Program Overview

Geography Bachelor's + Master's (B+M) in GIS Degree Program

The Geography Bachelor's + Master's (B+M) in GIS degree program allows students to complete both a Geography bachelor's and the MS in GIS degree at an accelerated pace. Students currently enrolled in the BA or BS in Geography program may be admitted directly into the MS in GIS program and share up to 20 credits of graduate-level credit. Students can potentially complete both degrees in 4 + 1 years.

Admissions Requirements

Geography majors can apply for admission to the B+M in GIS program provided the following conditions have been met:

• Completed Geog 210, Geog 230, and Geog 380U with a B or higher
• Completed with a B or higher or currently enrolled in GEOG 488
• On track to complete at least 139 undergraduate credits, to include at least 36 upper-division credits, towards the Bachelor's degree before the term in which the student wishes to begin the B+M program.
• A GPA of 3.5 or above is required for all geography classes taken prior to entry into the program, along with a PSU institutional GPA of 3.3

Deadlines

Students can apply for the B+M in GIS program before completing their junior year, usually Spring term, to be eligible to take 500-level courses in their senior year. The B+M program must begin in their final year as an undergraduate with enrollment in Geog 522: Research Design and Geog 591: GIS Professionalism in Spring of their senior year. Initial applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with 3 annual deadlines:

• Fall Term: May 1
• Winter Term: October 15
• Spring Term: January 15

Application Materials

The following materials and information are required as part of the application:

• Evidence of having met the admissions criteria
• Personal Statement: Tell us why you are interested in graduate work in the Geography Department, what you understand the field to be, where your greatest interests are within geography and GIS, and your career goals.
• References: Submit the names of two Geography faculty members who support the application
• Unofficial transcript from PSU

How to Apply

If the Geography Department approves the initial application, the Geography graduate coordinator will send the student an email inviting them to submit a formal application to the Graduate School for the MS in GIS program in Geography. Students are required to submit a digital GIS portfolio in the formal graduate school application. The GIS portfolio is a selection of the student's previous GIS work that showcases their skills in geospatial technologies, including GIS, remote sensing, cartography, and/or surveying.

Continuing Requirements

After admission to the B+M program, students must maintain an institutional undergraduate GPA of 3.30 or higher throughout their bachelor's program and earn a B grade or higher in graduate courses taken for shared credit, achieve a 3.0 or higher graduate GPA each academic term after admission to the B+M program, and resolve any incomplete courses before being officially admitted into the MS in GIS program. All undergraduate geography classes must receive a grade of C- or better. No P/NP credit accepted for either geography or MS in GIS program.

Department of Geography

The Department of Geography offers various programs, including:

• Undergraduate programs:
  • Geography BA/BS/Minor
  • Climate Change Science and Adaptation Minor
  • GIS Minor
  • Water Resources Minor
• Graduate programs:
  • Geography MA/MS
  • Geographic Information Systems Graduate Certificate
  • Geographic Information Science (GIS) MS
  • Ph.D. in Earth, Environment and Society Geography Courses

Research Areas

The Department of Geography has several research areas, including:

• Human Geography
• Physical Geography
• GIS/Center for Spatial Analysis and Research
• Center for Geography Education in Oregon

Geographic Information Science

Geographic Information Science is a field that deals with the study of geographic information systems, remote sensing, cartography, and surveying. The MS in GIS program is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in these areas.