Education

Spatial Business Education

---
Navigate to Center for Spatial Business | Resources | Research | Education

Central to the Center’s mission is to foster conversation and design strategies for incorporating GIS and location analytics into the business school curricula. This is consistent with the Center’s aspiration to be prominent as a center of excellence in teaching, learning, and pedagogical aspects of GIS for business.

The School of Business and Society was a pioneer in offering the first required GIS course in an undergraduate business curriculum in 1993 and initiated the GIS Concentration in the MBA in 2003. This leadership has continued. In 2018, the School added the B.S. in Business Analytics, which offers two elective courses in Location Analytics.

In 2024, two school faculty co-authored with others an article on the need for expanded teaching and curriculum in GIS and location analytics for the Association for Information Systems, calling for inclusion of GIS in curricula, adding geospatial problem-solving skills, and incorporating the relevant GIS and spatial analysis to business and society. The goals referred to have already been largely achieved at Redlands, but they offer a roadmap for further progress.

As part of seeking the best student learners in the GIS area, undergraduate and graduate awards are given annually to outstanding students in the School’s GIS courses.

Awards

Students in the School of Business & Society and campuswide are eligible to be nominated for awards for outstanding course projects involving business applications of GIS.  An awards committee reviews and selects the award recipients. The honoraria awarded to students are courtesy of donations provided by the University of Redlands School of Business & Society, by Esri Inc., and by alumnus Kazuo ‘Kaz’ Takeda ’12 (MBA, Location Analytics Concentration), Director of Operations at SprintRay, Inc., and former Manager of Industrial Engineering at Disneyland Resort. Takeda’s donations are a result of the Disneyland Resort’s “Ears to You” grants.

Curriculum and Teaching

The Center has continued to stimulate improvement in the curricula. In 2025, the School of Business and Society proposed and gained approval for certificates in GIS for Management, GIS for Project Management, and GIS for Public Safety; completed its first offering of the Executive Master's in GIS (EMGIS) degree; and revised and updated the GIS Concentration in the MBA.

The Center, for many years, has offered teaching workshops and seminars to faculty who teach spatial courses in the school. The practical sides of teaching GIS have benefited from the school’s close interactions with Esri. An example is the development of multiple new case studies incorporated into the book Spatial Business (Esri Press, 2002, authored by school faculty T. Horan, J. Pick, and A. Sarkar), which is utilized in the undergraduate GIS core course and several MBA concentration courses.

The ArcGIS Hub for Spatial Business provides learning resources and materials for professionals, educators, and students.

Explore the Spatial Business Hub

GIS in action: Transforming lives, communities, and the world

Redlands faculty and students are making their mark in the GIS industry, leading projects, driving innovation, and contributing to real-world solutions. Explore the latest news and highlights showcasing their impact.

Owen Giron '23 advances global research in AI and GIS

Giron ’23 turned his graduate experience into global research on AI readiness and the digital divide across 137 countries. Balancing work, study, and mentorship, his journey shows the power of perseverance, faculty support, and data-driven impact.

Liz Parrish '17 combines GIS and business for success

In the ever-evolving landscape of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Liz Parrish '17, an MBA alumna of U of R's School of Business & Society, stands out as an example of the power of education and dedication.

SBS undergraduate transfer student Brooklyn Hodge ’26 completes her undergraduate business degree that includes GIS on an Esri Fellowship

Brooklyn Hodge ’26 shares her journey of returning to school after a 10-year break, juggling motherhood, a full-time job at Esri, and the pursuit of her business degree at the University of Redlands.

Map your future in GIS your way on-campus, hybrid, and online

Whether you’re a professional interested in a master’s or certificate, or a student seeking a bachelor’s degree as you begin your GIS journey, we offer on-campus, hybrid, and online programs to help you reach your goals. To learn more or apply, view the programs below.