Course List
Course Schedule

"I knew a distance learning program would be the only way I could accomplish my professional goals while attaining a higher degree. I have been able to pick up a great deal of knowledge from all the courses I have taken, even though I have been working with GIS for almost twenty years." —Michael Rink, Master of Geographic Information Systems
 

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Course List

Students in the MGIS program must take 6 credits at the 500 level and a minimum of 12 additional credits at the 500 level or above.

Required Courses (23–26 credits)

GEOG 482

The Nature of Geographic Information
Orientation to the properties of geographic data and the practice of distance learning.

Prerequisite: submission of application to the master of GIS program or certificate program in GIS

2 credits

GEOG 483

Problem Solving with GIS
How geographic information systems facilitate data analysis and communication to address common geographic problems.

Prerequisite: GEOG 482

3 credits

GEOG 484

GIS Database Development
Database design, creation, and maintenance, and data integration using desktop GIS software.

Prerequisite: GEOG 483

3 credits
GEOG 583 Geospatial System Analysis and Design
Systematic approach to requirements acquisition, specification, design and implementation of geospatial information systems.

Prerequisite: GEOG 484		 3 credits
GEOG 584 Geospatial Technology Project Management
Principles of effective project management applied to the design and implementation of geospatial information systems.

Prerequisite: GEOG 583		 3 credits
GEOG 586 Geographical Information Analysis
Choosing and applying analytical methods for geospatial data, including point pattern analysis, interpolation, surface analysis, overlay analysis, and spatial autocorrelation.

Prerequisite: GEOG 485, GEOG 486, or GEOG 487		 3 credits
GEOG 596A Individual Studies — Peer Review
Preparation and presentation of a proposal for an individual capstone project.		 3 credits (may be repeated up to 9 credits)
GEOG 596B Individual Studies — Capstone Project
Preparation and delivery of a formal professional presentation of the results of an individual capstone project.		 3 credits (may be repeated up to 9 credits)

Electives (minimum 9 credits)

GEOG 485

GIS Programming and Customization
Customizing GIS software to extend its built-in functionality and to automate repetitive tasks.

Prerequisite: GEOG 484 or equivalent experience

3 credits
GEOG 486 Cartography and Visualization
Theory and practice of cartographic design, emphasizing effective visual thinking and visual communication with geographic information systems.

Prerequisite: GEOG 484		 3 credits
GEOG 487 Environmental Applications of GIS
Simulated internship experience in which students play the role of GIS analysts in an environmental consultancy.

Prerequisite: GEOG 484		 3 credits
GEOG 488 Acquiring and Integrating Geospatial Data
Advanced technical, legal, ethical, and institutional problems related to data acquisition for geospatial information systems.

Prerequisite: GEOG 484		 3 credits
GEOG 489 GIS Application Development
Advanced topics in GIS customization, including the Systems Development Life Cycle, packaging and deployment, and consuming Web services.

Prerequisite: GEOG 485		 3 credits
GEOG 496

Independent Study
This course is for students who have successfully completed the ESRI Virtual Campus course, Understanding Geographic Data, and who wish to substitute that course for GEOG 482. The introductory course helps students learn skills required to participate effectively in an online class, including creating and publishing online portfolios of class projects on the World Wide Web. Projects enable the students to demonstrate mastery of both online learning skills and basic concepts of geographic information science.

Prerequisite: Understanding Geographic Data (ESRI Virtual Campus)

 2 credits

GEOG 585

 Open Web Mapping
Design, development, and implementation of web mapping applications using OGC standards and open source software.

Prerequisite: GEOG 485		 3 credits

GEOG 587

Conservation GIS
Conservation GIS applies geospatial problem solving to ecological research and resource management issues to enhance conservation planning.

Prerequisites: GEOG 487

 3 credits
GEOG 588

Planning GIS for Emergency Management
Requirements analysis and proposal writing to plan and implement GIS solutions supporting emergency management activities of government agencies and contractors.

Prerequisites: GEOG 488 recommended

 3 credits

GEOG 596C

 Individual Project Work Supervised by a Graduate Faculty Adviser 3 credits
GEOG 597 Special Topics
 3 credits
GEOG 597K GIS Analysis of Health
The role of geographic information systems in understanding disease, including relevant spatial analysis and cartographic visualization techniques.

Prerequisites: GEOG 482, GEOG 483, GEOG 484		 3 credits
GEOG 860 (OR GEOG 497A)

Comparative GIS
Formal methodology for evaluating, comparing, and recommending geospatial software solutions for a variety of professional uses.

 3 credits

GEOG 861

 Map Projections for Geospatial Professionals 
Cultivates a working knowledge of map projections that professionals need to process geospatial data effectively for mapping and analysis.

Prerequisite: GEOG 484		 1 credit
GEOG 862 (OR GEOG 497I)

GPS Modernization for Geospatial Professionals
Cultivates a working knowledge of current and future capabilities of GPS and the emerging Global Navigation Satellite System

Prerequisite: GEOG 484

 3 credits
GEOG 863 (OR GEOG 497J)

GIS Mashups for Geospatial Professionals
Cultivates a working knowledge of how and why geospatial professionals develop web mapping applications that combine data from multiple sources.

Prerequisite: GEOG 485

 3 credits
STAT 480

Introduction to SAS
Introduction to SAS with emphasis on reading, manipulating, and summarizing data.

Prerequisite: 3 credits in statistics

 1 credit
STAT 505 Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis 
Analysis of multivariate data; T-squared tests; partial correlation; discrimination; MANOVA; cluster analysis; regression; growth curves; factor analysis; principal components; canonical correlations.

Prerequisites: STAT 500 and 501; matrix algebra
 3 credits

Graduate-level courses in technical writing or project management may be counted toward the MGIS degree as electives.

A note about prerequisites

Prerequisites as listed may be waived by the course instructor if you can demonstrate the required level of competency.

World Campus Course Catalog

 
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