2. Program components

The Master of Science in Geographic Information Science

The Master of Science in Geographic Information Science (GIS) program is designed for professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge of analysis, management, and communication of geographic information.  It combines the development of strong technical skills and in-depth understanding of geographic information science and theory.

Entrance Requirements
Since this is an advanced, graduate level program in GIS, all incoming students must have previous experience or education in GIS. As there are a limited number of positions available in this program, it is important to ensure that students in the program have the appropriate aptitudes, expectations and intellectual preparation. Entrance into this program is competitive. 

Minimum requirements for entrance include:

• An undergraduate degree or equivalent in any field.
• At least 2 years of professional experience using GIS or completion of at least 2 university-level courses in GIS plus an internship lasting at least 4 months.
• The equivalent of an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 out of a possible 4.0 during the final two years of study. Applicants with a grade point average less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or who have undergraduate degrees from countries where an equivalent of the GPA cannot be calculated from transcripts must show promise of success based on other criteria.
• Two letters of recommendation confirming the applicant’s potential for success in the program.
• Competence in speaking and writing English. Students for whom English is a second language must demonstrate competence by submitting TOEFL scores above 550 written (210 computer based). Alternative internationally recognized tests such as IELTS scores at band 5.5 or above may be considered equivalent.
• Analytical and technical aptitude demonstrated through appropriate coursework, professional experience, GRE or similar test scores, and/or letters of recommendation. 

Program Structure
The full-time 12-month program consists of 10 months of coursework and the undertaking of a Major Individual Project (MIP). Each of the 6 terms are 7 weeks in length and the annual schedule allows for two 3-week breaks. Student cohorts begin each year in September and January.

The part-time program consists of up to twelve 7-week terms, with corresponding 3-week breaks as in the one-year program.  The program structure for part-time students will be determined and agreed upon by the student and the Program Director.

Each of the first three 7-week terms includes a core theory course (GIS 61x series) on a major geographic information science theme paired with an intensive, hands-on technology course (GIS 62x series). Additional theory courses are offered in Terms 4 and 5 and as electives (GIS 66x and GIS 67x series). Theory courses not only complement the Technology courses and ensure that students have the critical theoretical foundations for the relevant technology, but also explore broader issues related to effective and appropriate application of the technology. A menu of short workshops (GIS 650) are offered throughout the program to provide opportunities for students to selectively focus their attention on one of the many major themes in GIS, specific application areas, or advanced theory topics.

Each of the first five terms begins with one or more intensive multi-day, instructor-led courses from the current ESRI software training curriculum (GIS 640). MS GIS Colloquium (GIS 630) is offered most Wednesday afternoons during the year. These colloquia give students exposure to cutting edge research and developments in GIS and the opportunity to hear from some of the most important GIS scholars and managers.

All students are required to undertake a Major Individual Project (MIP) that applies GI Technology and/or Science to a problem of their choice. This is the professional equivalent of an academic masters thesis. The Project course series (GIS 69x) is directed towards building students’ skills in project design and implementation.

Opportunities for projects come from The Redlands Institute, other organizations in the region, or from students’ former, current or future employers. Students begin developing their MIP topics during the beginning of the GIS 69x series and in conjunction with their MIP Advisory Committees and make gradual progress towards completing the MIP by the end of their program, be it one year or two. Before graduating, all students must successfully pass an oral defense of their project work before their Advisory Committee and submit  an approved extended written report on the work completed. Students are also required to make a public presentation of their MIP.  This will occur either at the annual ESRI International User Conference in mid-summer or at a special conference in front of an audience of their peers and colleagues in the discipline of their project in December.

Program Requirements

The masters of science degree requires 42 units at the graduate level, which are comprised of 10 units of theory courses, 7 of technology courses, 14 units of project (MIP) courses, 7 units of professional practice courses, and 4 units of elective courses.  Elective courses can be taken in the form of regularly offered MS GIS Program electives, topics courses which are offered from time to time by GIS-related faculty, University of Redlands School of Business GIS-focused electives, or by individualized study, the focus of which is determined by MS GIS Program faculty.

Courses:

Theory Courses

• GIS 611 Fundamentals of Geographic Information
• GIS 612 Information Systems Foundations for GIS
• GIS 617 Programming for GIS
• GIS 616 Statistics & Spatial Analysis
• GIS 615 Communicating Geographic Information

Technology Courses:

• GIS 621 Introduction to GI Technology
• GIS 625 Introduction to Image Data
• GIS 622 Creating and Managing Geodatabases
• GIS 623 Working with GIS

Project Courses:

• GIS 691 Project Concept & Scope
• GIS 692 Project Initiation & Planning
• GIS 693 Project Analysis & Design
• GIS 694 Project Execution
• GIS 695 Project Implementation
• GIS 696A Project Completion
• GIS 696B Project Closure

Professional Practice:

• GIS 630 MIS GIS Colloquium
• GIS 640 GIS Software Training
• GIS 650 GIS Workshops

Electives:

• GIS 663 Remote Sensing & Image Processing
• GIS 664 GIS for the Web
• GIS 661 Topics Course(s)
• GIS 671/2/3 Individualized Study

3. Course Descriptions Course unit value shown in (  ).

GIS 611 – Fundamentals of Geographic Information. (2)  Modeling geographic reality in information systems, determining and representing location, basic spatial concepts, solving spatial problems, and geographic data sources.

GIS 612 – Information Systems Foundations for GIS. (2) Provides fundamental theoretical knowledge about information systems in general and the unique demands created by geographic information. Includes data modeling and knowledge representation for spatial data, database schemas and models, consistency constraints and architectural principles for geographic information systems.

GIS 615 – Communicating Geographic Information. (2) Begins with basic theory of graphic design at it applies to GIS and the fundamentals of cartography, then explores statistical mapping, visualization and statistical methods for exploratory data analysis, animation, scientific visualization, interactive maps, 3D and virtual reality.

GIS 616 – Statistics & Spatial Analysis. (3) Combines a survey of statistical foundations needed by GIS practitioners with a detailed understanding of the range of spatial analytical techniques and the skills necessary for expert application of these techniques to specific problems. Includes fundamental concepts needed to understand advanced rule-based, statistical, process-based and deterministic methods of spatial analysis.

GIS 617 – Programming for GIS. (1) This is an advanced course for students who wish to develop their skills as GIS programmers. Topics include designing program code to handle various coordinate systems, projections, topologic data structures, spatial indexing methods, n-dimensional trees, and cartographic simplification.

GIS 621 – Introduction to GI Technology. (2) Provides necessary foundation of skills in geographic information technology used throughout the program. Group and individual work on supervised class projects supplementing taught theory and technology concepts.

GIS 622 – Creating and Managing Geodatabases. (2) Focuses on the important database component of GI Technology. Following brief review of fundamental database skills, students complete an intensive one-week training course to acquire geodatabase design skills. Group and individual work on supervised class projects supplementing taught theory and technology concepts follows the training segment.

GIS 623 – Working with GIS. (2) Provides mastery of the complex suite of spatial analysis functionality available in GISystems. Following brief review of simple spatial functions in ArcGIS, students complete an intensive one-week training course to acquire advanced spatial analysis skills including the use of geostatistical tools. Group and individual work on supervised class projects supplementing taught theory and technology concepts follows the training segment.

GIS 625 – Introduction to Image Data. (1) This course will cover the fundamentals of remotely sensed image data – physics, spectral signature, and basics of visual interpretation.  Students will be required to acquire image data and perform extended interpretation of their study area.

GIS 630 – MS GIS Colloquium (2) Provides students exposure to advanced research and innovative developments in GI Systems and Science and the opportunity to hear presentations from GIS researchers, analysts, developers, and managers who live in or visit the Redlands region. Active participation in each term's colloquia is required for graduation.

GIS 640 –  GIS Software Training (3)  A series of intensive 2 to 5-day hands-on training courses in the use of the ArcGIS suite of software products; approximately 25 days of training is required during the program.

GIS 650 – GIS Workshops (2)  Topic-oriented workshops in various GIS applications will be offered for the students to choose “cafeteria style”; approximately 10 workshops will be offered per calendar year and students are required to attend a minimum of 4 workshops during the term of their program.

GIS 661 – Topics courses (1-2 cr each) Designed to reflect technology and curriculum trends and issues.

GIS 663 – Fundamentals of Remote Sensing. (1) Remote sensing is the process of collecting data about objects or landscapes without coming in direct physical contact with them. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of remote sensing systems and related techniques, including the methods involved in rectifying, interpreting and classifying remote sensing data such as satellite images.

GIS 664 – Customizing GIS for the Web. (2) Provides students with the basic skills needed to create WebGIS applications. Following a brief review of programming skills, students complete an intensive one-week training course to acquire the skills necessary to put GIS on the web. Extensive group work on related class projects follows the training segment.

GIS 671/2/3 – Individualized Study (1-2 cr each) This course is used to build courses for independent study or to provide for individualized graduate level work in existing undergraduate courses or individualized study.

GIS 691 – Project Concept & Scope. (2) The objective of this course is to initiate the concept and scope of the student’s Major Individual Project (MIP).  Students will identify their project client and topic, conduct some preliminary research on the topic and write a background paper outlining previous research and studies on their topic.

GIS 692 – Project Initiation & Planning. (1) Students will conduct a feasibility analysis of their MIP concept and develop a plan that establishes the strategic goals, schedule, and budget for solving the problem with a technical solution.  The final assignment for this course is a formal Project Plan with the project scope, goals, timeline and budget fully specified.

GIS 693 – Project Analysis & Design. (1) Students will investigate the basic principles of systems analysis and design through a user’s needs assessment and a requirements analysis.  The final assignment for this course will be a Project Design Specification defining the system architecture, technical features, and data components.

GIS 694 – Project Execution. (1) This course covers the basic procedures for executing a GIS project following the systems analysis and design phases, and techniques for successfully executing and managing a GIS project through construction and deployment.

GIS 695 – Project Implementation. (2) During the fifth term, students turn their focus to final implementation of their products including the digital interfaces to their GIS (whether stand alone GIS interfaces, ArcIMS implementations, or something else).

GIS 696A – Project Completion. (6) In the final term, students complete all work on their project, prepare an extended report, defend it before their advisory committee and make a public presentation of their work. Successful completion of this project will be determined by each student's advisory committee based on these final submissions.

GIS 696B – Project Closure. (1) In this final project course, students close their projects by finalizing all data and related digital materials for permanent archiving or handing off to the client, and perform client training, if necessary.

Last Updated March 24, 2007