Why Study Geospatial Science?

Geography Students
 
At first glance, you might think geospatial science has little to do with your day-to-day life and even less to do with your career. You might think that studying geospatial science is nothing more than memorizing state capitals or learning to plot points on a map. But geospatial science is much more than that. While historians study events through time, geospatial scientists study where and why. The keys are location and interaction across horizontal space. Maps are crucial for showing geographic information. Another focus of geospatial science is the relationship between human beings and their environment. The truth is that may be one of the most useful subjects offered in any school.

The world is changing rapidly. Where people once focused on their neighborhood, their town, their country, they are now adopting a more global perspective. They are learning that the earth’s resources are not limitless and that the impact of human beings on the environment is far greater than had been anticipated as little as a decade ago.

In its 1988 publication Geography: Making Sense of Where We Are, the National Geographic Society makes the following statement:

"Geography for its own sake offers a fascinating realm of knowledge that can enrich our lives. Conversely, a lack of geographic understanding can diminish us as individuals, blunt the success of our international economic and political ventures, and dilute our strength as a nation."                                                                                                               (Source: Careers in Geography, National Geographic Society, 1996.)

Geospatial Science Minors Options: