48-628 GeoAI: Advanced GIS for Policy and Design

3–6 units, Carnegie Mellon University

As cities confront climate risk and social inequity, effective policy relies on advanced spatial intelligence. This course introduces GeoAI, the integration of GIS and AI, as a framework to empower decision makers with evidence-based insights. Students will analyze satellite imagery and socioeconomic spatial data to tackle challenges, such as heat vulnerability and environmental justice. Using ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online, students will perform raster analysis, predictive modeling, and deep learning classification. Beyond technical implementation, the course focuses on how to make informed decisions by assessing bias and uncertainty. No prior coding is required; the focus remains on making complex GeoAI workflows accessible for urban planning and policy. Through hands-on activities, students will learn to communicate findings through policy-oriented maps, culminating in a final project that designs a reproducible GeoAI workflow to support real-world policy interventions and empower leadership with the tools needed to address growing urban inequities.

Prerequisites: 48-569 (min C) or 48-781 (min C)

Offered: Fall 2026

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