UW offers degrees and certification in a budding field

The University of Wyoming will offer new degree and certificate programs to meet changing student demands and workforce needs, following action by the UW Board of Trustees.

According to a UW press release, on June 10, the board voted to approve two new interdisciplinary degree programs and five certificate programs in geospatial information science and technology. The newly established programs will help meet the needs of Wyoming and regional economies by producing graduates who can work in a variety of fields, including science, education, government and business.

During an appearance on Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse,  University of Wyoming director of institutional communications Chad Baldwin said the degrees are preparing students for the future needs of many industries.

Students may begin enrolling in the programs this fall. Applications for graduate credentials will be accepted starting July 1.  For more information, go to www.uwyo.edu/wygisc/academics/.

The new programs include two undergraduate certificates, one in geographic information science and one in remote sensing; three online graduate certificates, in geospatial information science, remote sensing and unmanned aerials systems (drones); and a Master of Science degree in geospatial information science and technology (online with no thesis required). In addition, a Bachelor of Science degree in GIST will be launched in fall 2022.

“Geospatial science answers place-based questions that can be asked across disciplines, from economics to ecology, anthropology to zoology,” WyGISC’s GIST Program Director Ken Driese said. “This field includes GIS, GPS, remote sensing and unmanned aerial systems, or drones, and it is growing rapidly.”

The offerings will be coordinated by the Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center.

“Over the last three years, we’ve engaged with both government and industry in the state and region to design a set of credentials that will meet the workforce needs and demands associated with geospatial data skills and competencies in a wide range of employment sectors,” WyGISC Director Jeff Hamerlinck said.

WyGISC was established in 1996 as an interdisciplinary research center focused on development of geospatial information and technologies and their applications in science, education, government and business. In December 2017, the Provost’s Spatial Sciences Initiative Task Force recommended that WyGISC lead the development of a cross-college interdisciplinary GIST program to deliver undergraduate, graduate and professional GIST curricula.

Nationwide, GIST undergraduate degrees are among the most employable and in-demand degrees, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A recent study of employers in the Rocky Mountain region found that nearly 75 percent anticipated growth in GIST-related activities in the next five years.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported that employment for GIST professionals is expected to grow 19 percent from 2016-2026, faster than average growth (7.5 percent) in other occupations.