Geospatial Analysis
Analyze the Data. Map the Solutions.
Geospatial Analysis Minor
The geospatial analysis minor at D&E is designed to complement virtually any major, whether your primary field is environmental science, criminology, business, education, public health, or sustainability. The program is taught by faculty in the Biology, Environmental Science, and Sustainability Department within Eshleman Science Center, which houses a dedicated computer laboratory equipped with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing software.
You鈥檒l learn to work with ArcGIS software, Python scripting for GIS automation, satellite-based remote sensing, and advanced spatial data modeling. The Monongahela National Forest and surrounding natural areas 鈥� including Dolly Sods Wilderness, Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and Spruce Knob 鈥� serve as living laboratories where field data collection meets cutting-edge geospatial technology.
The program鈥檚 interdisciplinary reach is one of its greatest strengths. GIS is applied across fields in distinctive ways:
- Environmental Science 鈥� Combining disparate data models to design better solutions for managing, protecting, and preserving our environment
- Sustainability 鈥� Bridging sectors to integrate, manage, analyze, and visualize data on population growth, climate change, energy consumption, and natural resources
- Criminology 鈥� Conducting spatial analysis of crime locations, offender patterns, policing practices, and community corrections
- Business 鈥� Analyzing spatial data to improve marketing, logistics, and general management decision-making
- Education 鈥� Giving you the same high-demand tools used in professional careers to examine geographic questions across subject areas
- Public Health 鈥� Supporting targeted prevention and intervention by tracking immunizations, conducting health policy research, and mapping service areas
