地理信息系统(Geographic information system)专业解析

　　地理信息系统(Geographic information system)

　　【专业介绍】

　　地理信息系统 (GIS, Geographic Information System)，又称"地理信息科学" (Geographic Information Science)，是一种具有信息系统空间专业形式的数据管理系统，所以GIS属于信息系统的一类，不同在于它能运作和处理地理参照数据。它是一门综合性学科，已经广泛的应用在各个领域，利用计算机硬件、软件系统，对整个或部分地球表层(包括大气层)空间中的有关地理分布数据进行采集、储存、管理、运算、分析、显示和描述的技术系统。该专业的就业方向：不仅在毕业后可以选择在科研机构或高校从事相关的科研或教学工作，而且可以在城市、区域、资源、环境、交通、人口、住房、 土地、基础设施以及规划管理等领域从事相关的应用研究、技术开发、生产管理和行政管理等工作，就业前景十分广泛。就业的单位诸如：国家地理信息中心、国家 测绘局、国土资源部、国际著名地理信息软件公司ESRI (www.esrichina.com.cn) 等。

　　【研究方向】

　　美国大学一般将GIS硕士课程开设在地理系。美国GIS专业主要开设了以下19个研究方向，分别是：空间数据库的准确性研究;空间关系语言研究;空间数据的多种表达方式研究;地理信息的使用和价值研究;海量空间数据库的结构体系研究;空间决策支持系统;空间信息的可视化研究;地图制图的规范化研究;地理信息数据共享的研究;GIS中时空关系的研究;遥感和GIS的集成研究;GIS的用户接口研究;GIS和空间分析研究;GIS在全球变化中的作用研究;法律、信息政策和空间数据库关系研究;通过协作形成空间决策系统的研究;在社会背景中，如何在 GIS中表达人、空间与环境的研究;地理信息系统的互操作研究;地理世界的规范化模式研究等。

　　【地理信息系统核心课程】

　　GIS Algorithms and Data Structures

　　Cartography and Geographic Visualization

　　GIS Data Analysis

　　Cognitive Geography and Geographical Cognition

　　Database Design for Geographic Information Systems

　　Programming in Geographic Information Science

　　Advanced Research Methods in Geography

　　【专业院校推荐】

　　因为有NCGIA的存在，即美国国家地理信息分析中心 (National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis), 它成立于1988年，由三所成员大学组成：加州大学圣巴巴拉分校(The University of California, Santa Barbara); 纽约州立大学水牛城分校(the State University of New York at Buffalo); 以及缅因大学 (the University of Maine)。上述三所大学在GIS领域是名符其实的大牛学校，研究设备比较完善，师资力量也是非常强劲，因此在每年的申请中竞争都是相对比较激烈的。

　　NCGIA官网：http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/

　　以下剖析三所牛校：

　　1. University of California--Santa Barbara, UCSB (加州大学圣巴巴拉分校)

　　地理方面的传统牛校，虽然建系时间只有30多年，但是用了不到20年的时间就做到了世界一流，特别在GIS和遥感方面。许多GIS和RS界的大师都出自于UCSB地理系，例如美国国家科学院地理信息科学院士、UCSB地理系教授(已退休)Michael F. Goodchild。鉴于此，该校的申请难度非常之高!该校拥有全美研究水平最高、实验室最多、研究方向最全的地理系，俗称GIS小哈佛，曾多次被美国国家研究理事会 (NRC) 评为最优秀 (前3) 的地理系之一。该校竞争非常激烈，非常难申请。加州大学圣塔芭芭拉分校GIS专业方向比较广，但大多侧重于应用方面，用GIS解决一些实际的问题，不过相较缅因大学，对数学和计算机不会太深入。

　　UCSB本科阶段提供GIS专业;研究生阶段方向涉及(Research specialization)： Earth System Science (atmospheric, hydrologic, oceanic, and terrestrial systems and their interactions)、Human geography (1. human spatial behavior, spatial decision making, and decision support, 2. urban and regional modeling, planning, and policy, 3. human movement and transportation systems, 4. migration, networks, and health, 5. resource and environmental management, 6. environmental ethics, and 7. human response to the changing environment)、Modeling, measurement and computation (numerical modeling, spatial statistics, time series analysis, remote sensing, computational modeling, and database systems, including GIS and visualization)。

　　Admission Requirements:

　　· Statement of Purpose, Personal Achievements/Contributions, and Resume or CV (submitted in the online application)

　　· Three Letters of Recommendation (submitted online)

　　· Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (submitted online)

　　· GRE General test scores

　　· TOEFL scores 550 Paper-Based Test (PBT), 80 Internet-Based Test (IBT) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Overall Band score of 7 or higher (if applicable)

　　· Final/Official transcripts will be required for all applicants who are admitted and have indicated their intent to enroll at UC Santa Barbara by submitting a Statement of Intent to Register (SIR). UC Santa Barbara reserves the right to require official transcripts at any time during the admissions process, and rescind any offer of admission made if discrepancies between uploaded and official transcript(s) are found.

　　http://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/departments/view/23/

　　2. University at Buffalo, SUNY (纽约州立大学水牛城分校)

　　该校是传统GIS专业的顶级名校，地理系做GIS专业方向的人很多，包括中国faculty BianLing。水牛城的地理系还是中国人聚集的地方，有好几位做GIS的中国教授，硕士申请难度较小，但博士奖学金很难申请到。

　　研究生阶段：

　　(1) Geographic Information Science (Advanced Certificate)--College of Arts and Sciences

　　Geographers have an ongoing concern with the acquisition, manipulation, and display of spatial data. The widespread adoption of computers and the advent of global position systems, satellite-based remote sensing, and virtual reality systems have revolutionized geography and placed it at the cutting edge. Geographic information science seeks to redefine concepts for their use in the digital age, while geographic information systems (GIS) employs powerful technologies to analyze, visualize, and display spatial patterns.

　　申请者需要修读18个学分，1年完成证书课程

　　http://grad.buffalo.edu/content/www/graduate/Academics/academic_programs/program-profile.html?id=4DQ0URE4Y°=AdvancedCertificate

　　(2) Geological Sciences (MA、MS)--College of Arts and Sciences

　　The Department of Geological Sciences focuses on advancing our understanding of Earth and on applying that knowledge to problems of societal importance. Our faculty members apply interdisciplinary approaches to four main themes: climate change, environmental research, evolution and ecology, and volcanology. Graduate studies are aimed at preparing students for careers in the private sector, government research organizations, and in academia. Students receive specialized training in their selected focus areas but also are exposed to the full breadth of the Department's expertise in order to provide balance and career flexibility.

　　申请者需要修读30个学分，2年完成学位课程

　　http://grad.buffalo.edu/content/www/graduate/Academics/academic_programs/program-profile.html?id=RWH0UZZKS°=MA

　　3. The University of Maine (缅因大学)

　　NCGIA三校之一,GIS专业主要侧重计算机、工程方面，做空间-时态模型，空间认知等。如果要在GIS专业领域大有作为，又对纯粹的数学和计算机领域感兴趣的话，可以考虑一下该校。该校有一个图象处理实验室。

　　研究生专业: School of Computing and Information Science

　　(1) Spatial Information Science & Engineering (MS)

　　Spatial technologies are changing relations among citizen and between each of us and our

　　surrounding physical environments. The expanding use of mobile, spatial, and context-aware

　　technologies, the building of interoperable coordinated information infrastructures and

　　pervasive sensor-networks, the use of location as the foundation for many current and future

　　business and scientific information systems, and the widespread enablement of individuals to

　　gather their own spatial data, report it to others and generate their own spatial resources are

　　changing the way we live and communicate. The information technology sector will continue to

　　grow and evolve over the years ahead. Those students with advanced degrees in Spatial

　　Information Science and Engineering will help advance innovations and economic growth to

　　make a positive difference in the lives of people.

　　(2) Geographic Information Systems (Graduate Certificate)

　　课程设置参考：

　　Courses involving GIS, GPS or closely related location, tracking or mapping technologies

　　Course NumberCourse TitleLocation technologies or software learned or used by studentsCourses already taught by distance methods or readily could be so taught.

　　ERS 230Geomatics for Earth SciencesGNSS; GIS, remote sensing

　　ERS350Freshwater FlowsGoogle Earth, Web Soil Survey

　　ERS588Freshwater Flows – graduate w/independent projectArcGIS

　　INT 527Integration of GIS and Remote Sensing in Natural Resources ApplicationsERDAS Imagine, ArcMap

　　SFR 205Forest MeasurementsMapInfo

　　SFR208Geomatics GPS and Coordinate GeometryTrimble Pathfinder office, Trimble terrasync & MapInfo

　　SFR211Introduction to Forest Operations PlanningSoftree – Road EngGarmin GPS

　　SFR300Field Practice in Forest ResourcesGarmin GPS

　　SFR400Applied Geographic Information SystemsArcGis, MapInfo, Global Mapper, Trimble Pathfinder, Trimble terrasync, DNR Garmin

　　SFR 402Advanced Forest MeasurementsArcGIS

　　SFR 406Remote Sensing Image Interpretation & Forest MappingNutting 254

　　SFR 609Remote Sensing Special ProblemsNutting 254

　　SIE 510GIS applicationsArcGIS

　　SIE 512Spatial AnalysisR, Geoda

　　SIE 515Human-Computer InteractionGPS tracking, design and visualization of maps for navigation

　　SIE 516Virtual Reality: Research and Applications3D modeling and rendering using Unity 3D suite, spatial interactions of 3D objects in VR, tracking of humans/objects in virtual worlds

　　SMS 540Satellite OceanographyTerascan, MATLAB

　　SVT 331PhotogrammetryGPS, remote sensing

　　SVT 352Practical Field OperationsGIS, GPS, remote sensing

　　SVT 437Practical GPSGIS, GPS

　　SVT 490Surveying CapstoneGIS, GPS

　　SVT 501Advanced Adjustment ComputationsGPS, Remote Sensing

　　SVT 511Geodetic Computations in the U.S. Public Land Survey SystemGIS, GPS

　　SVT 531Advanced Digital PhotogrammetryGIS, GPS, Remote Sensing

　　SVT 532Survey Strategies in the Use of LidarGIS, GPS, Remote Sensing

　　https://spatial.umaine.edu/applied-gis-courses-and-projects/

　　除了上述三大牛校外，如下推荐几所大学：

　　UC San Diego

　　University of Wisconsin-Madison

　　University of Illinois—Urbana – Champaign(UIUC)

　　University of Minnesota--Twin Cities

　　University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill

　　总的来说，这个专业的申请目前还不是特别热门，只要有对应的专业背景，不错的GPA以及具有竞争力的托福/雅思、GRE成绩，相对丰富的课外活动经历，还是比较容易申请到这方面名校的!期待更多小伙伴选择这个颇具潜力的专业。