Geographic Information Science for Development and Environment Course of Study

Prerequisite: Proficiency in general computer skills, including file management in MS Windows XP,  word processing (e.g., MS Word) and spreadsheet skills (e.g.,  MS Excel).

Master’s Degree Requirements

The Master’s degree in Geographic Information Science for Development and Environment requires 12 graduate course units. These consist of five required core courses and seven electives. At least one elective must be a skills course and at least one elective must be a policy course. The seven elective courses allow students flexibility to take courses that will best help them meet their objectives and strengthen areas on which they would like to focus. We encourage students to take advantage of the diversity of courses offered throughout Clark University, and consider enrolling in courses offered in the other programs in the Department of International Development, Community, and Environment, and in other departments (particularly geography, economics and biology) as approved by the student’s faculty advisor. The final requirement for a GISDE degree is the successful completion of a final M.A. project. This design allows full-time students to complete the program in either three or four semesters.

Required Core Courses (5)

1. IDCE 388 Advanced Vector GIS – builds upon the concepts of GIS introduced in Introduction to GIS, and focuses on the more advanced analytical vector GIS tools. Topics include exploratory spatial data analysis, spatial statistics, interpolation techniques, 3D data presentation and analysis, network analysis and multi-criteria decision making. Concepts in lectures are illustrated using the ArcGIS software. Final project is required.

2. IDCE 396 Advanced Raster GIS – builds on Introduction to GIS by delving deeper into raster GIS. Topics include time-series analysis, uncertainty assessment, multi-objective decision making, land-change modeling, and spatial statistics. Concepts in lectures are illustrated using the Idrisi software. Final project is required.

3. IDCE 371 Introduction to Remote Sensing – introduces basic concepts and analytical methods of satellite remote sensing as applied to environmental systems (e.g. land-cover classification, vegetation monitoring, etc) Emphasizes processing and analysis of digital satellite images, especially Landsat, SPOT, and AVHRR data, for classification of land cover, land-cove/land-use change analysis, and other geographic topics.
 
4. IDCE 391 GISDE Professional Seminar – this course requires students to complete research proposals or internship applications in the spring semester.

5. IDCE 30213 Master’s Final Research Requirement – this course involves collaboration with internship or research advisor to complete a final M.A. project. The grade designation for this credit will not be given until the student has completed and submitted their final M.A. project.

GISDE Skill Courses (a sampling, at least 1 required)

• IDCE 30220 Advanced Remote Sensing
• IDCE 30212 Introduction to Quantitative Methods
• IDCE 30261 Computer Programming for GIS
• IDCE 30262 Internet and Open Source GIS
• IDCE 324 Intermediate Quantitative Methods
• IDCE 349 Advanced Topics in Spatial Analysis
• IDCE 314 Research Proposal Writing in Geography

GISDE Policy Courses (a sampling, at least 1 required)

• IDCE 367 Quantitative Modeling
• IDCE 363 Decision Methods for Environmental Management
• IDCE 382 Management of Environmental Pollutants
• IDCE 343 Seminar in Human Dimensions of Global Change
• IDCE 30226 Biogeochemical Cycles and Global Change
• IDCE 30241 Environmental Toxicology
• IDCE 30202 Land Use Seminar
• IDCE 30214 Landscape Ecology
• IDCE 30205 Climate Change, Energy and Development
• IDCE 30218 Community-Development Decision Making and Negotiation
• IDCE 30217 Economic Fundamentals for International Development
• IDCE 30231 Humanitarian Assistances in Complex Emergencies
• IDCE 30277 Sustainable Consumption and Production

* Please view Clark’s official Academic Catalog for a complete listing of course offerings. Remember that each IDCE program offers flexibility so students can take classes across programs and within other departments at Clark University, including the Graduate School of Geography and the Graduate School of Management.

Final M.A. Project

Each GISDE student must complete a final M.A. project for which the student earns credit in either IDCE 393 or IDCE 394. If the final project is based on internship experience, the student will register for IDCE 293. If it is based on research, the student will register for IDCE 294.

All three final project options require an oral presentation and a written paper.
All four programs within IDCE offer three options for a final M.A. project, which is the culminating experience of an IDCE Masters degree. In IDSC the three options are: (1) a Research Paper, (2) a Practitioner Report, or (3) a Thesis. Students choose the option that is most compatible with their research and professional interests, and then develop these interests independently through the final project.