Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - A new Bachelor of Science degree designed to meet the increasing demand for college graduates trained in spatial science technology is being offered by Stephen F. Austin State University this fall.
The Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture is offering the new degree program, which includes study in the fast-growing fields of geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing (RS) and surveying and global positioning systems (GPS).
Students majoring in spatial science will begin with the fundamentals of geospatial sciences, both in theory and application, and complete their degree with an emphasis in natural resources or land surveying.
"The comprehensive spatial science labs and industry-leading software within the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture will provide graduates with the skills needed to be extremely competitive in obtaining employment within the ever-expanding spatial science workplace," said Dr. Daniel Unger, associate professor of spatial science.
Spatial technology is one of the targeted industries of the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that jobs in the spatial science group are among those projected to have the fastest growth from 2002 to 2012.
"With its rapid advancement, spatial technology is now part of our daily lives, ranging from personal GPS navigation devices to the sophisticated systems for air-traffic control," said Dr. I-Kuai Hung, assistant professor of GIS.
"SFA spatial science students will have first-hand experiences both in the lab and in the field to prepare them for advanced studies in spatial science or for the high-demand job market of spatial technology."