Geographic Information Science

At A Glance

Carthage prepares geographic information science (GIS) graduates to analyze modern global challenges: environmental change, water resources, energy supply, population growth and shifts, hunger, disease, and regional conflicts. GIS majors become proficient in mapping and statistical software, as well as remote sensing and GPS tools. Higher-level GIS classes routinely partner with “real world” clients for valuable hands-on service learning projects.

Major

Geographic Information Science

Minor

Geographic Information Science

View Degree Requirements

More Resources

Ready To Take the Next Step?

REQUEST INFO

What You’ll Learn

In geographic information science (GIS), you will learn to use software, web-based geospatial applications, and database management systems, developing skills for cartographic representation, spatial analysis, and geovisualization. GIS students use many tools, including mapping and statistical software, remote sensing, and global positioning systems. In addition to weekly hands-on labs, students in higher-level GIS classes routinely engage in service-learning projects partnered with local, regional, and national organizations, government agencies, and businesses.

<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/46,78,337,368/413_Conner_Plagge_21.rev.1638389814.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/46,78,337,368/413_Conner_Plagge_21.rev.1638389814.png 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/46,78,337,368/413_Conner_Plagge_21.rev.1638389814.png" alt="" width="183" height="183" data-max-w="291" data-max-h="290" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My favorite course at Carthage is Applied Projects in GIS, which is taught by Professor Wenjie Sun. I liked it because of the variety of projects that simulate what a real job in the field would be like.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/496-">Conner Plagge</a> ’21</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/33,64,439,470/492_Noah_Cortez.rev.1638389813.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/33,64,439,470/492_Noah_Cortez.rev.1638389813.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/33,64,439,470/492_Noah_Cortez.rev.1638389813.png 2x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/33,64,439,470/492_Noah_Cortez.rev.1638389813.png" alt="Noah Cortez ?21" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/33,64,439,470/492_Noah_Cortez.rev.1638389813.png 2x" data-max-w="406" data-max-h="406" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My first internship related to my major was my research internship at Jones Lang LaSalle in Milwaukee. While I was there, I performed a variety of tasks in data analytics and GIS.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/500-noah-cortez">Noah Cortez</a> ’21</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,299,299/481_Kathleen_Cochran.rev.1638389812.webp 1x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,299,299/481_Kathleen_Cochran.rev.1638389812.jpg 1x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/57/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,0,299,299/481_Kathleen_Cochran.rev.1638389812.jpg" alt="Kathleen Cochran ?21" width="183" height="183" data-max-w="299" data-max-h="299" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “One of my favorite courses was the Unmanned Aerial Systems (drones) class I completed with Professor Matthew Zorn. We got to fly drones around campus capturing videos and pictures to use for data analysis.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/497-">Kathleen Cochran</a> ’21</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>
<div class="lw_widget lw_widget_type_blockquote"><blockquote class="blockquote"><div class="blockquote__image"><picture class="lw_image"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.jpg 3x"/> <img src="/live/image/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.jpg" alt="Grace Condit" width="183" height="183" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/48/width/183/height/183/crop/1/src_region/0,106,2694,2801/37405_7279_163701665847155.rev.1680051246.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2694" data-max-h="2695" loading="lazy"/> </picture> </div><div class="blockquote__content"><div class="blockquote__quote"><svg aria-hidden="true" class="icon icon-round-left-quote" width="48" height="33"><use xlink:href="#icon-round-left-quote"/></svg><p> “My biggest piece of advice is to stay open-minded and put yourself out there. You never know what opportunities could arise.”</p></div><footer class="blockquote__footer"><span class="blockquote__author"><a href="/live/profiles/2355-">Grace Condit</a> ’24</span></footer></div></blockquote></div>

Courses you’ll take

Here’s a sampling of required and elective courses:

Internet Mapping and Web GIS
Unmanned Aerial Systems in Geosciences
Mapping Your World
Advanced GIS
Applied GIS Projects
Air Photo and Satellite Image Analysis

Geographic Information Science Courses

Capstone experience

All Carthage students must complete a senior thesis to graduate. As part of this capstone experience, students develop and conduct original or applied research in their junior and senior years. Some projects have been presented at national venues such as Posters on the Hill, the National Conference of Undergraduate Research, and the annual conference of the Association of American Geographers, as well as on campus at the College’s annual Celebration of Scholars event.

Facilities and equipment

The Science Center houses two computer labs, a research lab, a fleet of four drones, five high-precision GPS devices, and social spaces between classrooms and faculty offices so discussions can continue after class.

Where Carthage geospatial science graduates go

Alumni have found jobs with employers such as:

Apple
Walgreens
Wisconsin Historical Society
City of Naperville (IL)
Cyclomedia Technology
Rand McNally

Others have served with AmeriCorps or entered top graduate programs across the nation and abroad.

Hear from Carthage GIS alumni

Financial aid

Those intending to major in GIS can apply to enter the Math/ Science Scholarship competition. Two full-tuition scholarships are awarded each year.

Math/Science Scholarships