M.A. in Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Technologies, Applications, and Research
The M.A. in Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Technologies, Applications, and Research (GISTAR) is an innovative two-year professional master’s degree program designed to provide students with cutting-edge geospatial research opportunities, including spatial analysis, geospatial programming, and spatial statistics. Through a combination of theoretical and hands-on training, students learn to address critical challenges in fields such as conservation, digital modeling, environmental policy, and spatial justice initiatives.
Program requirements
Students will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge tools such as drones, AI, and machine learning, developing the skills necessary to harness the power of data analytics, visualization, and AI to drive interdisciplinary research and innovation. Whether students aim to pursue careers in ecological or geological systems, environmental policy, or technology development, the GISTAR program provides the comprehensive training needed to excel in a highly competitive and impactful field.
Learn more about our curriculum on our M.A. Advising page.
Skills and competencies students will learn
- Geospatial analysis and spatial modeling
- Geospatial AI and machine learning applications
- Drone survey and 3D mapping techniques
- Remote sensing data collection and image processing
- Digital cartography and data visualization
- Geospatial programming (Python, R, JavaScript, SQL)
- Web mapping and database management
- Advanced GPS and field surveying
- GIS project management and development
- Capstone project experience in real-world geospatial applications
Affiliated faculty
The GISTAR program is taught by an interdisciplinary group of faculty from academic units across campus, who bring deep expertise in topics including GIS technology development and a wide range of specific applications and methods. To learn more about the faculty directors and program staff, visit our M.A. Advising page.
Interdisciplinary faculty
Michael W Beck
- Title
- Director, Center for Coastal Climate Resilience & AXA Chair in Coastal Resilience
- Department
- Institute of Marine Sciences
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Coastal Science
Christopher Benner
- Title
- Professor of Sociology
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Urban studies
- Summary of Expertise
Urban and economic geography, urban political ecology, technology and social change, environmental justice, sustainable communities, inclusive economies, city and regional planning
Jeffrey T Bury
- Title
- Department Chair and Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Environmental Studies
- Summary of Expertise
GIS, extractive industries, climate change, glacier recession, remote sensing, sustainable development, conservation, political ecology, research methods, sustainability, environmental and climate justice. Latin America.
Mark H Carr
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Ecology
- Summary of Expertise
Ecology of coastal marine ecosystems
Yihsu Chen
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Energy
Weixin Cheng
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Summary of Expertise
Rhizosphere Ecology, Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles, Isotope Ecology, Ecosystem Responses to Environmental Change
Daniel P Costa
- Title
- Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Behavioral Ecology
- Summary of Expertise
B.A., University of California, Los Angeles
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz
Postdoctoral, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Gabriel Hugh Elkaim
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Robotics
Jeffrey A Erbig
- Title
- Associate Professor
- Department
- Latin American & Latino Studies
Madeleine P Fairbairn
- Title
- Associate Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Agroecology and Agriculture
- Summary of Expertise
Agri-food systems, environmental sociology, political ecology, globalization and development, ownership and access to land
Rebecca Ann Fenwick
- Title
- Director of the CITRIS Initiative for Drone Education and Research
- Department
- Baskin School of Engineering
Noah Finnegan
- Title
- Department Chair & Professor
- Department
- Earth & Planetary Sciences Department
- Summary of Expertise
Geomorphology
Andrew T Fisher
- Title
- Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Earth & Planetary Sciences Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Water
- Summary of Expertise
Hydrogeology, Water Resources, Crustal Studies, Heat Flow, Coupled Modeling, Geothermal Tool Development
Gregory S Gilbert
- Title
- Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Ecology
- Summary of Expertise
Applied Evolutionary Ecology; Plant Diseases; Fungal Ecology; Temperate and Tropical Forest Ecology; Inquiry-based and experiential learning
Miriam Greenberg
- Title
- Professor of Sociology
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Sociology
Carla Hernandez Garavito
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Anthropology Department
- Summary of Expertise
Archaeology of Colonialism; Andean Studies; Ethnohistory; Spatial Modeling
Karen D Holl
- Title
- Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Ecology
- Summary of Expertise
Restoration Ecology, tropical ecology, grassland ecology
Anne R Kapuscinski
- Title
- Director / Professor
- Department
- Coastal Science & Policy Program
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Agroecology and Agriculture
Auston Marmaduke Kilpatrick
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Conservation
- Summary of Expertise
Disease Ecology
Population Biology
Conservation
Suresh K Lodha
- Title
- Professor Emeritus
- Department
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Computer Science
Flora E Lu
- Title
- Professor, Environmental Studies
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Environmental Studies
- Summary of Expertise
Ecological anthropology
Human ecology of the Amazon
Indigenous resource use and management
Ecology, tropical rainforest ecosystems, biodiversity conservation
Household economics, market integration, culture change
Political ecology, environmental justice
Latin America, Ecuador
James Monroe
- Title
- Department Chair
- Department
- Anthropology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Archaeology
- Summary of Expertise
Archaeology of West Africa and the African Diaspora; historical anthropology; social complexity and the state; urbanism; space, landscape and monumentality; culture contact and change; spatial analysis and GIS; West Africa (Bénin) and the Caribbean (Haiti).
Maywa Montenegro
- Title
- Associate Professor of Agroecology and Critical Technology Studies
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Agroecology and Agriculture
- Summary of Expertise
Political ecology and agroecology, agricultural biotechnology (CRISPR-Cas9), STS, transitions to sustainable food systems, seeds and agrobiodiversity, food sovereignty, knowledge politics and epistemic diversity
Barry Nickel
- Title
- Director, Center For Integrated Spatial Research
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
Natalia Ocampo-Penuela
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Conservation
- Summary of Expertise
Dr. Ocampo-Peñuela is a conservation ecologist whose research focuses on tropical regions and birds. Her projects span local to global scales and take place in natural, agricultural, and urban landscapes. She uses spatial analytical tools such as geographic information systems (GIS), connectivity modelling, animal tracking, and priority mapping to evaluate anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity and design better conservation strategies. Most of her work has been done in her native Colombia, where she has contributed to identifying conservation priorities for birds, evaluating extinction risk, and designing multifunctional productive landscapes.
Ingrid M Parker
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Ecology
- Summary of Expertise
Plant ecology and evolution, invasion biology, plant conservation, restoration
Stacy M Philpott
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Ecology
Donald C Potts
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
Peter T Raimondi
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Ecology
- Summary of Expertise
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Marine Organisms
Statisitics
Experimental Design and analysis
Borja Gonzalez Reguero
- Title
- Associate Professor (provision)
- Department
- Coastal Science & Policy Program
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Coastal Science
Ricardo Sanfelice
- Title
- Department Chair
- Department
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Robotics
Katherine Li Seto
- Title
- Associate Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Marine Sciences
- Summary of Expertise
Marine and coastal law and policy, political ecology, marine resource governance
Elaine A Sullivan
- Title
- Associate Professor
- Department
- History Department
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Egyptology
Christopher C Wilmers
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
Bo Yang
- Title
- Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
- Department
- Environmental Studies Department
Yu Zhang
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Electrical Engineering
What can you do with a Master of Arts in Geographic Information Systems, Spatial Technologies, Applications, and Research?
GIS has surged in popularity in our rapidly evolving, tech-driven world. The integration of GIS with AI has revolutionized the way spatial data is analyzed, enabling advanced predictive modeling, automated mapping, and real-time geospatial surveying. Companies in Silicon Valley and beyond are leveraging AI-driven GIS technologies and other advanced methods to solve complex challenges in urban planning, environmental monitoring, logistics, and social science applications. GIS is at the forefront of tech-driven solutions, making it a critical tool for innovation across a wide range of industries globally.
Graduates from similar programs have found success in prestigious organizations such as NASA Ames, the United States Geological Survey (USGS), government mapping departments, transportation authorities, and leading technology companies like Google Earth, Apple Maps, Amazon Prime Air, and Esri. Possible career pathways for our graduates include:
Environmental Consultant
Use GIS to assess environmental impacts, analyze land use, and develop sustainable strategies for businesses and governments.
Sustainable Development Planner
Integrate GIS into planning sustainable cities, infrastructure, and resource management, balancing environmental, economic, and social factors.
Transportation Planner
Use geospatial data to optimize transportation systems, improve infrastructure, and enhance public transit efficiency.
GIS Manager
Oversee geospatial teams, manage GIS projects, and ensure effective use of geospatial technologies within organizations.
Wildlife Manager
Use GIS to monitor wildlife populations, track migration patterns, and design conservation strategies for endangered species.
Data Scientist
Apply geospatial data analytics to extract insights, identify trends, and inform decision-making processes.
Disaster Mapping and Management Specialist
Develop geospatial models and maps to predict, monitor, and respond to natural disasters and emergencies.
GIS Developer
Design and implement custom GIS applications, geospatial tools, and solutions using programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, and SQL.
Cartographer
Create maps and visualizations that effectively communicate complex spatial data for various applications, including education, navigation, and urban planning.
Urban Planner
Use GIS tools to inform and design urban development, land use planning, and sustainable city solutions.
Hydrologist
Use GIS to analyze water resources, monitor flood risks, and manage watershed and water conservation projects.
Fire Ecologist
Apply GIS to assess the impact of wildfires on ecosystems, support post-fire recovery planning, and contribute to long-term forest management strategies.
Climate Change Analyst
Utilize GIS and remote sensing data to study climate patterns, track emissions, and forecast the impacts of climate change.
Coastal GIS Manager
Use GIS to analyze coastal erosion, sea level rise, and storm surge impacts to support coastal resilience and environmental planning.
Why choose UC Santa Cruz?
Situated in close proximity to Silicon Valley, UC Santa Cruz is the nearest UC campus to the heart of the global tech industry, giving students unique access to one of the most dynamic tech ecosystems in the world. UC Santa Cruz is renowned for its strength in both student training and research, consistently ranked among the top universities worldwide for its influence in research across a range of disciplines. The GISTAR program builds on this reputation by equipping students with the necessary skills and interdisciplinary knowledge to excel in geospatial systems and applied technologies.
The GISTAR program has close ties with UC Santa Cruz’s Center for Integrated Spatial Research, a world-class hub for spatially-focused research and training. The center is dedicated to integrating state-of-of-the-art spatial technology and methods with pressing interdisciplinary research and supporting increased campus and community literacy in and engagement with spatial methods and spatial science innovation.
Application information
Application requirements may be found via the online application. The GRE or GMAT is not required. Classes are sequential. We admit only for the fall quarter. Visit the Registrar to see student fee information for CA residents and non-residents.
Students currently employed in related fields who are seeking additional professional training and those from underrepresented and diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Prior degree requirements
Applicants should have one of the two types of qualifications below:
- A bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, environmental sciences, earth sciences, urban planning, geography, sociology, remote sensing, computer engineering, or a related discipline, with at least one upper-division course in geospatial techniques (e.g., geographic information science, cartography, and/or remote sensing)
- A bachelor’s degree in a related discipline with a minimum of one year of professional experience in a field that directly applies geospatial technologies.
Relevant fields include but are not limited to, social sciences, humanities, geography, urban planning, environmental engineering, computer science, marine science, sociology, criminal justice, and the physical and biological sciences.
For international students
GISTAR is recognized as a STEM-designated program by the U.S. government. This designation means graduates of our program can qualify to extend the standard 12-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) period by an additional 24-months, providing ample opportunities for our graduates to leverage their geospatial skills across various sectors in the U.S. workforce. For more details on the STEM extension and eligibility, international students should contact UCSC International Student Services and Programming (ISSP).
Fee waiver application instructions
If you are applying to our program and you need to request a fee waiver for admissions, please follow these instructions:
- At minimum, have completed, uploaded, and submitted the following items to your application: statement of purpose, personal history statement, statement of financial need, and your resume.
- Not yet paid for your application to the university.
Requesting the fee waiver:
- Domestic students: In the application portal, follow the directions for requesting a fee waiver.
- International students: Contact envsgpc@ucsc.edu stating why you are requesting a fee waiver and attach your financial needs statement. If you are granted a fee waiver, we will provide additional directions for how to complete the fee waiver section in the application portal (Note: Do not select fee waiver as an international student).
If you have applied, and received, a fee waiver for a past application cycle, we are unlikely to grant one for this application cycle. All applicants are eligible to apply for a fee waiver. We encourage you to submit the request if you have a need.
The online application portal states that international students are not eligible; however, the GISTAR program will consider requests on a case-by-case basis and work with the Graduate Division to allow international students to apply for the application fee waiver if needed.