Dec 05, 2025  
2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

Data Science and Geographic Information Sciences, B.I.S.


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Return to: 3030.30 Interdisciplinary Studies  

Faculty Coordinators:
Chetan Tiwari, Geosciences 
Anu Bourgeois, Computer Science

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) concentration in Data Science and Geographic Information Science equips students with the interdisciplinary skills and knowledge needed to address complex challenges in spatial data science and analytics, with applications in areas such as Location Intelligence (EI), Environmental and Hazard Modeling, Sustainable Development, among others. This concentration empowers students to apply data science methodologies within the framework of geographic information science, preparing them for graduate studies or professional careers where they can drive informed decision-making through spatial data analysis.

Program Admission

Students may enroll in a concentration upon admission to Georgia State University. Students who wish to change their major to this degree program should select a concentration in consultation with their academic advisor and the faculty coordinator. A 2.0 Georgia State University GPA is required.

University Grade-Point Average and Grade Requirements 

Georgia State University undergraduate students must achieve an overall institutional grade-point average of 2.0 and a major GPA of 2.0 in the Major and area to receive a bachelor’s degree from the university. Grades of C- can be used to satisfy graduation requirements. However, some courses have prerequisites that require a grade of C or higher. (See 1460 GPA Requirement for additional information.)

Graduation with Distinction in the Major

This program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to earn the designation of graduation with distinction in the major. Please contact a faculty  coordinator for the specific criteria for this honor.

Degree Requirements (120 Hours)


Core IMPACTS Areas


Students may select any of the course options listed in each Core IMPACTS area. However, specific recommendations for certain areas are listed below. These recommended courses are not required in the Core IMPACTS areas, but are required for the major. If not taken in the core, then they must be taken in the Field of Study or Additional Courses area. Courses that are recommended but not required in the major are indicated. 

Institutional Priority


Suggested but not required in the major:

Mathematics and Quantitative Skills


Recommended (required in the major and must be taken elsewhere if not in this area):

Arts, Humanities & Ethics


Suggested but not required in the major:

Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences


Recommended (required in the major and must be taken elsewhere if not in this area):

Social Science


Suggested but not required in the major:

Field of Study Area (18 Hours)


Required Courses (14 Hours)


Field Electives


Select from the following to complete 18 hours in the Field of Study Area:

Major Area (40-41 Hours)


Geoscience Specializations (6-8 hours):


Select one of the following course groups:

Geospatial Application Development (8 Hours)

Advanced Geospatial Analysis (8 Hours)

GIS for Social Sciences (6-7 Hours)

Select two courses from the following:

Data Science Specializations (8 Hours)


Select one of the following course groups:

Data Mining & Machine Learning (8 Hours)

Web Applications (8 Hours)

Big Data and AI (8 Hours)

Integrated Capstone (4 Hours)


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