Geographic Information Science (GIS) is changing the way we make decisions by connecting information to location. GIS includes a wide range of techniques for collecting, managing, analyzing and presenting spatial information. GIS has been an integral part of decision making not only in government, environment and natural resources but also in engineering, utilities, academics, military intelligence, emergency and public safety, agriculture and soils, transportation and navigation, surveying, engineering and construction, mining and oil, health and epidemiology, archaeology and history.
Broadly speaking, GIS jobs fall under four categories:
- GIS technicians who create spatial data
- Cartographers who interpret the data to produce maps
- GIS specialists/analysts who analyze the data
- GIS managers who coordinate projects and stakeholders.
With the theoretical knowledge and hands on experience of spatial data and analysis techniques, GIS graduates are qualified for any field that uses geospatial data.