Master's Degree Programs In Geographic Information Systems. Chris Lukinbeal Jan Monk

Transcription

1 Master's Degree Programs In Geographic Information Systems Chris Lukinbeal Jan Monk

2 Introduction The fastest growing and largest part of graduate education in the U.S. is the Master s degree The Master s in GIS is a new phenomenon in graduate education in geography

3 Introduction The Association of American Geographers Guide to Graduate Programs lists 25 M GIS programs Our research has documented 40 programs Growth of M GIS programs is a recent phenomenon Focus: similarities and differences Focus: professional and academic pedagogy

4 Methods Search AAG Guide and Internet Construct spreadsheet based on the AAG Guide Combine AAG Guide with New MS GIS Fields: Country, State, PhD in same unit, Date Started, Degree Name, URL, Online Program?, In Person Requirement for Online?, Campus Program, Length of Program, Faculty in Dept, MS GIS Director Name, Teachers in MS GIS Program, # of Regular Faculty in MS GIS Program, # Adjuncts in MS GIS Program, % Adjunct teachers, Master Thesis, Masters Project, GRE Required, Day/Night, Program Cost, Credit Hours

5 Methods Interview 13 M GIS Program Directors In person & phone interviews conducted Interview selection process: Reflect geographic distribution across the U.S. Representation of different types of departmental units offering the program (PhD granting unit or a terminal Master s unit) Format of delivery (online or in person) Public / Private IRB through University of Colorado, Boulder

6 Interview Questions Overview When did the program start? Why was the program started? Size of program Graduates per year Cost Challenges Measure success Staffing Who teaches in the program Who is your clientele? Where do students come from? Business Model Questions Is funding for this program different from others? Professional Relations Relations with the professional GIS community Education and Curriculum Oral presentation skills Writing skills Ethical practices Project management

7 University California Northwest University University Pennsylvania Sam San American of Michigan State San Eastern Northern Central Arizona Maryland, Southern Carolina John of Francisco Northeastern Houston George Missouri Florida Diego Maryland, Salem of Delta University, of Hopkins Wisconsin-Madison Salisbury Sentinel Michigan State of Southern Central Arizona Illinois Mason of Baltimore Texas State Clark North Arizona of College of Washington Minnesota University Long Arkansas Northridge at Montana Redlands of California Alabama Dallas Denver County Beach Park 2 2 2

8 Program Started Interviewed Programs Programs Started in 2013 Year Start John Hopkins University (Online) California State University Long Beach (In Person)

9 Overview Statistics 32.5% PhD granting department (13/24) 20% One year programs (8/40) 32.5% Online (13/40) 31% of online require an in person module (4/13)

10 Total Enrollment Based on Interviewed Programs Total students in program at time of interview Continuing students can inflate numbers Program Enrollment Min 0 Max 180 Median 26 Average 49

11 Masters in Geography/ GIS Conferred % have MS GIS Rank University Masters 1 Arizona State University 38 2 Pennsylvania State University 31 3 University at Buffalo 28 4 Saint Mary's University of Minnesota 27 5 Florida State University 23 6 Texas State University-San Marcos 20 7 Appalachian State University 19 8 Clark University 19 9 The University of Texas at Dallas University of Minnesota Western Michigan University George Mason University Northern Illinois University Eastern Michigan University CUNY Hunter College Ohio University-Main Campus The University of Montana San Diego State University University of Denver University of Florida 13

12 84% of Masters conferred were in GIS (32/38)

13 Cost N = 40 Total Program cost based on current tuition Not always easy to calculate Min $8,586 Max $58,800 Mode $31,860 Median $27,675 Average $29,082

14 Integrated & Disintegrated Shared or Separate Curriculum in the same unit? Geographic Thought, Thesis Course Format (modular, half semesters) Shared or Separate Students in the same unit? Defining traditional student is no longer easy (online, night, day) Shared or Separate Faculty in the unit? What is the appropriate blend of faculty? Who does Thesis/Project advising? How are faculty funded?

15 I think that one of our biggest challenges is that our institutions, and ours is not unique in this aspect, are not yet internally prepared to deal with non-traditional students, graduate faculty issues and how do you advise all these people. to teach in this program, I really think that the person should have professional experience

16 Size of Faculty Entire Department N = 38 Full time regular faculty Min 2 Max 47 Mode 13 Median 15 Average 16.6 Just MS GIS Program N = 13* # Regular Faculty Teaching in MS GIS Total Faculty in % of Adjunct # Adjuncts MS GIS in MS GIS Min % Max % Mode % Median % Average % * Lack of data = lower N

17 Academic & Professional Pedagogy Not a binary Many interviewed stated: Professional Program Geospatial Technology Competency Model Student outcomes focused on business, government, and nonprofit (BGN) Professional Pedagogy

18 Conclusions Purpose of study is to document an exciting new trend in geography graduate education MS GIS highlights the importance of professional education, needed skills for employment with BGN Information is useful to those seeking to establish a program to administrators needing to understand the diversity of programs for students to better understand their choice in graduate education MS GIS challenges geography to think differently about the future of graduate education.