MASTER'S DEGREE IN GEOSCIENCE

G.I.S. and Spatial Analysis Techniques

For the Geoscience Masters, a minimum of 30 semester hours are required in all the Thesis concentrations, with 12 semester hours in core courses, 12 hours in electives, and 6 hours of Thesis. The GIS concentration focuses on the skills required in a variety of planning and government environments. Students have greater flexibility in this track to focus on a suite of courses that prepares the student for employment in local and state planning, environmental management, government, consulting, and myriad other areas. The Department requires that students have GEOG 391 (Statistics) and GEOG 317 (GIS) (or their equivalents) as part of their undergraduate coursework. If not, these two courses are treated as deficiencies and MUST be taken in the first year, as they are prerequisites for Geo 520 Geoscience Data Modeling. They do not count towards the 30-hour requirement for the Master's Degree. In addition, students must demonstrate proficiency in a research tool (satisfied by GEO 502 or 520). Consult your advisor or the Graduate Handbook for more details. Graduate students completing the program also earn the 12-hour Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Sciences.

CORE REQUIREMENTS

COURSE 18 HOURS
Geo 500 Geoscience Research & Literacy 4 hours
Geo 502 OR Geo 530 Geoscience Field Methods 4 hours
Geo 520 Geoscience Data Modeling 4 hours
Geography 599 Thesis Research/Writing 6 hours
RECOMMENDED ELECTIVES GIS courses 12 HOURS
Geography 417G GIS Analysis and Modeling 3 hours
Geography 419G GIS Application Development 3 hours
Geography 515 Remote Sensing Applications 4 hours
Geography 517 Database Management 3 hours
Geography 577 Special Topics in GIS 3 hours
Geography 590 Experimental Design in GIS 3 hours

Graduate Students are also required to participate in the Departmental Graduate/Faculty Seminar Program.

For more information about this track, contact your geography advisor, visit the Department office (EST 304), or call (270) 745-4555.

To send an email message to request more information, just click on: david.keeling@wku.edu

To return to the Department of Geography and Geology homepage, just click on the Department icon above.

This page last updated on 2/28/07.