USC Dornsife Spatial Sciences Institute

GIS Careers Articles

4 Reasons To Pursue a Career in GIS

It is a great time for geographic information systems (GIS) careers. Geographic tools are more accessible and more powerful than ever. Cloud-based applications allow users to work nearly anywhere, while crowd-sourced information has fueled a massive global dataset. Drones can create nearly instantaneous maps, while LiDAR sensors are building remarkable …

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Your Guide to Professional Graduate GIS Certifications

GIS certifications validate an individual’s knowledge and skills within specific areas of GIS such as the applications of GIS or geospatial intelligence. Given the number of different options, it can be difficult to determine which provide the most benefit to you— especially when you start to examine both graduate certificates …

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4 Careers in GIS With Great Job Outlooks

Geographic Information Science (GIS) is a fascinating field of study that allows us to gather valuable insights from the world around us. But is GIS a growing field? Market research firm Prescient & Strategic Intelligence predicted the global GIS market will reach $17.5 billion by 2023. This growth will be …

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4 Types of People Who Will Make it in GIS

Careers in geographic information science (GIS) are full of exciting problems that can be solved with state-of-the-art tools and methods. GIS professionals have opportunities to lead projects, drawing on insights from geospatial data to achieve results. By effectively applying spatial reasoning, experts can strategize for business growth, make new archaeological …

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Top Skills For GIS Professionals

Organizations rely on geographic information science (GIS) for applications ranging from navigation in autonomous vehicles to mobile games played in real-world spaces. GIS specialists reveal valuable insights by employing best practices of spatial data collection, analysis and visualization. Their discoveries fuel problem solving and strategic decision making in organizations such …

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Here’s Why It’s A Great Time to be in Geospatial Intelligence

While geographic information science (GIS) requires specialized knowledge to be successful, the discipline is full of varied opportunities. Geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) represents one of the dynamic areas where professionals can further evolve their GIS careers, pursuing opportunities with the government, military or with humanitarian organizations. For example, the U.S. Department …

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USC Study Finds STEM Degrees Pay Off for Minority College

Minority college students who major in the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – earn at least 25 percent more than their peers who study humanities or education, according to the results of a new USC study. And those who took jobs related to their STEM degrees earned …

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Why Setting Goals Matters in Graduate School

Setting goals for graduate school helps students to keep the big picture in focus while trying to balance other priorities like working full-time and spending time with family. Graduate programs require a significant investment that calls on students to be especially vigilant with how they expend resources, such as their …

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The Importance of Geospatial Leadership in a Changing World

We’ve previously explored the importance of geospatial technology in a wide range of industries, from health and human services to banking to supply chain management. It is no secret that geospatial technology plays an increasingly critical role in not only how we understand our world, but how we interact with …

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The Many Applications of GIS

Tweet While maps and cartography was once limited to a handful of uses, geographic information systems (GIS) and geographic science spans nearly every field. GIS, which uses the science of geography plus many types of data to reveal insights and patterns that help people make better decisions, is used in …

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