Master of Science in Geo-Information Science

MS in Geo-Information Science Program Overview

The MS in Geo-Information Science program at ��ֱ�� is one of the preeminent geo-information science programs in Massachusetts and New England. Established in 1993, it was the first master’s program in GIS in the United States and continues to be a leader in training GIS professionals.

Salem State's graduate GIS program offers students opportunities to develop skills in a broad array of leading geospatial software applications and technologies that are integral to the acquisition, analysis and visualization of spatial data. Anyone working with geographic or geospatial data (data linked to some location on the earth) may integrate GIS into their operations. Today, GIS plays a key role in many different occupations, including the earth sciences, computer science, intelligence, criminal justice, social science, public health, business analytics, and natural resource management. A wide array of public, private and non-profit organizations use geo-spatial technologies.

Students matriculate through a 30-32 hour program that has a thesis or a non-thesis option. Throughout their coursework students work closely with dedicated faculty in small classroom settings and are exposed to applied spatial problems generated from ongoing research initiatives centered at the University’s Digital Geography Laboratory (DGL) and the Center for Economic Development and Sustainability (CEDS).

Program highlights

Hands-on training in leading GIS and remote sensing software packages and scripting languages, including ArcGIS, ERDAS, IDRISI, MapInfo, Python, R, PostgreSQL, JavaScript, as well as other open source programs for spatial databases and web mapping
Use of the ��ֱ��’s Digital Geography Laboratory (DGL), a state-of-the-art 37-seat facility for GIS education and geospatial data collection, analysis, and display
Evening courses, designed for working professionals
Graduate assistantships and financial aid available
Graduate certificate in GIS is also available (credits earned applied toward the GIS master's degree)
Continuously rolling admission

Peter Wamburu ‘21G

Development and Operations Engineer, Trimble Inc.

If you are looking to unlock your potential as a spatial critical thinker, SSU Geography is the place to be. With a state of the art digital geography lab and specialized GIS software and hardware, it is the perfect place for a graduate research student.
Jeanette Miranda ‘24G

Current GIS Graduate Student

GIS complements my degree in Geography and my goal is to help mitigate the effects of climate change. Being a first generation student navigating college by yourself is daunting, but this program and professors have been nothing but understanding and helpful! They truly want their students to succeed.
Jill Carr ‘21G

Coastal Data Scientist, MassBays Nat'l Estuary Partnership

Being at the forefront of using drones for coastal mapping was exciting, and having an enthusiastic advisor helped me to persist through the challenges that come with using novel equipment and analytical tools.

Geospatial careers are among the fastest‐growing in the U.S. and world today, and geospatial jobs are currently available in every industry (American Association of Geographers. 2012. “The Geospatial Job Market”). Geospatial technology is considered to be a high-growth industry by the U.S. Department of Labor and geospatial professions (e.g. geospatial or remote sensing information scientists and technologists, GIS technicians, cartographers and photogrammetrists), are classified by the U.S. Department of Labor as “Bright Outlook” occupations. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in these professions are projected to grow faster than average through 2024 (US Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook 2015).

According to the , workers with a master’s degree earned 20% more on average than their counterparts with only a bachelor’s degree. US News and World Reports has shown that entry level jobs today and virtually all senior management and senior professional positions now require a master's degree. The Master of Science in Geo-Information Science degree offers opportunities to learn the skills needed in the spatial information technology workforce. The Graduate Certificate provides a way for professionals to sharpen their skills while drawing on the resources and knowledge of academic professionals.

Recent GIS Graduate Positions

Recent graduates of our program can be found in all of the following occupations, along with many others:

Geospatial Applications Engineer, KEYW Corporation
GIS Manager, GoodPointe Technology
GIS Analyst, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (hurricane modeling)
GIS Technician, Central Transportation Planning Staff, Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Geospatial Analyst, U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
GIS Manager, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
PhD student and Research Assistant, Center for Global Change & Earth Observations, Michigan State University
Staff member, NASA’s BOREAS Project
Distribution Analyst, Santander Bank
Technical Lead – Integrated Mapping Applications Portal, National Grid energy utility
Business & GIS Analyst, New Hampshire Department of Information Services
GIS Engineering Technician, NiSource energy utility
GIS Analyst, Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
Information Technologist, Complex Research Center, University of New Hampshire
GIS Coordinator, Town of Natick, Massachusetts
GIS specialist, Massachusetts Water Resource Authority

Have Questions?

Ready to learn more about this program? Contact program coordinator Marcos Luna.

To find out more about graduate school at Salem State, make an appointment with a graduate admissions counselor or register for an upcoming event.

Ready to Apply?

Your future is waiting. Take the next step by learning about program-specific admissions requirements and applying today!

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Master of Science in Geo-Information Science

Master of Science in Geo-Information Science