When it comes to geographic information science, many people are unfamiliar with it. However, I believe that most people are familiar with mobile phone software such as Didi taxi and Gaode map. These commonly used softwares belong to the practical application of geographic information science in the field of information expression.

Some people think that this major is to make electronic maps. In fact, electronic map is only the manifestation of geographic information data, and this major also includes data collection, processing, mapping and information retrieval and analysis based on electronic map carrier.

First, professional analysis

What is geographic information science?

The development of geographic information as a discipline has a "tangled" history. Originally called geographic information system, it sounds more like a technology. After years of tempering by geographers, the subsequent rise of space science gradually improved its discipline system, so it was renamed as "Geographic Information Science", which made it no longer an accessory of computing technology, and its discipline significance was more full.

There are all kinds of natural and man-made events on the earth where we live, and trillions of massive data are generated every moment, of which more than 80% are related to spatial location. By studying the collection, storage, processing, analysis, expression and service methods of these data directly or indirectly related to geographical space, geographic information science transforms the data from the original two-dimensional text state into a spatial visualization language or knowledge that we can easily understand, thus serving the environment, land, planning, water conservancy, energy, transportation, residents' life and other aspects.

From this point of view, geographic information science is a highly practical multidisciplinary subject, paying close attention to space-related data. It involves mapping, remote sensing, positioning, analysis, management, expression and other fields, and its ultimate goal is to serve the economy, industry and public life. With the diversified development of today's acquisition technology, human beings have obtained richer and faster data in the sky (such as remote sensing images), the air (aerial drone images) and the ground (mobile terminals, ground sensor data), making the development of geographic information science more dynamic.

What does geographic information science study?

Geographic information science is an interdisciplinary subject, involving geography, surveying and mapping engineering, computer application, industry-related disciplines (such as traffic engineering, civil engineering, resources and environment, etc.). ).

Based on the situation of some colleges and universities, typical courses include: physical geography, human geography, economic geography, cartography, remote sensing technology, database technology, principles of geographic information system, design and application of geographic information system, global positioning system, digital mapping, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, data structure, computer vision, image processing and so on.

Two. Occupation and employment

According to the data of Sunshine College Entrance Examination Information Platform, there are 7,000-8,000 graduates majoring in geographic information science in China, and the employment rate of undergraduates in China in the last three years is 75%-90%, which is at the upper-middle level.

Geographic information industry has penetrated into basic necessities of life.

Since 1990, geographic information has been mainly used in many industries and fields led by government departments. With the popularity of smart phones, the geographic information industry has developed by leaps and bounds and has penetrated into people's daily lives. For example, in recent popular mobile phone software such as Baidu Takeaway, mobike and Didi Taxi, geographic information has become the mainstream element. With the increasing demand for information in human production and life, geographic information will gradually consolidate its important role as "industrial assistant, service tool and scientific tool".

In recent 20 years, driven by market demand, the geographic information industry has formed a huge industrial chain system around the world, including data acquisition and processing system, geographic information service system combining data with location, and various industry application systems based on geographic information system. In recent years, the development of China's geographic information industry is in full swing, with an average annual growth rate of over 30% and a total output value of over 300 billion yuan in 20 14. In "201/China Geographic Information Industry Development Research Report", it is pointed out that there are nearly 20,000 employees in 20 10, and the output value is nearly10 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of over 25% during the 11th Five-Year Plan period. The output value at the end of the Twelfth Five-Year Plan is expected to reach 200 billion yuan. At this rate, the output value of geographic information industry in China will exceed 500 billion yuan in 2020.

Although geographic information has penetrated into our lives, there are no more extensive application cases of civil geographic information except that electronic maps and information queries based on electronic maps are in close contact with ordinary people. At present, geographic information is more used as an auxiliary tool in the industrial field to support business functions, but does not play its core value. This is an indisputable fact, but for graduates who choose this major, it is also an opportunity for innovation and entrepreneurship.

In recent years, enterprises have become a hot spot for employment.

At present, the main employment directions of graduates majoring in geographic information science are universities, transportation, planning, survey and design, land, mines, water conservancy and electric power, communications, agriculture and forestry, urban construction, tourism and other national government departments or institutions.

In the past twenty years, the employment direction of graduates majoring in geographic information science is constantly changing. Early geographic information science and technology were mainly used in government departments, so students' employment was mainly in universities, transportation, planning, survey and design, land, mining, water conservancy and electric power, communications, agriculture, forestry, urban construction, tourism and other national government departments or institutions. With the development of geographic information industry, more and more enterprises, especially internet companies, are strongly involved, and students' employment turns to high-paying enterprises.

Undergraduate graduates are generally engaged in technology development, business-related research and design work in enterprises (such as various navigation companies, spatial information groups of large IT companies and data companies) and institutions (such as Surveying and Mapping Bureau and provincial geographic information center). Some graduates who are interested in theoretical research will choose to continue their studies. At present, excellent universities in China include Institute of Geography and Resources Environment, Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Peking University, Wuhan University, Beijing Normal University and Central South University. There are Wisconsin-Madison and California-Santa Barbara abroad.

Graduates above master's degree can enter universities, scientific research institutions and other geospatial information-related research institutions to engage in theoretical research, technology research and development, teaching research and so on.

Third, the application guide

1more than 70 colleges and universities offer this major.

Not all colleges and universities offer it because its subjects are young and cover a wide range. According to the statistics of Sunshine College Entrance Examination Platform, there are currently more than 170 undergraduate universities in China offering geographic information science majors. Among them, Wuhan University, China Geo University (Beijing), Nanjing Normal University, Capital Normal University and Guangxi Normal University are key construction points with national characteristics. The emphasis of colleges and universities is also different. For example, Wuhan University focuses on the cultivation of practical technical talents, Beijing Normal University focuses on the cultivation of professional comprehensive talents, and Peking University focuses on the cultivation of geographical theory talents.

This "geography" is not another "geography"

In high school, geography is classified as a liberal arts. If you are a liberal arts student who only likes geography and usually travels to places of interest, you should carefully choose your major in geographic information science. Because in actual study, it is not far from your imagination.

The knowledge of high school geography basically belongs to physical geography and human geography, and it can be mastered by rote memorization. The specialized courses of geographic information science involve a wide range of fields, such as discrete mathematics and linear algebra in mathematics, data structure and database technology in computers, image processing in software development and digital map drawing software design. These professional knowledge requires students to have a certain foundation in science, and liberal arts students feel a little hard to learn. The proportion of professional liberal arts students is only 8%. Liberal arts students can comprehensively consider whether to apply for the exam according to their actual situation.