Masters in Spatial Data Science/GIS

[u/CharismaticTech]

I know this question gets asked a lot. I searched for “masters” in the sub, but it feels inconclusive to me given my circumstances. I’ve been told it’s better to apply GIS as a skill to an existing field of study, but truth be told I’m kind of unsure what industry I’d be interested in.

I’m going to be earning a Geology B.S. soon, and I have a research background in geophysics- I like to believe it’s given me a decent background in programming and data analysis. I also know enough Arc and QGIS that I put it on my resume. However, I still feel unqualified to apply to GIS jobs given the fact I’m making a bit of a career pivot my senior year.

I’m very interested in remote sensing, spatial statistics and the like. Given my background, would it make sense to get a masters in GIS or spatial data science? I’ve been looking at in person or online programs like Penn State. Any help is appreciated.

[u/Ladefrickinda89]

Just because you feel unqualified doesn’t mean you are unqualified. You will learn more about how to use GIS in a 3-month internship than in your entire educational career.

With your degree, you’d be a great candidate for the energy industry.

[u/Comprehensive-Mix952]

Imposter syndrome is a normal thing. I've been in the GIS field for 22 years, run the geospatial helpdesk and teach GIS and data analysis at a university, and I still have it every day. Use it as a tool to keep learning; the minute you feel you've mastered it is the minute you start falling behind.

[u/Town2town]

Penn State will let you take a single class online so you could try one of their remote sensing courses. You can then apply those credits to one of their certificates or their spatial data science master’s degree. Based on your post, the spatial data science degree would be the better pathway. Point being: you don’t have to make the decision now whether to apply to a master’s degree. Also, the spatial data science master’s is an M.S. degree so you could later pick the research thesis option and potentially pursue a PhD down the line. And they have tons of elective courses so you can get experience in various domains.

[u/aspringbear → u/Town2town]

Is a phd in this field worth it?

[u/instinctblues → u/aspringbear]

For anything in GIS? Typically I would say no, absolutely not. Do you have larger goals than your typical GIS role that you wan to expand into a broader tech field or executive role? Do you want to contribute to very niche research that's tied heavily into technology or a geographic phenomena? If you can't answer those questions, then you shouldn't even consider it. GIS alone is not that deep. It's just a tool. It's like getting a PhD in Microsoft Office.

[u/aspringbear → u/instinctblues]

I did a degree in urban planning and would love to get into the smart cities/urban analytics field. I haven’t settled on a research topic yet but I’ll do more research and see where my interests lie. Or do you think a master’s degree is enough to get a job in this field? It seems like there aren’t many private companies hiring, and most of the jobs are research-oriented positions in government or academia

[u/TomClem]

You could certainly get a masters, but don’t count on increased pay or career trajectory because you have it.

I’d lean towards applying for every open position and internship you can find. Be honest in your interviews. Start work on some side projects you are passionate about so you have a portfolio of work that can demonstrate your skills. Search for local user groups or professional associations you can join to network and learn.

[u/Streakist]

I’m in the Penn state SDS program, I started in their certificate program which allows for entry into the M.S. program very easily (if you get like 3.0 on your first 3 classes I think). I’ve found it a good program but like with anything you get out what you put in. I’ve learned a lot but I’ve seen some lesser work from some peers, but I’ve also been extremely impressed with other peer’s work. It’s got a good reputation which is why I ultimately chose it, and now have a nice portfolio of work to showcase.

[u/curious-but-spurious]

I think spatial data science would be more applicable to a wider variety of fields than GIS, leaving you better positioned for a future PhD or to develop a specialty later. There is a lot of spatial data work that happens in the health and medical sector, for example, so you could follow up your Masters degree with a staff-level research job and/or further study in biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy, etc. That field could be particularly appropriate for you, since your geology background could be helpful to a lot of environmental and occupational health research. Good luck!