At a glance

Geographic Information Science for Environmental and Spatial Planning (GISESP) is a transatlantic consortium of three academic institutions:

• University of Cagliari, Italy (UniCA) – Department of Environment and Engineering, Urban and Environmental Planning
• University of London, UK (BBK-UL) – Department of Geography, Environmental and Development Studies
• George Mason University, USA (GMU) – Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science

The Consortium will provide prospective candidates with the opportunity to experience an integrated program of study in the areas of Geographic Information Science (GIS) and environmental planning support science. GISESP is funded by the EACEA through the Atlantis Program.

GISESP provides students with a dual degree masters’ graduate program that will last two years and be based upon successful completion of 48 US credits, equivalent to 144 EU credits leading to the following two degrees: the Master of Science in Geography and Cartography from GMU, US, and the II level Master Degree in Geographic Information and Environmental Planning Support from UniCA, Italy.

The program is oriented to students interested to become professionals operating in an international context to design, build and manage spatial and environmental planning support systems founded on geographic information systems and science.

From a student’s perspective, the exchange across three institutions represents an important asset of this program, as students will benefit from a variety of approaches to teaching and research. Potential candidates will enrol at just one host institution, be trained at three universities and earn two masters level degrees in a considerably shorter period of time than it would take to complete the degrees individually. From the point of view of the discipline, this program is producing more highly skilled students with a greater set of qualifications that will enable them to work in both the EU and the US in the fields of geographic information science and planning support.

Students will attend courses in two semesters of the first year at George Mason University (USA), in the first semester of the second year at the University of Cagliari (Italy), and in the second semester of the second year at the Birkbeck University of London.