2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Jun 27, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Geographic Information Science, MS

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Overview

The Master of Science program in Geographic Information Science (MSGIS) prepares students to become professionals in careers where they apply the world’s most advanced computer mapping and spatial analysis technologies to address crucial issues concerning socioeconomic development and environment.

A collaborative program between the Department of Sustainability and Social Justice (SSJ), the Graduate School of Geography and Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics (Clark CGA), the MSGIS program is unique is a variety of ways. It focuses specifically on applications of geospatial technologies to problems of sustainable development and the environment, such as: conservation, land use / land cover change, public health and environmental justice, food security, humanitarian assistance and agricultural development, global change and Earth system monitoring, and climate change adaptation.

Clark University also has a 30+ year history of software development for GIS and remote sensing. Clark Labs (www.clarklabs.org) produces the TerrSet geospatial monitoring and modeling system that includes the IDRISI GIS and Image Processing System, the Land Change Modeler, the Earth Trends Modeler, the Habitat and Biodiversity Modeler, the Ecosystem Services Modeler, and the Climate Change Adaptation Modeler. The software has been distributed to over 100,000 users worldwide. Therefore, MSGIS students have a unique opportunity to learn the analytical power of raster GIS using TerrSet/IDRISI in their course work and research. In the past, many MSGIS students have had the opportunity to work at Clark CGA as software testers, programmers or researchers, depending on each student’s qualifications and the needs of the Clark CGA.

Numerous opportunities exist for students to conduct collaborative research with SSJ and Geography faculty as they pursue their research on issues such as conservation GIS, public health, water resources, land use change, the drivers and impacts of agricultural change, software system development, environmental degradation, and environmental justice. Many MSGIS students have co-published findings of their research with faculty members in respected journals in the field.

Course of Study

Clark University offers the Master of Science degree in Geographic Information Science, giving students the option of two tracks:

1. Research Track

2. Internship Track

The research track (12 graduate course units) is suitable for students who intend to eventually pursue a Ph.D. degree, or who envision working for an organization in a research capacity. The research track requires two units specifically focused on their research and a conference presentation. In addition, students on the research track typically spend the summer following their second semester working on their research.

The internship track (10 graduate course units) is designed for students who wish to gain practical experience working with an organization that uses GIS and remote sensing and who plan to spend a career in applied GIS. This track requires the completion of an approved internship during the summer after the second semester, followed by a report and presentation during the third semester.

Students can choose courses that align with three areas of study: GIS for Development and Environment, Conservation Applications, and Environmental Remote Sensing.

Tracks

Students are encouraged to select the option that best suits their anticipated professional aspirations.

Research Track (12 graduate course units)

For this option, the student develops a preliminary research proposal as part of SSJ 391. This proposal may be refined in the second semester and must be signed by the selected research advisor (also known as the first reader). This final proposal must be handed in to the MSGIS program coordinator by the end of the second semester. The research is then performed under the guidance of the research advisor in the summer and following academic year. Students must register for 1.0 unit for either GEOG 399 with their research advisor in the third and in the fourth semesters. This final research project results in a paper that has a length and format appropriate for a professional peer-reviewed journal article. The format for the MS paper is available on SSJ 391’s Canvas page. Students are also required to make a presentation about their research at a conference (e.g., AAG; NEArc; Clark Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Conference, etc.) This option is appropriate for students who want to engage in the creation of new methods in GIS or innovative applications of existing GIS methods. This option is recommended for students who envision working in a research setting or who may wish to eventually pursue a Ph.D.

Internship Track (10 graduate course units)

For this option, the student applies to GIS or remote sensing-focused internships as part of SSJ 391. Students must complete an Internship Proposal form (included in this Handbook) and obtain approval from their academic advisor who will serve as student’s internship advisor. The student will perform the internship during the summer, and write an internship report in early fall (report guidelines included in this Handbook). Students should send this report to their academic advisor for approval. Approval of the Internship report by the academic advisor is a graduation requirement. Students are also required to make a presentation about their internship during GIS Week (third week in November).

Required Courses - Research Track

GEOG 347 - Intermediate Quantitative Methods in Geography
GEOG 397 - Advanced Raster GIS
SSJ 388 - Advanced Vector GIS
SSJ 391 - M.S. GIS Professional Seminar Credits / Units: 0.5
SSJ 30213 - Master’s Final Research Paper Taken in each semester of year 2

Electives - Research Track

Required Courses - Internship Track

Electives - Internship Track

Faculty

Hamed Alemohammad, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Geography
Director, Clark Center for Geospatial Analytics
Research interests: Geospatial Analytics, machine learning, remote sensing, synthetic aperture radar

Yelena Ogneva-Himmelberger, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of SSJ
Research interests: Health applications of GIS; environmental justice and GIS; social applications of GIS; spatial statistics; open source GIS

Lyndon Estes, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Geography
Research interests: Agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa, Conservation, Remote Sensing, Agricultural modeling, Open source software development with an emphasis on R

Robert Gilmore Pontius Jr., Ph.D.

Professor of Geography
Research interests: Geographic Information Science, quantitative environmental modeling, land change science, spatial statistics

John Rogan, Ph.D.

Coordinator, MSGIS Program
Professor of Geography
Research interests: GIS, Remote Sensing, Landscape Ecology, land cover change monitoring, fire ecology

Florencia Sangermano, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Geography
Research interests: Conservation Biology, GIS, Remote Sensing and Landscape Ecology