Geographic Information systems (GIS)
Administered by the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Management, analysis, and communication of natural resource phenomena require an understanding of spatial relationships. Spatial modeling, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and spatial databases have become an entire sub-discipline in resource management. This option provides students with a thorough background in the geographic information sciences and technology including GIS, GPS and remote sensing.
Job Opportunities
Students completing this option will be prepared for positions in a variety of federal agencies such as the USDA Forest Service, EPA, NOAA, or Corps of Engineers; with state agencies; with regional or local planning organizations; and with private consulting firms.
Faculty Contacts
- Ross Meentemeyer, ross_meentemeyer@ncsu.edu, 919-513-2372
- Stacy Nelson, stacy_nelson@ncsu.edu, 919-513-7162
- Josh Gray, jmgray2@ncsu.edu, 919-515-3437
- Leah Rathbun, lrathbu@ncsu.edu, 919-513-1248
Curriculum
Prerequisites
Students entering this technical option must meet the minimum requirements for admission to graduate studies in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources (http://cnr.ncsu.edu/fer/grad/future/).
Master of Natural Resources Core Curriculum (required)
| Course | Description | Credit Hours | |
| NR 500 | Natural Resource Management | 3 | |
| NR 571 | Current Issues in Natural Resource Policy | 3 | |
| ST 5** | A graduate level statistics course | 3 | |
| FOR 801 | FER Graduate Seminar (or equivalent seminar course) | 1 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 10 |
Technical Option Core Curriculum (required)
| Course | Description | Credit Hours | |
| GIS 510 | Fundamentals of Geographic Information Science and Technology |
3 | |
| GIS/MEA 582 or GIS 520 | Geospatial Modeling or Spatial Problem Solving |
3 | |
| FOR 803 | Research Methods in Forestry and Environmental Resources |
1 | |
| Total Credit Hours |
7 |
Additional Courses/ Requirements
NR 695 Master’s Thesis Research or NR 693 Master’s Supervised Research (up to 6 credit hours)
Additional courses as specified by the student’s advisory committee.
Students who do not have a background in natural resources or a related field may be required to take up to 12 credit hours of undergraduate course work that cannot be counted towards the MNR degree program.
Technical Option Electives
Select 9 credit hours from GIS courses not listed above, or from the list of GIS electives given for the GIS Graduate Certificate Program. There are over 20 courses from which to select your 9 credit hours of GIS or GIS-related topics.
Total Credit Hours: 30 – 36
Links/ Additional Information
- For more information on GIS programs at NCSU and examples of student projects, see the Geospatial Information Science and Technology website
- Master of Geospatial Information Science and Technology