USC Master’s in Human Security and Geospatial Intelligence First of Its Kind to Receive USGIF Accreditation

September 11, 2020

The USC Spatial Sciences Institute is pleased to announce its Master of Science in Human Security and Geospatial Intelligence (HSGI) program is the first degree of its kind to be accredited by the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF), further highlighting the value it provides both to students and the geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) community.

First offered in Fall 2018, the University of Southern California’s M.S. in HSGI program has drawn students from diverse backgrounds who are interested in solving complex challenges with a passion for safeguarding their communities and the world. USGIF—an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of the geospatial intelligence tradecraft—presented the accreditation at its annual GEOINTegration Summit, which was held Sept. 27-28.

“The University of Southern California Spatial Science Institute is the perfect example of how geospatial intelligence certificate programs can mature, transform, and take on different dimensions—in this case by identifying and capitalizing on the value of human security in GEOINT [to evolve into a master’s program],” said Camelia Kantor, Ph.D., USGIF’s Vice President of Academic Affairs. “Building upon its sustainably grown GEOINT graduate certificate program, USC aims to educate future leaders in location-based analytics by gathering and interpreting relevant data as well as creating and implementing actionable intelligence, all in support of human security.”

GEOINT has played an important role in the context of human security for decades. Ranging from military applications to use in natural disaster relief and mitigation, GEOINT has shown its potential across multiple disciplines. As a result, the field of human security and GEOINT itself also demands a vast array of skills that span proficiency in technical disciplines such as remote sensing as well as aptitude for leadership and technical project management.

USC’s online HSGI program connects interrelated and collaborative sciences and disciplines, leading to careers as spatial science practitioners in fields including academic research, the military, business and non-profit disaster relief organizations. The HSGI master’s program is ideal for anyone interested in a GEOINT career, or for people who are already working in the field.

“Our academic programs and research initiatives in human security and geospatial intelligence represent one of our Institute’s core areas of expertise,” said John P. Wilson, Ph.D., professor and founding director, USC Spatial Sciences Institute. “We value the accreditation and other resources provided by the USGIF as we prepare undergraduate and graduate students to be ‘work-force ready’ in human security and geospatial intelligence careers.”

The HSGI program is taught by world-renowned USC faculty, including experienced GEOINT practitioners, U.S. military veterans and widely published researchers. The program provides a valuable framework for graduate-level leadership and planning on future GEOINT work while building technical proficiency in the latest tools, software and methods used for human security.

“We are pleased to have our M.S. in HSGI recognized by USGIF as a certified GEOINT program,” said COL [R] Steven D. Fleming, Ph.D., professor of the practice of spatial sciences. “This ‘stamp of approval’ demonstrates the rigor of our curriculum design. Aspiring GEOINT professionals will benefit not only from the education received from SSI, but also from the recognition of USGIF upon the successful conferral of their degrees.”

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