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Students electing to specialize in the area
of geographic information systems at the
M.A. level are expected to have an
adequate background for undertaking this
work. This includes, in addition to the
courses in mathematics and statistics
prescribed by the department, a basic
familiarity with computer operations
(including some programming experience)
as well as at least one course in
cartography. Students without a
background in cartography will be
required to include Geography 580
(Elements of Cartography) in their
program during the first term they are in
residence. Additional courses in
cartography are highly recommended.
All students enrolled in the M.A. program
in geography with a specialization in
geographic information systems are
required to complete the following
courses (in addition to those required by
the Department) during their first year of
residence:
Geog 685 Intro to GIS (Autumn)
NatRes 745 Cartographic
Modelling (Winter)
Geog 687 Intro to the Design and
Implementation of GIS (Spring)
In addition to the above courses, students
stressing GIS work in application areas
are required to complete at least one
advanced GIS course (either inside or
outside of the Department of Geography)
as well as Geography 880.01 (Seminar in
Geographic information Systems)
Students in this option must also identify
a specific geographic specialization (e.g.,
urban, transportation, etc.) and must
complete a minimum of two courses in
this area unless such course work has
been completed prior to their entry into
our M.A. program.
Those students wishing to stress a GIS
system design specialization, must include
in their second year program the advanced
GIS design course taught in the School of
Natural Resources (number currently
being assigned) and Geography 887
(Seminar in Geographic Information
System Design). Students in this
specialization should also arrange to
include CIS 516 (Information System
Analysis and Design) in their program if
at all possible. All M.A. students
specializing in the GIS area are also urged
to complete CIS 670 (Introduction to
Database Systems) as part of their
program if at all possible.
It is anticipated that students embarking
upon a Ph.D. major in geographic
information systems will be working in '
either the area of system design/
evaluation or in the area of technical
development of GIS. Students with a
primary interest in advanced GIS
applications within one of the
Department’s specialty areas (e.g., urban
geography, climatology, etc.) are advised
to select a Ph.D. major in that area with a
formal minor in GIS (see below).
Students electing a Ph.D. major in
geographic information systems are
expected to have a background at least
equivalent to that which is contained in
the program leading to the M.A.
specialization in GIS. Students without
such a background may, if admitted,
expect to expend additional time making
up any deficiencies. Ph.D. students in
GIS are also expected to enroll in a
number of relevant courses in Computer
and Information Sciences, and it is
generally expected that their background
will permit such enrollment without the
need for remedial work in CIS. The
student’s precise course of study, in
addition to those courses required of all
Ph.D. students by the Department of
Geography, will be determined by the
student and his/her advisor.
In addition to these major programs, the
Department of Geography offers a Minor
in GIS at the Ph.D. level. While intended
mainly for Ph.D. students in Geography
with primary interests in the application
of GIS technology to their own field
(e.g., urban geography), the program is
also open on an informal basis to Ph.D.
students in other departments.
CONCLUSION
There are several other LIS/GIS
programs emerging at OSU, most notably
in the School of Natural Resources,
which cater for students with different
backgrounds and interests. For students
who cannot find a niche in one of these
programs or those described above, a
“one-of-a-kind” program may be
designed which conforms more precisely
