Program Coordinator/Contact
Robert Watrel, Interim Department Head
Department of Geography
109 Wecota Hall
605-688-4511
E-mail: robert.watrel@sdstate.edu
Click here for additional information.
Program Information
The minor in Geographic Information Sciences allows students to gain hands-on experience with computerized Geographic Information System (GIS) that integrate hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information. GIS allows researchers to work with data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. With GIS’s capability to enhance geo-spatial data analysis, there is a demand for GIS trained college graduates by many local, state, and federal governmental agencies, including the US Geologic Survey.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the minor in Geographic Information Sciences, students will:
- acquire foundational and specialized knowledge in both the physical and human worlds and their interconnectedness at different scales;
- effectively communicate geographical ideas using common media from the discipline (submitted samples might include maps, oral presentations, text, photos, illustrations, flowcharts, tables, graphs, graphics);
- engage in applied learning, laboratory, and/or field experiences;
- demonstrate the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and synthesize information about people, places, and environments in a spatial-temporal context.
Academic Requirements
Students must earn at least a “C” in each course used to meet the minor requirements.
Course Delivery Format
The Geographic Information Sciences program includes lecture, discussion, laboratory research, fieldwork, and travel, with limited online coursework.
