Geographic Information Science
Potential careers include Cartographer, GIS Technician, GIS Analyst, GIS Developer, or Image Analyst in the following areas: urban planning, transportation management, facilities planning, forestry, landuse analysis, surveying, geodesy, logistics, environmental management, natural resource management, humanitarian relief, and government defense or intelligence.
Potential employers include federal agencies (e.g., Department of Defense, Central Intelligence Agency, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Census Bureau, U.S. Geological Survey), state government (e.g., Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture), local government (e.g., Cook County, City of Bloomington), the private sector (e.g., ESRI, NAVTEQ), or non-governmental organizations (e.g., Direct Relief, World Vision, National Geographic, World Wildlife Fund). Following this concentration is good preparation for graduate studies in GIScience.
Minimum of 15 hours from the following courses*:
| GEO 138 Maps and Geographic Reasoning | GEO 300 Cartography |
| GEO 303 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | GEO 304 Advanced Geographic Information Systems |
| GEO 305 Remote Sensing | GEO 308 Statistics for Geographers II |
| GEO 351 Cartographic Design |
Completion of Cartography (GEO 300) and Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GEO 303) is strongly suggested by the end of a student’s junior year.
Students are encouraged to pursue the Department’s GIS Certificate (contact Dr. Kostelnick).
For information regarding research assistantships visit the Student Information pages on the Institute for Geospatial Analysis & Mapping (GEOMAP) website at www.geomap.ilstu.edu.
Suggested complementary courses, especially if pursuing a graduate degree*:
| GEO 325 Python Scripting for GIS | IT 164 Introduction to Problem Solving Using the Computer |
| IT 165 Computer Programming for Scientists | IT 166 Python Programming for Science and Data Analysis |
| IT 168 Structured Problem Solving Using the Computer | IT 170 Scripting Languages and Automation (Python) |
| IT 178 Computer Application Programming | MAT 131 Geometric Reasoning: Geometry as Earth Measures |
| PHI 210 Symbolic Logic I | PSY 253 Cognition and Learning |
| PHI 250 Philosophy of Science | PSY 361 Perception |
*Some of these courses may have prerequisites.
Recommended Minors
Computer Science or Mathematics