Geoinformatics is a field of study involving the science and technology dealing with the acquisition, storage, processing production, presentation, and dissemination of geoinformation using the theory and practical implications of geodesy within information science infrastructure. The core of geoinformatics is geospatial analytics, a branch of data science that focuses on developing cutting-edge technologies supporting processes of acquiring, analyzing, and visualizing geospatial Big Data. Advances in various location-aware technologies, (e.g., GPS, the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile sensors, remote sensing), and ever-increasing time-stamped, location-based data from sensors as diverse as satellites, drones, and smartphones have created unprecedented demand and opportunities for code-savvy geospatial professionals with the ability to automate processing, visualizing and finding patterns in both structured and unstructured data.

The goal of the Geoinformatics and Geospatial Analytics Ph.D. program is to provide students with in-depth knowledge in geoinformatics and geospatial analytics required for solving today’s grand challenges, e.g., climate change, public health, refugees and migration, transportation safety, and food, water, and human security from local to global scales. The graduates of the Ph.D. program will gain the multi-disciplinary knowledge and quantitative skills necessary to handle big geospatial data and solve big problems.

Successful applicants possess sufficient GPA and English proficiency scores (for international students) and research interests compatible with ongoing research in the department.

Prerequisites include structural geology, college physics, mechanics and mathematics through differential equations.

Prerequisites include an undergraduate degree in a STEM discipline with at least one semester each of calculus, physics, biology, chemistry, and geoscience; a second semester of calculus or one semester of statistics.

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students. International students must also meet the following additional requirements:

Financial documents are required to complete an application for admission and be reviewed for admission and merit scholarships.

Proof of financial support that must include:

A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the student's time at Saint Louis University

A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of the student's study at the University

Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include:  

The maximum and minimum grades attainable

The grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations

Application and Assistantship Application Deadlines

Students typically begin the program in the fall semester. Students who want to be considered for an assistantship must submit their applications by Jan. 2. Late applications and applications for the spring semester will be considered if positions are available.

Faculty committee members examine qualified applicants’ materials and make recommendations.

Admissions Option 2

For priority consideration for a graduate assistantship, apply by the program admission deadlines listed. Fellowships and assistantships provide a stipend and may include health insurance and a tuition scholarship for the duration of the award.

Scholarships and Funding Option 2

This is a 45-credit Ph.D. program focused on educating next generation talent with advanced and emerging technologies like machine learning/AI, satellite geodesy, image analysis, and change detection, GIS modeling, photogrammetry, and automation that are critical to develop research skills to address today’s grand societal challenges such as food security, healthcare delivery, national security, and beyond with high impact research.

Curriculum

Master

Natural Sciences

Geographic Sciences

Geoinformatics

Geospatial Technologies

Technology Studies

Data Science

Data Analytics

Saint Louis University formed the School of Science and Engineering in 2022 to better meet the future needs of students and faculty. The school brings together science, engineering and technology to promote cross-functional, interdisciplinary research and study. SLU’s newly formed School comprises the following departments: Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering; The Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation Science; Biomedical Engineering; Chemistry; Civil, Computer and Electrical Engineering; Computer Science; Earth and Atmospheric Science; and Physics. Students in SLU’s School of Science and Engineering receive a hands-on education from world-class, award-winning faculty in their fields. From the time they arrive on campus, students have access to staff advisors, research mentors and a number of student support services - including career services. Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,500 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place. SLU is located in St. Louis, Missouri. The city is a hotbed of innovation and entrepreneurship — with Popular Mechanics ranking St. Louis the No. 1 start-up city in America — and SLU is right in the center of it. The Cortex Innovation Community, a center for business, innovation and technology, neighbors’ campus and the metro area is home to eight Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, St. Louis is home to more than 55,000 SLU alums. To learn more about Saint Louis University’s School of Science and Engineering, visit slu.edu/science-and-engineering.

Ph.D. in Geoinformatics and Geospatial Analytics Saint Louis University

Introduction

Program Highlights

Admissions

Scholarships and Funding

Curriculum

About the School

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