Master’s in Geographic Information Science (GIS)

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Build your GIS career with leading technologies and top experts in the field.

The Clark University M.S. GIS is a natural extension of the university’s internationally recognized work at the frontiers of geospatial technology, remote sensing, mapping, and analytics.

Our program combines rigorous academics with real-world learning opportunities. Students apply what they learn in the classroom through engagements with communities, nonprofits, government, and the private sector.

Learn GIS programming skills for web mapping, automation, and advanced analytics from leaders in the field, in a top-three ranked GIS program in the United States.
Work closely with renowned faculty to advance the development of geospatial technology and analytics.
Access the latest technologies, including a dedicated workstation in the lab fully equipped with a range of GIS and remote sensing software.
Work hands-on, and gain valuable experience developing creative solutions to complex global challenges.

Address Global Challenges

When you study GIS at Clark, you’ll find that your fellow students and faculty share a desire to use GIS technology to create positive social change. This fosters a unique campus culture of academic-activists who share your values, and who are eager to develop skills to effect change on local, national, and global levels.

Our students work closely with faculty experts to research, assess, and apply innovative geospatial approaches to some of the most pressing societal challenges. Our work is at the leading edge of areas such as biodiversity conservation, land-use land-cover change, climate change, earth systems information science, forest ecology, environmental justice, food security and humanitarian assistance.

Two study options:

Practitioner Track: 10 units, 1.5 years to complete

Research Track: 12 units, 2 years to complete

Generous scholarships available:

90% of students receive scholarship support. No additional application is required.

STEM-Designated Program

International students who graduate with a STEM degree may be eligible to work in the U.S. for up to 36 months on Optional Practical Training (OPT).

The Clark M.S. GIS is an active collaboration among three areas of the university: the Graduate School of Geography, the Department of Sustainability and Social Justice (formerly IDCE), and the Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics (formerly Clark Labs), a leading developer of software-based geospatial solutions.

About the Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics (Clark CGA)

The TerrSet/IDRISI software was developed at Clark, and became one of the most widely used GIS systems in the world. Today, Clark CGA is pioneering new approaches to geospatial problem-solving by embracing cloud technologies and artificial intelligence (AI).

Skills and Experience for Career Success

Master the core concepts in GIS and remote sensing
Develop high-tech expertise that leads directly to a career
Integrate and synthesize diverse information sources
Apply GIS tools to real-world challenges
Code and develop software applications for GIS

In addition, graduates gain skills including project management, problem-solving, and communication — that prove invaluable in any number of industries.

Sample courses

Land change modelling
Advanced Vector GIS
Conservation GIS
Advanced Remote Sensing
Python Programming (basic and advanced)
Geospatial Modelling with R
Deep Learning for Earth Observation

Research Opportunities

GIS faculty have research interests that focus on biodiversity and conservation, land change modeling, forest monitoring and fire dynamics, software design and system development, decision science, health and community planning, international development, climate change adaptation, and food security applications.

Within this vibrant research community, there are many opportunities for students to become directly engaged in real-world issues for which geographic information science and its associated technologies are critical tools.

Our students have been selected as Switzer Environmental Fellows and summer fellows at NASA DEVELOP, and have won monetary awards for their research papers from the American Association of Geographers and the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association.

Sample Research Projects

Mapping agriculture in Africa, including developing innovative algorithms and logic that support continental-scale monitoring
Tracing the causes and consequences of forest disturbances such as fires and insect outbreaks
Monitoring and mapping mangroves and shrimp aquaculture on a global scale
Assessing the impact of ground-mounted solar panel development on ecosystem services in New England
Implementation of AI Foundation models for NASA’s remote sensing imagery
Assessing the impacts of ecosystem degradation on biodiversity

GIS Careers Around the World

GIS skills are critical in today’s professional world. Our graduates find success in fields such as urban and regional planning, emergency response, epidemiology, environmental planning, forestry, and conservation planning.

Clark GIS alumni pursue their passion in meaningful careers around the world:

Environmental groups
International NGOs
Software development companies
Government agencies, planning offices, and transportation departments
Advanced studies – 10% of graduates pursue a doctorate

Recent Student Career Outcomes

Center Lead – NASA DEVELOP Program
GIS Analyst – American Red Cross
Research Editor – National Geographic
Cartographer – Library of Congress
Program Officer – Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations

Center Lead – NASA DEVELOP Program
GIS Analyst – American Red Cross
Research Editor – National Geographic
Cartographer – Library of Congress
Program Officer – Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), United Nations

Clark’s GIS Program Prepared Sean McCartney ’15 for a Career at NASA

Sean McCartney ’15 is excited to go to work every single day. At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, he works among the largest collection of engineers and earth scientists on the planet. Sean consistently applies the fundamentals he learned during his two years in the M.S. in GIS program.

What prepared me for NASA was definitely the two years I spent in the GIS program at Clark. The fundamentals that I learned in geospatial technology and vector raster, and how to apply them, formed a very strong foundation for what I’m doing at NASA.
—Sean McCartney ’15

Relevant. Challenging. Transformative.

Faculty Research Areas

Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger

Professor

A Roadmap for a Healthier Future

Professor Ogneva-Himmelberger uses spatial analysis to address preterm births, asthma, heat-related mortality, health disparities, noise pollution, and more.

Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger

John Rogan

Professor

Where There’s Smoke

Professor Rogan specializes in landscape ecology, fire ecology, optical remote sensing, and GIScience. He recently researched fire and weather mapping in Mexico and insect mapping near Detroit, Michigan.

John Rogan

Florencia Sangermano

Associate Professor

Keeping an Eye on our Planet’s Well-being

Professor Sangermano researches geospatial analysis and satellite remote sensing to evaluate changes in the earth system, and to assess effects on ecosystems and biodiversity.

Florencia Sangermano

Robert Gilmore Pontius

Professor

Predicting Land Cover Change

Professor Pontius develops innovative means of predicting land cover change for effective planning, as well as the tools necessary to assess model skill.

Robert Pontius

Lyndon Estes

Associate Professor

Taking on the Issue of Food Security

Professor Estes develops and uses Earth Observation technologies to study the drivers and impacts of agricultural change, primarily in Africa.

Lyndon Estes

Hamed Alemohammad

Associate Professor

Advancing Geospatial Analytics

Professor Alemohammad combines GIS and remote sensing techniques with advanced AI and data analytics to better understand the changing Earth system.

Hamed Alemohammad