There’s good reason the experience of earning a Master of Science in Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) has been referred to as “GIS boot camp,” according to Mark Kumler, a professor in the program.
“The students develop or polish many different skills, not just GIS. They deal with difficult clients, buggy software, all-night sessions writing Python code and tour groups peering into their classrooms five times a day,” he said of the intensive one-year program focusing on theory and analysis, technology and practical application. “The students work hard for 11 solid months, including some of the hardest classes in the summer.” Fifteen students from Singapore, India, New York, Missouri and Southern California recently completed their studies and gathered on Aug. 12 for the program’s 26th valediction in the Orton Center.
