Join us for the Graduate GIS Programs Information Session 
Welcome to our geographic information science (GIS) and technology blog. We feature a mixture of GIS academic articles, news, USC student stories and interesting GIS application articles. We recommend visiting frequently if you want to find out more about what excites us as GIS practitioners and academics — we aim to provide a mixture of interesting GIS news articles, career information and highlights from the GIS programs at the University of Southern California. Some of the key topics you can expect to find within our blog include:
- Profiles of cutting-edge GIS research from USC faculty and students
- Innovative use of GIS technologies and forward-thinking analysis
- Careers in GIS and key skills to advance in the field
- GIS applications in specific industries and sectors, like urban planning, environmental science and more
If you’re interested in receiving updates about the GIS graduate degree and certificate programs at the University of Southern California, request information to reach an enrollment specialist; you’ll also receive emails with important program updates and when we publish a new blog article.
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 …
The State of Modern Cartography
The application of Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) continues to grow as a global research tool for understanding the world around us. Cartography, the process of making maps, has benefited greatly from advancements in GIS technology in recent years. The number of students earning degrees in cartography has risen 40% in …
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 …
Q&A with Air National Guard Analyst Adrianna Valenti
How is geographic information science and technology used in the military? This is a segment of our multi-part series honoring the active service members and veterans who have taken or who teach USC’s Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) graduate programs by allowing them to share some of their most …
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 …
How Geographic Information Science Can Help Business
Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST)—focused on capturing, analyzing, and leveraging spatial information—is blossoming with opportunities for prospective students and career seekers as organizations around the globe continue to utlize GIS. From the outer reaches of space, back down to earth for agricultural land plotting, urban planning, and even in …
USC Alumna Q&A: GIS Analyst Cora Chong
USC alumna Cora Chong graduated with her geographic information science and technology master’s degree in 2017. For her master’s thesis, she examined the use of remote sensing data for urban sprawl and urban growth research, highlighting how remote sensing could help address the issue of incomplete or disparate data about …
How Local and Federal Government Use GIS
Geographic information science and technology have a long history with both federal and regional government. In fact, the Library of Congress contains the world’s most comprehensive collection of maps, and geospatial intelligence has played a vital role in resolving numerous historical conflicts between nations. But how does the government use …
Spatial Data Acquisition and GIST
It’s no secret that geographic information science (GIS) is a data-intensive discipline. The huge volumes of spatial information available today have created new challenges as well as opportunities for GIS leaders. Today, we wanted to examine spatial data acquisition more specifically, with questions such as: What techniques are available for …
Collaboration is Key: How the Academy and Industry Are Tackling “Wicked Problems”
“No one’s as smart as everyone.” COL [R] Steven D. Fleming knows firsthand how teamwork and collaboration can lead to better decisions and better results. The University of Southern California professor spent 30 years in the U.S. military, where he served in both combat and humanitarian-assistance missions. In his line …
Request Brochure
Fill out the information below to learn more about the University of Southern California’s GIS Graduate Programs and download a free brochure. If you have any additional questions, please call 213-325-2474 to speak to an enrollment specialist.
Catalina Island Excursion
Students in the M.S. in GIST, M.S. in HSGI and Graduate Certificate in GIST programs will participate in a week-long fieldwork excursion...