1082
Geography
Geospatial Information Science Driven by technological innovations and an explosion in the availability of spatial information, geospatial technologies including geographic information systems (GIS), the Global Positioning System (GPS) and remote sensing have introduced revolutionary ways to utilize spatial information. The BS degree in geospatial information science (GISci) provides students with a theoretical and applied foundation in the rapidly growing field of GISci. The program is especially relevant to students interested in cultural and natural resource management, agriculture, planning and the environment. The importance of GISci is underscored by a growing number of jobs emphasizing or entirely focused on the storage, analysis and visualization of geospatial data. A student who earns the BS in Geospatial Information Science at OSU will be well-versed in general GISci knowledge and will have competency utilizing GISci hardware and software for the planning, development and maintenance of spatial and nonspatial databases. Most important, students who complete the BS will have higher order skills involving the analysis of geospatial data and will be capable of communicating findings with larger audiences. Requirements for the proposed BS have been designed to parallel skills needed by GISci professionals. Upon earning the BS, a student will be proficient in spatial data capture, data representation, spatial data analysis, GISci theory, and GISci project development and implementation. Students can expect to find occupations in a variety of fields in private industry, government, education and agriculture. Since the early 1990s the OSU Geography Department has distinguished itself in GISci instruction and research. In 1996 the Department launched the state’s first Certificate in Geographic Information Systems and in subsequent years has expanded GISci course offerings to address growing student interest and demand. The Department is well-known nationally and internationally for research involving the integration of GISci within farm-level decision-making, for scholarship involving human patterns and processes tied to cultural and historical landscapes and for research involving communications and transportation systems. Faculty in the Department have been highly successful in obtaining extramural support for GISci research and extension activities from organizations ranging from the National Science Foundation to the National Park Service, U.S. Department of State, Oklahoma Historical Society, and Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Faculty in the Department have also worked to improve STEM education in Oklahoma schools through projects such as a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation that introduced GISci activities in 6th through 12th grade science classrooms. The Department’s international outreach efforts tied to geospatial technologies include a training partnership involving faculty and students in Vietnam and a multi-year project aimed at building Iraq’s GISci infrastructure. Undergraduate Programs
Graduate Programs The Department of Geography offers work leading to the MS and PhD degrees. These degree programs emphasize preparation for employment in positions which are enhanced by an ability to recognize and to interpret spatial distributions, and to analyze regions. Particular emphasis is placed on the applied aspects of geography, with many graduates employed by private business as well as city, regional, state and national planning agencies. Recipients of graduate degrees in geography have also gone on to a variety of successful careers in various fields, including retail store location analysis, city planning, environmental
assessment, and university teaching and research. The Master of Science Degree
Admission to the master's program in geography is granted to college graduates with superior academic records. An undergraduate geography major is not required. Majors from the social, physical, and behavioral sciences and from the humanities are encouraged to apply. Incoming graduate students must demonstrate competency in cultural geography, physical geography, statistics and cartography. If a student lacks these prerequisite skills, an additional course in each of these subjects is required. Two basic plans of study exist for the master's degree. One plan requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, including a thesis; the other is a 36-credit- hour non-thesis option. Plans of study can be developed to accommodate many interests. Major faculty interests span nature-society dynamics, including resource management and cultural and political ecology; cultural and historical geography, geographic information science and unmanned aerial systems; urban and transportation geography; and regional analysis and development. The Doctor of Philosophy Degree Admission to the PhD program is granted to students with superior records in their previous graduate study. A previous degree in geography is not required, but incoming students from other disciplines must demonstrate competency in cultural geography, physical geography, statistics and cartography. If a student lacks these prerequisite skills, an additional course in each of these subjects is required. A minimum of 60 hours of graduate credit beyond the master's degree is required for the PhD degree. These hours include core courses (13 hours), elective courses in geography (15 hours minimum), elective courses outside of geography (9 hours minimum), and dissertation hours (15 hours minimum). Each student chooses an individual doctoral committee that advises the student in the formulation of an approved plan of study for the degree. Students focus their studies in one of three department specialty areas: nature-society dynamics, cultural and historical geography, and geographic information science, including unmanned aerial systems. Candidates for the PhD in geography must demonstrate either: 1. proficiency in one language other than English, 2. reading knowledge of two languages other than English, 3. proficiency in advanced quantitative methods, 4. proficiency in advanced qualitative methods, or 5. proficiency in a multi-skill track. To be advanced to doctoral candidacy, the student must demonstrate proficiency in three specialized subject areas within geography and related disciplines by passing written and oral comprehensive
• Geography, BA (p. 1087) • Geography, BS (p. 1089) • Geospatial Information Science, BS (p. 1091) • Global Studies, BA (p. 1093)
• Geography (GEOG), Minor (p. 1086)
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Certificate (p. 1085)
Powered by FlippingBook