GIS in Higher Education

Are doctorates or PhD's in GIS readily accessible in the United States? What are some possible reasons why or why not?

In the research done so far, there seems to be a roadblock between K-12 education and higher education. In K-12 education, schools and their administrators have taken the next step in preparing their students technologically for post-secondary education.

"GIS benefits organizations of all sizes and in almost every industry." (Pandey et al., 2013).

Potential barriers

• There is no pathway that supports students in pursuing career or educational interests in GIS after post-secondary education.

"However, the energy necessary to coordinate and create ambitious and very broad curricula, while accommodating increasingly diverse audiences, was unsustainable.” (Sinton & Kerski, 2020) 

• Doctoral and PhD programs are used to enhance an area of study.

"GIS systems are used in cartography, remote sensing, land surveying, public utility management, natural resource management, photogrammetric, geography, urban planning, emergency management, navigation, aerial video, and localized search engines." (Sinton & Kerski, 2020)

• Geographic Information Systems is still only seen as a tool to support an area of study.

Professor Insight

Dr. Pinde Fu: Received a PhD in GIS in Landscape Ecology

"...GIS itself is purely technical and needs to be associated with some applications." (P. Fu, personal communication, May 8, 2023

What the data shows is that there might not be a definitive answer to the research question. There are several variables that point to why only 5 schools in the US offer PhD's in GIS. For example, what was found that these schools happen to be located in areas where high demand for GIS Analysts are located. Another variable considered is surrounding population. 4 out of the 5 schools are found in counties that are ranked the highest in population for their designated state. Again, the data does not suggest a definitive answer, but perhaps food for thought.

School locations and Ph.D title

Demand for GIS Analysts in the USA

School by County Population

Referring back to the research question which states, "Are doctorates or PhD's in GIS readily accessible in the United States? What are some possible reasons why or why not?" With the gathered data, I can say no. Doctorates and PhDs in GIS are not readily available. While there isn't a definitive answer, I can say they are not available due to the lack of demand for the area of study. In addition, much of the research supports the idea that GIS in merely a tool used to support a more specific concentration of study. If I would have asked "Are GIS degrees in higher education readily accessible in the United States?" I could respond yes. The lack of doctoral or PhD programs does not dictate or take away that there are plenty of efforts to integrate GIS in a higher educational setting. The pathway is set, and the number of certificates, bachelor's, and even master's degrees in GIS is not to be overlooked.

1. We don't know what the demand for this tool will look like in the future. While right now, the demand for GIS Specialists/Analysts is up-and coming, but perhaps the need for this could plummet or skyrocket. Although, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting almost 30% growth in the field between 2020 and 2024. The future is promising!
2. The research area is very small, and the research topic is specific.
3. This is only surface level research, and if my research question was answered completely, I would need to conduct more in-depth research.

Why pursue a doctorate or PhD in GIS?

In retrospect, who would this benefit? As a geography, environmental studies, criminal justice, or someone studying to become a teacher, why would someone feel the need to pursue a PhD in GIS?

Goals: "The educational goal of the program is to provide a Ph.D. in Geography through which students will be educated in the process of geographic research, the development of new knowledge, and the application of this research and knowledge to solve problems with spatial dimensions." (Texas State University, n.d.)

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Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). The Stats: Occupations in Geography by the Numbers. American Association of Geographers.  Jobs & Careers - AAG 

Dempsey, C. (2022, April 17). GIS Job Definitions. GIS Lounge.  GIS Job Definitions - GIS Lounge 

ESRI. (Fall 2022). Master a Career in a Growing Field.   uorpromo.pdf (esri.com)  

GIS Analyst Salary by Experience and Location. (2023, February 23). Simplilearn. Retrieved May 9, 2023 from  GIS Analyst Salary by Experience and Location | Simplilearn  

Hall-Beyer, M. (2019). “The Map Is Not the Territory”: Adding Value to Technical GIS Education. GIScience Teaching and Learning Perspectives. 63-79.  https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-06058-9_5   

Hill, J., Walkington, H., & France D. (2016). Graduate Attributes: Implication for Higher Education Practice and Policy. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 40(2), 155-163.   https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2016.1154932  

Kawabata, M., Thapa, R. B., Oguchi, T., & Tsou, M.-H. (2010). Multidisciplinary Cooperation in GIS Education: A Case Study of US Colleges and Universities. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 34(4), 493–509.   https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2010.486896  

Kerski, J. J., Demirci, A., & Milson, A. J. (2013). The Global Landscape of GIS in Secondary Education. Journal of Geography, 112(6), 232-247.   https://doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2013.801506  

K–12 Education Online maps for primary and secondary schools: GIS for instruction and school administration. (n.d.). ESRI.  GIS for Schools | Online Maps for Classrooms & Administration (esri.com)  

Maguire, D. J. (n.d.). An overview and definition of GIS - Universidad Nacional del Sur. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from  http://lidecc.cs.uns.edu.ar/~nbb/ccm/downloads/Literatura/OVERVIEW%20AND%20DEFINITION%20OF%20GIS.pdf 

March, G., & Scarletto, E. (2017). The Evolution of GIS Services Within North America Academic Libraries: documenting Change Through the Decades (1995-2016). Journal of Map & Geography Libraries, 13(2), 222-245.  https://doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2017.1313803 

Matthews, A. J., & Wikle, T. A. (2019). GIS&T Pedagogies and Instructional Challenges in Higher Education: A Survey of Educators. Transactions in GIS, 23(5), 892-907.  https://doi-org.libproxy.lib.csusb.edu/10.1111/tgis.12534 

Oda, H., Herman, T., & Hasan, A. (2020). Properties and Impacts of TPACK-Based GIS Professional Development for In-Service Teachers. International Research in Geographical & Environmental Education, 29(1), 40-54.   https://doi-org.libproxy.lib.csusb.edu/10.1080/10382046.2019.1657675  

Pandey, D., Shukla, A. K., & Shukla, A. (2013). GIS: Scope and Benefits. International Conference on Advances in Engineering & Technology. 60-65.  (PDF) GIS: Scope and Benefits (researchgate.net)  

Scaramozzino, J., White, R., Essic, J., Fullington, L. A., Mistry, H., Henley, A., & Olivares, M. (2014). Map Room to Data and GIS Services: Five University Libraries Evolving to Meet Campus Needs and Changing Technologies. Journal of Map 7 Geography Libraries, 10(1), 6-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/15420353.2014.893943

Study Portals: Bachelors. (n.d.) Retrieved March 10, 2023, from  336 Bachelor's degrees in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in United States - Bachelorsportal 

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USC. (2023, February 20). 4 Reasons GIS Careers May be the Best Careers. USCDornsife: Spatial Science Institute.  4 Reasons GIS Careers Are the Best Careers - USC GIS Online  

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