Innovation in action has been North Carolina Sate University’s (NCSU) motto. Founded in 1887 as a land-grant college, it has come a long way, stretching the frontiers of science and technology and their applications in the process. It provides good opportunities for anyone interested in geoinformation science for it offers not only specialised GIS courses but has also integrated it with other related disciplines. Over 30 departments in the university are currently active in varying applications of spatial analysis within their respective fields. Eight of its 12 colleges offer courses in GIS. Its academic efforts include the first officially sanctioned Graduate School Certificate, establishment of a truly multi-disciplinary Graduate GIS faculty and the leading library GIS programme in the US. The popularity of its GIS courses can be gauged from the fact that enrollment has swelled to 100 plus students per semester in its introductory courses. In the field of research, it runs a wide range of projects in GIS –all funded by federal, state and local government programmes as well as private foundations. It sponsors a variety of GIS outreach programmes as well.

Coming to the specifics, NCSU offers a variety of courses in geo information science from graduate degree programmes to certificate courses. The Geographic Research and Teaching programme specializes in the application of GIS technologies to natural resource management problems. It is housed within the College of Natural Resources and attached to the Center for Earth Observation.

Master’s degree programmes
The graduate education programme in geographic information science is focussed on resource management and modelling with emphasis on the application of spatial technologies to natural resource management problems. Students are given hands-on experience with geographic information systems, remote sensing and global positioning systems technologies. The programme is administered primarily by the College of Natural Resources and graduates are trained as natural resources managers with special expertise in spatial analysis.

• The non-thesis Master of Natural Resources (MNR) degree provides students with the necessary technical and managerial skills for resource management careers in federal or state land management agencies, regional planning authorities or private consulting firms.

• The Master of Science in Natural Resources (MSNR) degree requires the completion of a thesis and provides science and research skills for students interested in applied research or who want to pursue a Ph.D degree.

Both the programmes have the flexibility to allow students to design courses of study suited to their particular interests. Students who enter the programme without an undergraduate degree in a natural resources field will have to complete at least 12 semester hours of advisor-approved natural resources courses. Elementary programming ability in a computer language such as Visual Basic, C++ etc is all that is required to enroll in these courses. Students without even these skills will have to take courses to develop them during the first year in the programme. Graduate students may obtain a recognised minor academic credential in geographic information systems or environmental remote sensing and image analysis in conjunction with their major programme of graduate study.

Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems
The Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems provides degree seeking and non-degree seeking graduate students the opportunity to develop a recognised academic credential and advanced expertise in GIS.