Minor in 'Geographic Information Science'

Description

Geographic Information Science (GIScience) is an integrative, skills-based discipline that facilitates observation and analysis over many scales and employs a spatial perspective that is useful to many disciplines. The minor in GIScience provides students with basic professional skills for conducting spatial analysis, combining conceptual frameworks with technical proficiencies in tools such as Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Global Positioning Systems, Cartography, and spatial statistics.

The minor works well with a variety of majors from the College of Business and Economics, the College of Health Professions, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Science and Mathematics. GIScience is a growing field and Towson University is recognized as a GIScience leader in Maryland. Students graduating with GIScience skills are in demand by employers, due to the large number of academic, private, government, and nonprofit organizations that are creating or expanding their GIS capabilities.

The minor is awarded upon completion of a minimum of 21 hours of required and elective courses. A maximum of 6 credit hours from other departments may be counted toward the minor, with the approval of the program director. Students are strongly encouraged to complete a GIS internship with a government agency or business.

Required Courses (12 credits)

• GEOG 221 Interpretation of Maps (3) or
  GEOG 230* Understanding and Communicating Through Maps (3)

• GEOG 323 Cartography and Graphics I (3) or
  GEOG 418 Computer Mapping (3)

• GEOG 375 Quantitative Methods in Geography (3) or approved statistics course

• GEOG 412 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3)

Electives (9 credits)

• GEOG 321 Interpretation of Aerial Photographs (3)

• GEOG 414 GIS Applications (Spatial Analysis and Geographic Information Systems) (3)

• GEOG 416 Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing (3)

• GEOG 470-9 Seminar: Selected Topics (in GIS) (3)

• GEOG 491 Internship (1-6; 3 maximum towards Minor)

• GEOG 495 Directed Reading in Geography (GIS topics) (3)

• GEOG 496 Independent Study in Geography (GIS topics) (3)

*These courses may be used to fulfill General Education requirements.

Other lower- and upper-division computer science courses, as well as GIS applications courses offered by other departments may be considered as electives, with the approval of the program director.