming students and offers exciting opportunities for research and teaching assistantships.
APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED