Geospatial Science & Engineering - Geography

The Geospatial Science and Engineering (GSE) Ph.D. is an interdisciplinary program that combines advanced coursework with cutting-edge research to advance the field of geospatial sciences. The focus is on transforming geospatial data into relevant information through acquisition, processing, characterization, analysis, and modeling in order to understand geographic patterns, processes, and relationships at scales ranging from landscapes to the globe. To achieve these aims, the geospatial sciences integrate the geographic disciplines of cartography, geodesy, geographic information systems, and remote sensing with elements of mathematics, statistics, the natural sciences, the social sciences, and engineering. The resulting array of geospatial concepts, methods, technologies, and datasets are used to address a wide range of pertinent questions about the functioning of the biosphere and its implications for sustainability of natural resources, agricultural productivity, biodiversity, environmental quality, and human welfare in a rapidly-changing world.

Current faculty research interests include quantitative remote sensing, land cover and land use change, political geography/ecology, geographic information sciences, sustainability, wetland ecology, climate change, and fire science as well as applications of geospatial technologies in agriculture, meteorology, natural resource management, and other fields. The program seeks highly motivated students with strong backgrounds in the geospatial sciences or a closely-related field to complement these efforts.

• Have an undergraduate or master's degree in geography, or related field
• Have a genuine curiosity about the world
• Enjoy both the hard sciences and social sciences
• Like working with technology
• Are a problem solver and analytical thinker

• A minimum GPA of 3.0 to receive unconditional admission. 
• A professional academic transcript evaluation for degrees earned outside the United States (This requirement cannot be waived unless your highest degree was earned or will be earned in the U.S. prior to enrollment at SDSU).
  • If you are completing your bachelor's degree at the time of application, you may submit an incomplete evaluation. If you are accepted, a complete transcript and/or evaluation with completed degree will be required by the end of your first semester of coursework.
• Official U.S. transcripts where a degree is earned (or will be earned), and official U.S. transcripts where graduate level coursework has been taken.
• A minimum TOEFL score of 71, TOEFL Essentials score of 7.5, IELTS score of 6 or Duolingo score of 100.
  • SDSU accepts MyBest TOFEL scores. 
  • Some programs have higher minimum requirements. Find program specific requirements by selecting your program of interest in the Graduate Catalog.

• Professor/teacher
• Remote sensing specialist
• GIS specialist
• Emergency management
• Federal employee