Applying to a Program
Registering for Courses
Costs
Time Frame
Technology Requirements
Penn State Policies and Procedures
Learning at a Distance
Other Questions
How can I apply to the certificate program in GIS?
You can apply to the certificate program in geographic information systems (GIS) by filling out the World Campus online application form.
How can I apply to the master of GIS program?
You can apply to the master of geographic information systems (MGIS) program by filling out the World Campus online application form. Be sure to read the instructions document at the beginning of the application process, as that document contains important information about applying to the program.
May an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score be used instead of the TOEFL in my application?
Applicants who have taken the IELTS exam (International English Language Testing System) instead of the TOEFL may request that the TOEFL requirement be waived. Waiver requests should include the applicant's IELTS score.
How can I register for a GIS course?
You can register for a GIS course by mailing or faxing a completed Registration Form or by calling the World Campus at 800-252-3592. You will need to pay for your course or provide a tuition assistance form from your employer at the time of registration.
If this will be your first course with Penn State, you will also need to submit a completed Access Account Acceptance Statement with your registration in order to obtain a Penn State Access Account, a unique identification code and password combination that will enable you to connect to Penn State computer systems and online courses. Your Penn State Access Account will be good for one year. If you have any questions or concerns about your Penn State Access Account, please call World Campus Student Services at 800-252-3592 (or send an e-mail to psuwd@psu.edu).
I don't have a baccalaureate degree. Can I enroll in courses and earn the Certificate of Achievement?
The courses that lead to Penn State's Certificate of Achievement in GIS are offered at the 400 level. Penn State's policy is that a student who has not earned a baccalaureate degree but has earned at least 60 semester credits from an accredited higher education institution is eligible to enroll in 400-level courses without being admitted as a degree-seeking undergraduate student. Students who have earned fewer than 60 semester credits may be permitted to enroll in 400-level courses, but only with the consent of an academic adviser or instructor. Furthermore, students without a baccalaureate degree will be able to transfer academic credits from Penn State to another institution only toward a baccalaureate degree, not toward a graduate degree.
A student who has not earned a baccalaureate degree cannot be awarded Penn State's postbaccalaureate Certificate of Achievement in GIS. Successfully completed courses may be counted toward the education point requirements of the GIS Certification Institute (http://www.gisci.org/), a professional organization that certifies practitioners as geographic information systems professionals. Additionally, Penn State will provide a general letter of recommendation to students who complete the requirements of the certificate program but lack the baccalaureate degree needed to qualify for the postbaccalaureate Certificate of Achievement.
How can I get a Penn State Access Account for my first course registration?
To obtain a Penn State Access Account, a unique identification code and password combination that will enable you to connect to Penn State computer systems and online courses, you will need to complete an Access Account Acceptance Statement.
Your Penn State Access Account will be good for one year. If you have any questions or concerns about your Penn State Access Account, please call World Campus Student Services at 800-252-3592 (or send an e-mail to psuwd@psu.edu).
When will my Penn State Access Account expire?
An information technology (IT) fee, which will provide you with a Penn State Access Account, is assessed when you register for your first course in the program. Your Access Account will then be valid for one year from the start of that course. You will not be charged another IT fee for additional World Campus credit courses you take during that year of access. If your course/program extends beyond the expiration date, you will be able to extend your Access Account by paying an additional IT fee. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your Penn State Access Account, please call World Campus Student Services at 800-252-3592 (or send an e-mail to psuwd@psu.edu).
I took GEOG 5224S as part of the certificate program. Can I use GEOG 5224S to meet the GEOG 583 requirement for the master's program?
Yes, for most students, successful completion of GEOG 5224S should be an adequate substitution for GEOG 583 (but not GEOG 584). GEOG 584 students who wish to review the content covered in GEOG 583 will be able to access a copy of that course in a password-protected ANGEL space.
Which courses may be used to satisfy the 4th course elective requirement for the certificate program in GIS?
The following courses may be used to satisfy the 4th course elective requirement for the certificate program:
- GEOG 485 (5224P)
- GEOG 486 (5224C)
- GEOG 487 (5224E)
- GEOG 488 (5224D)
- GEOG 497K
- GEOG 583 (5224S)—with instructor's permission
- GEOG 584—with instructor's permission
- GEOG 586—with instructor's permission
- GEOG 597 (any of several variations)—with instructor's permission
How many courses can I take at a time?
Eighty to ninety percent of the students who enroll in our courses complete them successfully. However, our success rate is much lower for students who enroll in 2 courses during the same quarter. For this reason we strongly recommend taking only one course at a time. Requests for exceptions should be addressed to the lead faculty member, David DiBiase (dibiase@psu.edu).
What do these courses and programs cost?
The costs to enroll in online GIS courses include charges for tuition and an information technology fee payable once per year. Many GIS courses require that you purchase textbooks and related instructional materials (such as CD-ROMs or software). These items are not included in the tuition, but must be purchased separately.
Do I need to pay the information technology fee?
The information technology fee entitles you to a Penn State Access Account, which you will need in order to access your online GIS courses. Once your fee is paid, your Penn State Access Account is good for one year. If this is your first course with Penn State or it has been a year since you last paid for your account, you will need to pay the information technology fee to have one year of service from the date your course starts. If you paid for your Access Account within the last 12 months, you will not need to pay for a renewal unless the account will expire partway through your new course. If you are uncertain about whether you need to pay the information technology fee, please call us at 800-252-3592 (or send an e-mail to psuwd@psu.edu), and we can check when your account is set to expire.
Does the World Campus bill students or offer payment plans?
No. The World Campus requires payment of all course tuition and fees at the time of registration.
Can I get financial aid?
Financial aid eligibility for World Campus degree students is possible under stringent parameters. For more information, contact a Student Services adviser at 800-252-3592 or visit the Paying for Your Education page.
Can I use a Stafford Loan or Pell Grant to pay for my GIS courses?
Unfortunately, to be eligible for a Stafford Loan or Pell Grant, courses must last one semester (about 15 weeks) and you must be enrolled in at least 6 credits in a given semester. Since the GIS courses last 10 weeks and you may be enrolled in just one course at a time, these sources of financial aid are not available to the master's degree students. You may be eligible for financial aid through the CitiAssist program; visit the CitiAssist Web site for more information. Visit the Penn State Office of Student Aid's Web site for more information about Penn State's financial aid policies.
I need a receipt for reimbursement. How can I get one?
Contact the staff at the World Campus, provide your Social Security number, and request that a receipt be sent to you.
Penn State World Campus
128 Outreach Building
University Park PA 16802
Phone: 800-252-3592
Fax: 814-865-3290
E-mail: psuwd@psu.edu
My employer will pay for my tuition and information technology fee. What do I need to provide so that the World Campus will send the invoice to my employer?
You will need to provide the World Campus with a tuition assistance form from your employer that includes the course name and/or course number, amount your employer is authorizing the World Campus to bill (including the information technology fee, if applicable), a billing address, and a signature from an authorized employer representative. You need to provide a new tuition assistance form for each semester's registration. We will process your registration once we have your payment information.
Are additional materials required for completing my course? If so, how can I obtain them?
Many GIS courses require that you purchase textbooks and related instructional materials (such as CD-ROMs or software). These items are not included in the tuition, but must be purchased separately. Specific information regarding what materials are required for a given course and how to obtain them will be provided when you register. (That information is also part of each course's online syllabus.)
All textbooks for World Campus courses should be ordered through our contracted partner, MBS Direct. Should your World Campus course be canceled, MBS Direct will refund the cost according to their return policy. If you purchase materials from a provider other than MBS Direct, you are responsible for verifying that the edition of the text is exactly the one required for your course; you are also responsible for knowing that vendor's return policy in the event your course is canceled. World Campus is not responsible for refunding the cost of your course materials (purchased through MBS Direct or any other vendor) under any circumstances.
Educational licenses for ArcView 9.x and ArcGIS Spatial Analyst are required for many courses in the certificate and master's programs. If you don't already own ArcView version 9.x, see the instructions that will guide you through the process of acquiring your own educational license for just $100 per year.
Do I have to complete a course within a certain amount of time?
Yes, GIS courses have specific start and end dates. Assignments must be completed at certain times. See your course syllabus for specific dates.
What will happen if I need to take time off from my master's degree studies in GIS?
Penn State's Graduate School requires that degree-seeking students maintain "continuous enrollment" in their program of study. Since most Penn State programs follow a 15-week semester schedule, continuous enrollment means enrollment in both the spring and fall semesters every year until the degree is earned. Enrollment in summer semesters is optional.
The master of GIS program (MGIS) is one of a few Penn State programs that operate on a 10-week quarter schedule. From an administrative perspective, both our winter (January–March) and spring (March–June) quarters are considered spring semester offerings. Our summer (July–September) and fall (October–December) quarters are considered summer and fall semester offerings, respectively.
To satisfy the Graduate School's continuous enrollment rule, therefore, MGIS students must enroll in our fall quarter and either of our winter and spring quarters, or both of them. They may skip our summer quarter. They may also skip either our winter or spring quarter, but not both. In summary, there are 6 options that satisfy the Graduate School's enrollment rule:
|
Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
|
|
January–March
(Winter) |
March–June
(Spring) |
July–September
(Summer) |
October–December
(Fall) |
|
1 |
x |
|
|
x |
|
2 |
|
x |
|
x |
|
3 |
x |
x |
|
x |
|
4 |
x |
|
x |
x |
|
5 |
|
x |
x |
x |
|
6 |
x |
x |
x |
x |
If an MGIS student fails to maintain continuous enrollment, he or she must complete a Resume Study/Change of Degree or Major form before registering for subsequent courses.
Graduate students, including MGIS students, are allowed up to 8 years from the date of admission to complete all requirements for a degree.
What if I need more time to complete a course?
Penn State policy (http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies/47-00.html#48-40) allows instructors to temporarily defer grades for students who were unable to complete course assignments on schedule due to circumstances beyond their control. To request a deferred grade (DF), submit your request in writing to your instructor by e-mail. If your request for a deferred grade is approved by your instructor, you will have until the end of the 6th week of the following quarter to complete your assignments. At that time the temporary grade of DF must be changed, either to an appropriate grade if assignments were completed, or to an F.
Can I submit my lesson assignments electronically?
Yes, in fact, this is the preferred method. The majority of your course work in the certificate and master's degree programs in GIS will be posted in the form of Web pages to an electronic portfolio that you will create and publish yourself in your Penn State Web space. (You'll learn how to do that as part of your program of study.) In some situations, built-in discussion forums, e-mail systems, and electronic "drop boxes" in the courses are also used to submit electronic files.
Do these courses require Internet access?
Yes, the courses in this program require Internet access for course content, activities, assignments, and communication tools.
What kind of computer and software do I need to successfully complete these courses?
For the technical specifications for our programs and courses, see https://www.e-education.psu.edu/courses/gis/techspecs.html.
What if I need help using the Internet to access my online course materials?
The World Campus HelpDesk is available to help you or by phone (800-252-3592 or 814-865-0047, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, EST; weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), e-mail, or real-time chat.
How can I obtain the ESRI ArcView software that is required for many of the courses? Please visit the Department of Geography's Web site for details about the ESRI software package that is required.
What is accreditation, and why is it important?
Accreditation is a national system of monitoring the quality of credits you receive from an institution of higher education. Because Penn State is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, our courses are accepted for transfer by most other colleges and universities. If you are enrolled in a specific program at another institution and you are hoping to transfer one of our courses into it, you should check first with the other institution to make sure the credits will transfer.
I completed courses in Penn State's noncredit certificate program in GIS. How can I convert those CEUs to Penn State credit?
Students admitted to the master's degree (MGIS) program in GIS who completed the certificate program in GIS on a noncredit basis within 5 years of their application to the master's program may request that specific course work from the noncredit GIS certificate be converted to credit (11-credit maximum). When this is done, the student will pay an appropriate tuition differential that will be identified and cleared with the University Budget Office. To request a conversion of credits, contact your MGIS academic adviser or the MGIS advising coordinator.
Can I transfer credits from another institution?
By Graduate School rules, a maximum of 10 credits of high-quality graduate work completed at an accredited institution may be applied toward the requirements for the master's degree in GIS (MGIS). Three transfer credits may be applied to the certificate program. However, credits earned to complete a previous degree, whether at Penn State or elsewhere, may not be applied toward the MGIS degree or the GIS certificate. Approval to apply any transferred credits toward a degree must be granted by the student's academic adviser or program and the Graduate School. Transferred academic work must have been completed within 5 years of the date of first degree registration at the Graduate School of Penn State, must be of at least B quality, and must appear on an official graduate transcript of an accredited university.
Students admitted to the MGIS program may submit requests for transfers of credit to their academic adviser. Students who request that a Penn State course be waived in lieu of a comparable course completed at another institution will be asked to take an examination that demonstrates their mastery of the learning objectives associated with the Penn State course. This is necessary because each Penn State course depends on the knowledge and skills learned in preceding courses. Mastery exams will be administered by course instructors. Transfers of credit will be granted to students who pass these mastery exams.
Can I receive credit for the GISP title given by the GIS Certification Institute?
The GISP certification framework is a professional development plan that academic advisers use to help guide students' professional trajectories. We don't offer academic credit for the credential, however. Graduate School rules prevent us (or anyone else at Penn State) from awarding graduate credit except for achievements within formal courses.
Will the courses appear as correspondence courses on my transcript?
No distinction will be made on your official Penn State transcript that your courses were completed at a distance. The credits you receive are exactly the same as those awarded to on-campus students. Penn State values distance education as highly as it does resident instruction.
Can I drop a course once I've begun?
Yes, it is possible to drop a course. Procedures vary slightly, depending on your student status and the course time frame. For specific World Campus procedures regarding dropping a course, see the Dropping or Withdrawing from a Course page.
How will I find out my final course grade?
NOTE: The following information applies only to credit courses in our programs. Official grade reports for noncredit courses are mailed to students by Penn State's Office of the University Registrar approximately 6 weeks after a course is completed.
Upon completion of the course, your instructor will send you an unofficial notice of your final course grade through the course e-mail system (i.e., ANGEL). Your official course grade will be available through the University's eLion system approximately 4 weeks later.
Directions for accessing grades in eLion:
-
-
Click on the "Students" link in the left-hand menu.
-
Log in with your Penn State Access Account user ID and password (the same one you use to log in to our courses).
-
Click on the "Grades" link in the left-hand menu. Select the appropriate semester for which you want to retrieve grades; then click on the "Display grades" button.
(Note: Our winter quarter is considered part of the spring semester.)
Unofficial "advising" transcripts can also be viewed through eLion (select "Transcripts" from the eLion menu). Official transcripts can be ordered through that same link.
How will learning at a distance be different from taking courses on campus?
While it is true that your distance education courses will take place in a different kind of environment than that of a typical face-to-face course, in many ways your courses will be similar to on-campus instruction, with an instructor, other students, and course materials. But the courses themselves allow more flexibility than face-to-face classes.
How will I interact with my instructor and other students?
You will be part of a group (or cohort) of students in each course in this program, with all students starting and ending each course at the same time. At Penn State World Campus we use a variety of means to bring students and instructors together, including:
- paper-based letters (surface mail)
- telephone (one-on-one and conference calls)
- e-mail
- online discussion forums and chat space
- a Web conferencing system that enables us to interact with one another in real-time, using voice, text, and even video
How quickly should I expect responses from my instructor?
When you take a course in a traditional, face-to-face classroom, you can ask a question of your professor and receive an instant response. In online courses you can still ask questions of your instructors with ease through telephone, e-mail, online discussion forums, or other means—but unless the communication takes place in real time, the response probably won't be immediate! Instructors are not sitting next to their telephones or computers, waiting for questions to come through. However, they are available on a regular basis and are able to respond to their students in a timely manner. As a distance education student, you simply need to become familiar with your instructor's schedule and availability so that you can know when to expect responses to your questions and feedback on your work.
What should I do if I have a question that isn't answered in these FAQs?
If your question is about the content of a course, you should contact your course instructor. If your question is about World Campus policies or procedures, you should contact a Student Services staff member by calling 800-252-3592 or by e-mailing psuwd@psu.edu.
