Penn State's 33-credit online Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security — Geospatial Intelligence shapes leaders capable of preventing and responding to man-made and natural disasters.
Use the Course Schedule to see courses listed with start and end periods, registration deadlines, and semesters offered, as well as a link to sample lessons and syllabus when available, by clicking on the six-digit schedule number.
All students are required to take at least one elective that is a 500-level course in addition to the Capstone Experience (GEOG 594), to satisfy the degree requirement of 6 credits at the 500 level.
All students are required to complete the HLS Orientation (non-credit) as part of the HLS core curriculum before the end of their first semester. This orientation provides an overview of the HLS program and the field of homeland security.
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeland Security Administration: Policies and Programs | HLS 801 | Foundation for understanding homeland security history, the development of homeland security policies and organizations, and current management approaches. | 3 credits |
| Homeland Security: Social and Ethical Issues | HLS 803 | This course will examine the social, political, legal, and ethical issues that arise in the context of homeland security. | 3 credits |
| Violence, Threats, Terror, and Insurgency | HLS 805 | Provides an overview of the domestic and global issues related to homeland security. | 3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exploring Imagery and Elevation Data in GIS Applications | GEOG 480 | An introductory-level course focusing on the use of remotely sensed imagery and elevation data in GIS applications. | 3 credits |
| Problem Solving with GIS | GEOG 483 | How geographic information systems facilitate data analysis and communication to address common geographic problems. Prerequisites: GEOG 482 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Geographic Foundations of Geospatial Intelligence | GEOG 882 | Orientation to the geographic foundations of geospatial intelligence and its applications in national security, international relief work, and disaster management. | 3 credits |
| Advanced Analytic Methods for Geospatial Intelligence | GEOG 885 | Prepares current and aspiring geospatial intelligence professionals to apply and interpret results of non-quantitative analysis and modeling techniques. Prerequisites: GEOG 882 |
3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Biosecurity: Protecting a Key Infrastructure | AGBIO 520 | Course will explore intentional and unintentional threats to the agriculture- food system, history and current approaches for safeguarding this key infrastructure. | 3 credits |
| Disaster Communication | CAS 553 | This seminar provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted nature of disaster communication across phases of a disaster. | 3 credits |
| Cyber-Geography in Geospatial Intelligence | GEOG 479 | Geospatial intelligence analysis of the geographic aspects of cyber data and observables, products for decision making, and impact of change. Prerequisites: GEOG 160, GEOG 482 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Topographic Mapping with Lidar | GEOG 481 | Understanding lidar systems' design, operation, data processing techniques, and product generation to address typical application scenarios faced by the geospatial professional. | 3 credits |
| Making Maps that Matter with GIS | GEOG 482 | Case studies, student investigations, and projects reveal the scope, impact, and character of the Geospatial Revolution. | 3 credits |
| GIS Database Development | GEOG 484 | Database design, creation, and maintenance, and data integration using desktop GIS software. Prerequisites: GEOG 483 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| GIS Programming and Software Development | GEOG 485 | Customizing GIS software to extend its built-in functionality and to automate repetitive tasks. Prerequisites: GEOG 484 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Cartography and Visualization | GEOG 486 | Theory and practice of cartographic design, emphasizing effective visual thinking and visual communication with geographic information systems. Prerequisites: GEOG 484 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Environmental Applications of GIS | GEOG 487 | Real-world applications of GIS and spatial analysis to investigate a variety of current environmental issues. Prerequisites: GEOG 484 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| GIS Application Development | GEOG 489 | GIS Desktop Customization with Visual Basic .NET and ArcObjects, including the Systems Development Life Cycle, using ESRI Add-Ins to deploy custom applications. Prerequisite: GEOG 485 and instructor approval; or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Location Intelligence for Business | GEOG 497B | Understanding location technology and geospatial analysis to support an efficient and effective pathway to better business decisions. | 3 credits |
| Critical Geospatial Thinking: The Fundamentals | GEOG 497I | Students learn how geographers think about the world and how they analyze human activities using social- and behavioral-based science models. | 1 credit |
| Intelligence Analysis, Cultural Geography, and Homeland Security | GEOG 571 | The application of cultural geography in the intelligence analysis and synthesis process by identifying prominent threats to civil security. | 3 credits |
| Geospatial System Analysis and Design | GEOG 583 | Systematic approach to requirements acquisition, specification, design and implementation of geospatial information systems. Prerequisites: GEOG 484 |
3 credits |
| Geospatial Technology Project Management | GEOG 871 | Principles of effective project management applied to the design and implementation of geospatial information systems. | 3 credits |
| Open Web Mapping | GEOG 585 | Design, development, and implementation of web mapping applications using OGC standards and open source software. Prerequisites: GEOG 485 |
3 credits |
| Geographical Information Analysis | GEOG 586 | Choosing and applying analytical methods for geospatial data, including point pattern analysis, interpolation, surface analysis, overlay analysis, and spatial autocorrelation. Prerequisites: GEOG 485, GEOG 486, or GEOG 487 |
3 credits |
| Planning GIS for Emergency Management | GEOG 588 | Requirements analysis and proposal writing to plan and implement GIS solutions supporting emergency management activities of government agencies and contractors. Prerequisites: GEOG 583, GEOG 584; GEOG 488 recommended or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Emerging Trends in Remote Sensing | GEOG 589 |
Advanced topics in remote sensing and image processing, including new sensors, applications, and decision making. Prerequisites: GEOG 480 and GEOG 883 |
3 credits |
| GIS for Health Analysis | GEOG 591 | The role of geographic information systems in understanding disease, including relevant spatial analysis and cartographic visualization techniques. Prerequisites: GEOG 484 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Independent Study in Geospatial Intelligence | GEOG 596I | Creative projects, including research and design, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses. | 1–3 credits |
| Special Topics in Geospatial Intelligence Futures | GEOG 597I | Addresses cutting edge geospatial intelligence topics that impact the global academic and professional community. | 3 credits |
| The Earth is Round and Maps are Flat: Working with Spatial Reference Systems in GIS | GEOG 861 | Explores three important topics related to georeferenced data: datums, map projections, and grid systems. Prerequisites: GEOG 483 or permission of the program |
3 credit |
| GPS and GNSS for Geospatial Professionals | GEOG 862 | Cultivates a working knowledge of current and future capabilities of GPS and the emerging Global Navigation Satellite System. Prerequisites: GEOG 484 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Web Application Development for the Geospatial Professional | GEOG 863 | Focuses on how geospatial professionals can create applications using industry-relevant geospatial APIs. Students will build applications using the core web technologies of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. | 3 credits |
| Professionalism in Geographic Information Science and Technology | GEOG 864 | Prepares current and aspiring professionals to recognize, analyze and address legal and ethical issues in the GIS&T (geospatial) field. | 3 credits |
| Cloud and Server GIS | GEOG 865 |
Theory and practical applications of using cloud computing and server resources to solve geospatial problems. Prerequisites: GEOG 484 or permission of the program |
3 credits |
| Spatial Database Management for Geospatial Professionals | GEOG 868 | Advanced topics in the storage, management and retrieval of geospatial data using common proprietary and open-source relational database technologies. | 3 credits |
| Remote Sensing Analysis and Applications | GEOG 883 | Understanding remote sensing systems' operation, data products, and processing techniques to address typical problem scenarios faced by the GEOINT professional. | 3 credits |
| Geographic Information Systems for the Geospatial Intelligence Professional | GEOG 884 | How geographic information systems facilitate data analysis and communication to address common geographic problems faced by the geospatial intelligence professional. Prerequisite: GEOG 882 |
3 credits |
| Geospatial Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) | GEOG 892 | Common platforms, analytical strategies, and policy dimensions of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) in public, private, defense, and humanitarian applications. | 3 credits |
| Natural Disasters | GEOSC 402Y | Case studies of the causes and consequences of natural disasters; analysis of disaster impact in different economic, cultural, and social conditions. | 3 credits |
| Introduction to Homeland Security | HLS 401 | This course provides foundational knowledge about homeland security, including policy, organization, and legal issues in the American context. | 3 credits |
| Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management | IST 564 | This course examines the fundamental elements of crisis, disaster, risk, and emergency management. | 3 credits |
| Foundations of Information Security and Assurance | IST 815 | This course provides theoretical and applied foundations of information security and assurance. | 3 credits |
| Introduction to Multisensor Data Infusion | IST 885 | Understanding the concepts, techniques, and issues surrounding the fusion of information from multiple sensors and sources of data. | 3 credits |
| Public Health Evaluation of Disasters and Bioterrorism | PHP 527 | Introduces students to the design of exposure assessment and health effect studies applicable to disasters and terrorism. | 3 credits |
| The Politics of Terrorism | PL SC 439 | Analysis of political terrorism as a violent alternative for peaceful change and traditional warfare in the nuclear age. Prerequisites: CRIMJ 100 or PL SC 014 or permission of program |
3 credits |
| Title | Abbreviation | Description | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culminating Experiences in Geospatial Intelligence | GEOG 594A | Culminating experiences in current professional and ethical problems facing the geospatial intelligence professional. | 1 credit |
| Geospatial Intelligence Capstone Experience | GEOG 594B | Culminating experience in the iMPS-HLS for the Geospatial Intelligence option. | 2 credits |
If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.