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Online MS in Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis

Graduate Handbook

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Introduction

The M.S. in Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis at West Virginia University, offered by the Department of Geology and Geography in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, is the first program of its kind in West Virginia. Designed to meet the growing demand for geospatial professionals, this fully online program provides advanced training in GIS and spatial analysis. The curriculum covers a wide range of topics, including predictive modeling, programming, spatial hydrology, remote sensing, data science, machine learning, and applications in environmental and health sciences.

Students complete 31 credit hours of graduate coursework, including core and elective courses, and a final project tailored to their interests and career goals. The structured curriculum develops advanced technical and analytical skills, ensuring that graduates are prepared for high-growth careers in the geospatial industry. Throughout the program, students must maintain steady progress, meet academic standards, and successfully complete a final project evaluated by a faculty committee. This program is ideal for recent college graduates, individuals transitioning careers, and working professionals seeking to advance in the geospatial field.

This document is designed to assist current and future students in the Online MS degree program. The official WVU graduate catalog and degree requirements supersede any rules regulations or policy when they conflict with this document. This document can impose additional requirements or stipulations, but it cannot be made to lessen any University requirements.

Application Process

Online students pay different tuitions and fees than traditional on-campus students, which means students enrolled in online programs do not have access to many on-campus services such as the student recreation center, the PRT, or free tickets to athletic events.

To apply to West Virginia University as an online graduate student, please complete the following steps:

  • Review the application deadlines for the program
  • Review the admission requirements
  • Create an account and complete the Online Application
  • Pay the $60 application fee*
  • Submit the application

To learn more about this process, reach out to a WVU Online Admissions Coach.

Admission Criteria

When evaluating applicants, multiple criteria are considered.

  • University GPA & programs-specific minimum GPA requirements
  • University standard of possessing a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • Your official undergraduate transcripts (WVU cannot accept scans, uploads, faxes, or unverified photocopies of transcripts as official)
  • Two letters of reference from individuals acquainted with the applicant’s professional work, experience, or academic background
  • Your resume or curriculum vitae
  • A written statement of 500 words or more indicating the applicant’s goals and objectives in regards to earning a graduate degree

If your undergraduate degree is in-progress at the time you apply, please send the transcripts to-date. If you receive admission into your the graduate degree program, final transcripts that reflect recently completed courses and the conferred undergraduate degree will need to be

sent. Graduate degree-seeking applicants who have completed a graduate degree at an external institution are not required by the University to submit official masters or doctoral transcripts. If West Virginia University is your undergraduate degree granting institution, you do not need to send transcripts.

Admission Requirements

The WVU Graduate Council sets the minimum standards for admission to graduate study, but specific programs determine who is admitted to their program. Regular graduate students are degree- or certificate-seeking individuals who meet all criteria for regular admission. Applicants must hold a baccalaureate, graduate, or professional degree from a regionally accredited

college or university (or an international equivalent approved by the appropriate authority in the institution’s country), have an undergraduate or graduate GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0

scale, and meet all program-specific requirements. International applicants must meet WVU's English proficiency standards, which include a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) if their native language is not English.

Provisional graduate admission may be offered to students who have earned a degree from an accredited institution but do not fully meet the criteria for regular admission. These students may have incomplete credentials, program-defined deficiencies, or an undergraduate or

graduate GPA below 2.75 but demonstrate potential for success. The offer of provisional admission will specify the requirements for reclassification to regular status. International students cannot be admitted provisionally due to visa requirements, as WVU only issues visa paperwork for regularly admitted graduate students. Provisional students must meet the

regular program requirements and any terms of their provisional admission, to be reclassified to regular status. Failure to meet these requirements within 2 semesters will result in dismissal or reclassification as a non-degree student.

Application Deadlines

The Master of Science (MS) in Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis program admits students for all semesters. While we have specific deadlines, applications received after the deadline will be evaluated, on a space-available basis and judgments rendered as quickly as possible to facility last minute enrolment. That said, don’t wait to apply.

  • The deadline for Fall semester admission is July 15
  • The deadline for Spring semester admission is Novenber 15
  • The deadline for summer term is March 15

All application materials, including completed recommendation letters, must be submitted in order to ensure full consideration.

Application Denial and Appeals

Applicants denied admission may request an explanation of the decision by writing to the Director of the Online Masters Program in GIS and Spatial Analysis. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission, and appeals may be submitted if the applicant

identifies errors in application processing or believes the decision was arbitrary, capricious, or discriminatory. Appeals must be submitted within 30 days of the denial, first to the Director of the Online Masters Program in GIS and Spatial Analysis and, if necessary, to the dean of the college or school. The dean’s decision is final. Admission offers may be revoked if application materials are falsified or if the applicant violates WVU's Student Conduct Code before

enrollment. Students dismissed after enrollment for falsified application materials will be subject to applicable WVU policies.

General Degree Requirements

Students must complete 31 credit hours, including a minimum of 3 credits in Resource Management, while maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.75 and a GPA of 3.0 in all courses applied to the program. In addition to coursework, students must complete a final project, which may include a written report or deliverables such as data, software, maps, web maps,

code, or web applications. An oral defense is not required, though a final presentation may be part of GEOG 797. Students who previously completed RESM 585: GIS and Spatial Analysis

Project as part of a WVU Graduate Certificate in GIS and Spatial Analysis program must undertake a new project for GEOG 797.

Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid

Unlike traditional degree programs, there are no Teaching or Research assistantships available for students in this degree program. Additionally, this is a non-thesis master’s degree so you will not be required to propose, undertake, write, and defend a research-based thesis. We expect most of our students will be remote students often some distance from campus, and expectations of in-person research and/or teaching is unrealistic. This is the very reason for our

asynchronous format, and lower tuition rates. Thus, it is the student’s responsibility in whole to fund their graduate education.

WVU provides a comprehensive approach to helping you finance your education. Learn more by visiting the Student Financial Services website.

Students are encouraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form by the appropriate deadline to determine their eligibility for federal and state funds as well as

scholarships. WVU’s FAFSA Code is 003827. Please also inquire with your employer to determine if they provide financial support or incentives toward earning your graduate degree.

General Course Requirements

Students must complete 31 credits, including 16 core course credits (6 of which are research credits for the final project) and 15 elective credits. Core courses include GEOG 550: Geographic Information Science, GEOG 797: Research, and two courses selected from GEOG 651:

Geographic Information Science: Technical Issues, GEOG 655: Remote Sensing Principles, or RESM 540: Geospatial Modeling. Electives include courses such as GEOG 662: Digital

Cartography, GEOG 657: Open-Source Spatial Analytics, RESM 545: Spatial Hydrology and

Watershed Analysis, or other GEOG or RESM courses with approval of the program coordinator or department chair.

Final Project

The final project is typically completed in one semester but may extend over two semesters with approval. Students must select a project option early in their final semester and submit a proposal to the instructor of record for GEOG 797 for review. The student in consultation with

the instructor may establish a committee to evaluate the student’s final project. This committee will include the program director, and at least one faculty member from Geography, Geology, or Resource Management. And additional committee members can be selected from outside WVU if such members must hold an advanced degree or significant professional expertise and be approved by the Director of the Online Master’s Program in GIS and Spatial Analysis. The instructor of record will make the Pass / Fail determination after consultation with any

committee members. Students failing to complete the project must re-register for 6 research credits and complete a new project. Failure to complete two projects will result in dismissal or reclassification as a non-degree student. A public proposal presentation is not required, but a Zoom meeting and project presentation may be part of GEOG 797.

Plan of Study

Students must develop a Plan of Study after their first semester, outlining coursework through program completion. Adjustments to the plan are allowed but should be made in consultation with their advisor or the Director of the Online Masters Program.

Annual Review

An annual review is conducted each Spring to assess student progress. Students failing to make

progress for three consecutive semesters may be dismissed or reclassified as non-degree students. Students should formally request a leave of absence if they will not be enrolled in course work for a period longer then 3 semester to avoid being automatically dropped from the program after 2 years of dormancy.

Milestones

The program milestones include the development of a Plan of Study after the first semester and an annual review. Deadlines for the final project are determined by GEOG 797 course guidelines.

Important deadlines

 

Important Contacts and Webpages

Director of the Online Masters Program in GIS and Spatial Analysis
Michael B. Harman Ph.D.,  Michael.Harman@mail.wvu.edu
Teaching Assistant Professor Department of Geology and Geography

West Virginia University Online Admissions Coach
Jessica Carr,  jessica.carr1@mail.wvu.edu