Geographic Information Science Program « Frequently Asked Questions

There are a range of careers that use Geographic Information Science (GIScience). In 2010, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration divided the GIScience workforce into 10 distinct occupations, including various kinds of scientists, technicians, surveyors and cartographers.

Table 1. Estimated 2010 US employment for 10 geospatial occupations and projected employment growth

Source: DiBiase, Strengthening the GIS Profession, 2012, Web.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics available at: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/15-1299.02?redir=15-1199.05

How many students are normally enrolled in each program?

We currently service 100-110 undergraduate and graduate students on an annual basis, as well as the hundreds of students who take selected GISci courses for their degrees programs, career development, or general interest and skill-building. Our number of certificate program graduates is 25 per year for the graduate certificate and 30 per year for the undergraduate certificate.

We offer an undergraduate certificate for currently enrolled students, both online and on-campus. We offer a graduate certificate for currently enrolled students, both online and on-campus. We also offer an online-only, graduate certificate for working professionals who already possess a baccalaureate degree. As of summer 2017, we are offering a baccalaureate degree in Geography and Geospatial Science. This on-campus-only BS degree replaces the Geography Undergraduate Option within the Earth Sciences major.

How many credits are required?

Twenty-seven (27) credit hours are required for the undergraduate certificate, and 19 for the graduate certificate, and 85 for the BS degree in Geography and Geospatial Science.

How will I know when courses are offered?

In terms of when classes are offered, please click on the course numbers listed in the Curriculum for your chosen certificate program. Each of those numbers links to the online OSU catalog, which tells you when a course is offered during the academic year.

What is the cost of the certificate program?

There is no additional cost for the undergraduate or graduate certificate programs as the required courses will be taken as part of an existing degree program that the student is already enrolled in.

Students enrolled in the online-only graduate certificate pay E-campus tuition and fees. E-campus courses are the same price for Oregon Residents, Non-residents, and international students. For more information, see the E-campus Tuition & Fees web page.

Does financial aid apply to the online-only graduate certificate program?

Yes, students enrolled in only graduate certificate programs may qualify for federal loan financial aid. In addition, a need-based grant is available to fully-admitted E-campus students. Please see the E-campus Financial Aid web page for more information.

What materials, if any, are supplied by the program?

None. The student must purchase textbooks as required by the credit courses.

What are the recommendations for computer hardware, software, and Internet access?

If you are taking a course on the OSU campus, this information will be provided to you by your instructor, and you will receive the necessary hardware, software and Internet access as part of the course. If you are taking a course by way of distance education (through OSU Extended Campus, ESRI Virtual Campus, and/or OSU QuickSkills), please be advised that you will need access to a computer with the following MINIMUM requirements in order to successfully run any software needed for the laboratory component of a course, as well as to download the many large PowerPoint, PDF, and movie files that normally accompany lectures:

Pentium computer (laptop or desktop) with at least an 2.2 GHz processor
running either Windows 2003, Windows 2008, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 as an operating system. Please note that the software will not function properly in Windows 95/98/Me/NT.
2 GB RAM
approximately 2.4 Gb of free disk space
standard graphics cards that come with today’s latest laptops and desktops should be more than sufficient.
robust Internet connection, i.e. BROADBAND (cable Internet or DSL)

And the necessary software is usually provided as part of the cost of a distance ed. course

Is there any fieldwork or final thesis involved?

No.

What is the minimum GPA (grade point average) required while in the program?

At this time we are not enforcing a minimum GPA but will seek a student out for counseling if his/her GPA in certificate coursework falls below 3.0.

Is there a maximum time allowed for a student to complete a certificate?

The undergraduate certificate must be completed by the time the student’s baccalaureate degree is conferred. The graduate certificate must be completed within a time frame of 7 years. A student not completing a graduate certificate by this time, but who at a later time wishes to do so, may receive a subsequent certificate through the Alumni College with the permission of the GIScience certificate program core faculty members.

Do the credits taken apply to other college programs or CEUs (continuing education units)?

Yes, credits earned at OSU in courses taken for the any of the certificates should be transferrable to other accredited universities.

The GIS Certification Institute (www.gisci.org), runs a national program for the certification of GIS Professionals, including an ascription to a GIS code of ethics. The program was originally piloted by the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA). OSU geographic information science courses and certificates DO count toward this national certification (GISP).

What are the admission/residency requirements or prerequisites for the certificate program?

Undergraduate and graduate students must already be enrolled in good standing in any major course of study or degree program at OSU. Students desiring the undergraduate certificate must also have background training in college algebra and trigonometry, and introductory statistics, while students desiring the graduate certificate must have background training in college algebra/trig, introductory cartography, and introductory statistics/statistical methods.

For those interested in online offerings only, here is a list of completely online GIS certificates or degrees offered elsewhere.

If I am an international student, may I be admitted to the certificate program?

If you are an international student already admitted to a formal undergraduate or graduate degree program here at OSU, you may certainly undertake the undergraduate or graduate certificate.

Are GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores required for the graduate certificate?

No.

What coursework is required?

Please see the Curriculum portion of the Geographic Information Science web site..

Who are the instructors? What are their qualifications?

The instructors are all highly qualified in their fields. Most of them hold the doctoral degree and all of them are well-published and well-respected in their fields. A brief profile of instructors may be found in the Faculty sections of the Geographic Information Science web site. Oregon State University is also a founding member of the University Consortium of Geographic Information Science, a group of leading U.S. institutions in the field with regard to basic and applied research and education.

What university unit is in charge of the certificate program?

The College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences has main administrative charge over the program, although the main teaching is shared with the Departments of Forest Engineering, Resources & Management, and Forest Ecosystems & Society.

Who is the head or the director of the certificate program?

Kuuipo Walsh at the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. See Kuuipo’s web site.

How do I schedule an advising appointment?

Kuuipo Walsh is the Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate Adviser. To request an appointment with the GIScience certificate adviser, please select a day and time at https://beav.es/oTc . All hours are Pacific Time.

How long has the certificate program been operational?

The program became officially operational in the Fall of 2004.

Do I need to request a leave of absence?

No, although courses completed no more than seven years prior to the graduate certificate award may be used to satisfy certificate requirements. Students enrolled in certificates without concurrent enrollment in a graduate degree program are not subject to the continuous enrollment policy during the time allowed for certificate completion.

Do I need to reapply after taking a break in my studies?

If you are seeking a graduate certificate only, and not seeking a concurrent graduate degree, you are not subject to the continuous enrollment policy. Therefore, you do not need to submit a Leave of Absence form if you do not enroll one or more terms, including summer term. And if you do take a break for one or more terms, you do not need to reapply to the Graduate School if you return within the seven-year time limit. Unfortunately, you may be asked to reapply anyway. If this happens, please contact Kuuipo Walsh, and she can try to resolve the misunderstanding. In addition, it is important to note that after seven years, you would lose any credits taken before then.

How do I obtain or renew an ArcGIS license?

You may obtain ArcGIS Pro or Desktop through Information Services.

Just follow the instructions at:

https://is.oregonstate.edu/service/software/arcgis

For help contact the OSU Service Desk or 541-737-8787.

Note: The College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences will use ArcGIS Pro in a majority of courses and labs this academic year. For other colleges, check with your instructor or lab manager.

How do I obtain training in ArcGIS through Esri’s web-based short courses?

All students, faculty and staff at OSU now have free access to a number of web-based courses offered through Esri. At the Esri training website, search for a web course, by selecting FORMAT = Web Course.

Then sign in to the course, using your licensed ArcGIS organizational account:
1. Click the Sign In with “ENTERPRISE LOGIN” link
2. Enter “OSUGISci” as the first part of the organization URL.
3. Click on the CONTINUE button.
4. Click on the OREGON STATE UNIVERISITY button.
5. Enter your ONID credentials.
6. If mandatory, enter your Duo Passcode. Click on the box to “Remember me for 12 hours.”

Note. Duo two-step login is mandatory for all students. Find your mandatory date at: https://is.oregonstate.edu/duo/students.

If you have questions, contact Cory Langhoff via email at: langhofc@oregonstate.edu.

How do I register for GEOG 510 Internship?

GEOG 510 – Internship is available for an elective credit during any term. But before undertaking an internship, students are required to submit a one-page resume and a one-page proposal to their adviser and the internship employer at least two weeks before that start of the term. Download a proposal template at:
A_Template_for_Proposal
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How do I apply for graduation after completion of my final class?

When you are ready to graduate, please make sure to apply for graduation (steps below). If you are pursuing more than one degree, at the time you submit your diploma app, if it defaults to the higher degree, please email the Graduate School and they will manually change it to the certificate for you.

Log into MyOSU (https://is.oregonstate.edu/td-service/myosu)
Select the Student tab
Select My Student Records link, select Graduate Students ONLY – Apply to Graduate.

Prospective students:

• Specialized GIScience training and skills: How does that relate to the job market?

• How many students are normally enrolled in each program?

• How many credits are required?

• What is the cost of the certificate program?

• Does financial aid apply to the online-only graduate certificate program?

• What materials, if any, are supplied by the program?

• What are the recommendations for computer hardware, software, and Internet access?

• Is there any fieldwork or final thesis involved?

• What is the minimum GPA (grade point average) required while in the program?

• Is there a maximum time allowed for a student to complete a certificate?

• Do the credits taken apply to other college programs or CEUs (continuing education units)?

• What are the admission/residency requirements or prerequisites for the certificate program?

• If I am an international student, may I be admitted to the certificate program?

• Are GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores required for the graduate certificate?

• What coursework is required?

• Who are the instructors? What are their qualifications?

• What university unit is in charge of the certificate program?

• Who is the head or the director of the certificate program?

• How do I schedule an advising appointment?

• How long has the certificate program been operational?

Current students: