Spatial data is integrated in our everyday lives. From geotagging to geocaching to finding a place to enjoy some coffee, we are all integrated in a complex web of movement, place, and discovery. Spatial data science and technology is not a program about making maps–it's about asking relevant questions, harnessing data, and understanding the appropriate way to use it. It's not just about learning how to use software programs, but about how you can contribute to a new generation of digital technologies that represent a high-growth industry–one that is revolutionizing business, nonprofit, and government worlds alike. At the UO, faculty members use spatial technologies to focus on remote sensing of river systems, climate change analysis, web-mapping, cartography, spatial cognition, spatial decision-making, and social equity.
This major is very flexible with four required courses in geography and computer science, and then eight electives that students can focus in their areas of interest. Our courses focus on geographic information systems science, cartography, remote sensing, spatial analysis, and spatial modeling.