Open Source GIS Applications | Technical Support
Esri ArcGIS Online for Free
ArcGIS Online is a collaborative web GIS that allows you to use, create, and share maps, scenes, apps, layers, analytics and data. You get access to ready-to-use maps, apps and Esri’s secure cloud, where you can add items and publish web layers.
You can think of it as a living digital atlas and also use it to extend the capabilities of ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Web APIs, and ArcGIS Runtime SDKs. Viewed in these ways, an ArcGIS Online account provides access to a growing and dynamic repository of geographic data and geoprocessing tools.
If you are a currently enrolled USC student (undergraduate, master, or doctoral), you can obtain an ArcGIS Online account free of charge with a one-time allocation of 250 online credits by accessing https://usctrojan.maps.arcgis.com with your USC NetID and password (click on "Sign In" and then "University of Southern California").
A student account provides students with a collection of integrated, location-based apps. To learn more about these apps, please visit ArcGIS Apps for more information.
Proprietary Software for Purchase from SSI
If you are a currently enrolled USC student (undergraduate, masters or doctoral) with a valid student ID, you can purchase an educational student license package for $50.00 per seat per year, which includes the following: ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Pro and their extension bundles.
To make a purchase, please email Stephanie Tran from your usc.edu email account.
Esri ArcGIS Desktop
ArcGIS Desktop includes two main applications for mapping, editing and analysis: ArcMap is a native 32-bit Windows application and ArcGIS Pro is the new 64-bit Windows application used for GIS authoring, editing, analysis and geo-processing, to create, manage and share spatial data.
For systems requirements, please visit ArcGIS system requirements. Because ArcGIS Desktop runs only on Windows operating system, if you are a Mac user, you need to visit Run ArcGIS on Mac to learn about how to run Windows on an Apple computer.
ArcGIS Desktop offers a wide range of optional extensions to expand the desktop software capabilities. For detailed information ArcMap extensions, please visit An overview of ArcMap extensions, for ArcGIS Pro extensions, please visit ArcGIS Pro Extensions.
Esri ArcGIS Online Premium Apps
Additional ArcGIS Online premium apps can be purchased at a student discount price of $50.00 per year, with an additional 250 credits. ArcGIS Online credits are consumed for specific online transactions and type of storage. To learn about what are credits and how they are consumed, please visit Understand Credits. You can purchase additional 100 credits for $10.00.You can find out more about each premium apps by clicking on the following links.
Esri ArcGIS Business Analyst Desktop
ArcGIS Business Analyst Desktop is an extension for ArcGIS Pro that can be used to apply sophisticated spatial analytics and modeling, including customer and competitor analysis, territory design, target marketing, and site evaluation. From within Business Analyst Desktop, you can access annually updated demographic data, nationwide business points, shopping centers, streets, address locators, drive-time thresholds, stunning infographics, and summary reports.
Esri CityEngine
CityEngine is advanced 3D modeling software for creating huge, interactive and immersive urban environments in less time than traditional modeling techniques. The cities you create using CityEngine can be based on real-world GIS data or showcase a fictional city of the past, present or future.
Proprietary Software for Purchase from Clark Labs - The TerrSet Constellation
TerrSet provides an unprecedented set of tools for monitoring and modeling the Earth system. IDRISI was the first GIS and Image Processing System specifically developed for a microcomputer platform. Over the decades that followed, IDRISI has matured into a research grade system for geographic analysis with ground breaking developments in areas such as multi-criteria/multi-objective decision making, machine learning and time-series analysis. The IDRISI collection of nearly 300 program modules provide the basis for a large number and variety of geospatial analytical operations that can be choreographed with the assistance of a variety of graphical and programmatic modeling tools.
The full TerrSet constellation includes eight components. The first two general-purpose toolsets are the core of TerrSet:
- IDRISI GIS Analysis
- IDRISI Image Processing
The remaining components are vertical applications focused on a specific task sequence to monitor and model the Earth system:
- The Land Change Modeler (LCM)
- The Earth Trends Modeler (ETM)
- The Habitat and Biodiversity Modeler (HBM)
- The Ecosystem Services Modeler (ESM)
- The Climate Change Adaptation Modeler (CCAM)
- GeOSIRIS – a special tool for national level REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) planning.
Current USC students have two low cost options to get TerrSet licenses:
- Student License ($99.00) does not expire.
- Student Starter ($49.00) expires in one year.
Students can purchase directly from Clark Labs using this link: https://clarklabs.org/buy/ Make sure to choose the download option to avoid the shipping fee.
Clark Labs has TerrSet tutorial videos available on its YouTube channel.
