Online Master of Science
Geographic Information Science UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO | COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
earth-sciencerocks@uidaho.edu
BEST IN THE WEST
No. 1
Best Value Public University in the West - U.S. News & World Report
No. 1
In Early- and Mid-Career Salaries Among Idaho Public Universities.
No. 3
Geography Program in the United States for Academic Excellence and Affordability. - Great Value Colleges.
Top 8%
Best Colleges in the Nation. - Princeton Review
+34%
Increase in GIS Jobs by 2031 - Bureau of Labor Statistics.
WHAT’S THE COST? Idaho Residents and Out-Of-State Students Registered for All Online Courses Only* • Part Time (1-8 credits): $586 per credit • Full Time (9-16 credits): $5,274 per semester • Additional Overload Charge for 21 or more credits: $389 per credit
* Courses offered via Engineering Outreach have an additional production fee of $263 per credit. A web fee ($35) per credit is charged for all online courses. Additional course fees may apply. Also note that registering for an on campus course will lead to being charged non-resident tuition for that course and all other courses that semester. For more details, please visit the Semester Tuition and Fee Schedule.
Change in Puero Rico forest cover following Hurricane Maria using Goddard’s G-LiHT Airborne Imager (Credit: NASA Visible Earth)
MAP YOUR FUTURE Earning your M.S. in Geographic Information Science (GIS) will enable you to explore the science of space and place. Explore a wide array of application areas using spatial technologies, datasets, and models to inform environmental decisions, assess climate change solutions, monitor natural disasters, among many more. You will take a core set of advanced GIS courses and then choose from 7 different application areas. This degree will help you gain new knowledge and skills to advance your career.
Geological Map of Latah County (Credit: Idaho Geological Survey)
SUCCEED AT YOUR OWN PACE You can complete this degree in two semesters or take one course each semester*. * You can transfer in up to 12 credits of relevant 400/500 level courses and up to 16 credits can be taken each semester. Continuous registration of at least 1 credit per semester is required at the University of Idaho.
GAMBIT Imagery of Dudinka, USSR (Credit: NASA Visible Earth and USGS)
A HELPING HAND Our faculty and staff are here to help you. Please contact us with any questions you may have. Dr. Renee Love can provide advice on what courses are available each semester and which faculty to contact to pursue the non-thesis and thesis projects. Dr. Love also oversees the development of new online courses in the M.S. in GIS.
Renee Jensen-Hasfurther is the Departmental Manager of Earth and Spatial Sciences. Renee can help with processing waivers and substitutions and can help connect you with the faculty.
Contact: rlove@uidaho.edu
Contact: renee@uidaho.edu
Dr. Alistair Smith is the Department Chair in the Department of Earth and Spatial Sciences and can provide additional advice on which faculty to contact to pursue the nonthesis and thesis projects. Dr. Smith can sign most graduate student forms. Contact: alistair@uidaho.edu
Lava Flow Mapping (Credit: E.Rader)
EXPLORE YOUR POTENTIAL 7 Options to Choose From:
• Remote Sensing • GIS Programming • Natural Hazards and Emergency Planning • Sustainable Planning • Geotechnician • Habitat Assessment • Geospatial Intelligence Signs of Drought in European Groundwater (Credit: NASA Visible Earth)
Snowpack in the Rocky Mountains (Credit: NASA Visible Earth)
CORE COURSES
18 cr
REMOTE SENSING Option
COURSE
CRN
COURSE
12+ cr CRN
GEOG 524 Hydrologial Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing (*F)
*40926
NRS 472 Remote Sensing of Environment (3cr.)
*40332
*76286
NRS 578 LiDAR and Optical Remote Sensing Analysis (3cr. *SP)
*75540
67087
FIRE 535 Remote Sensing of Fire (3cr, SP)
76049
GEOG 475 Intermediate GIS (3cr. *SP)
*76020 67773
Seminar (1cr, *F,*SP)
*various
*43948
GEOG 599 or GEOL 599 (2cr, *F, *SP, *S)
*various
REM 476 Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations (1cr, *SP) REM 475 Remote Sensing with Unmanned Aerial Systems (3cr, *F) GEOG 587 Advanced Topics in Remote Sensing (3cr, *S) ECE 516 Image Sensors and Systems (3cr, *SP)
*74328
HABITAT ASSESSMENT Option
12+ cr
GEOG 525 Graduate GIS Fundamentals (3cr, *S)
*86075
GEOG 593 Geovisualization (3cr, *S, F)
*86065 *45719
GEOG 583 Remote Sensing IMAGE ANALYSIS/GIS Integration (3cr. *SP) GEOG 507 Spatial Analysis and Modeling (3cr. SP, *TBD) +
+ Allowable Substititution: GEOG 479, GEOG 402, and NRS 472; each are currently available online. Other substitutions may be acceptable on request.
GIS PROGRAMMING Option
12+ cr
*76297
*TBD
COURSE
CRN
COURSE
GEOG 479 GIS Programming (3cr, *SP)
*TBD
REM 520 Advanced Vegetation Measurement and Monitoring (3cr, *F)
*43074
STAT 419 Intro to SAS/R Programming (3cr, *F)
*40467
ESS 514 Landscape Monitoring (3cr, *S)
*TBD
STAT 426 SAS Programming (3cr, *S)
*74544
NRS 578 LiDAR and Optical Remote Sensing Analysis (3cr. *SP)
*75540
STAT 427 R Programming (3cr, *F)
*41151
REM 507 Landscape and Habitat Dynamics (3cr. *)
*45372
ENVS 511 Data Wizardry in ENVS (3cr, *F)
*44597
WLF 511 Wildlife Habitat Ecology and Assessment (3cr, S)
85496
*TBD
NRS 588 NEPA in Policy and Practice (3cr, *S)
*85228
*TBD
REM 429 Landscape Ecology (3cr, *SP)
*63137
Allowable Substititution: BCB 520 Foundations of Data Visualization (3cr, *TBD) Allowable Substititution: BCB 521 Communicating with Data (2cr. *TBD)
CRN
* These courses are available online. F(Generally taught in the fall semester), SP(Generally taught in the spring semester), S (Generally taught in the summer semester).
875 Perimeter Drive MS 3021 | Moscow, ID 83844 | 208-885-6192
Lodgepole Fire, Idaho from the EOS Satellite (Credit: NASA Visible Earth)
NATURAL HAZARDS AND EMERGENCY PLANNING Option
12+ cr
SUSTAINABLE PLANNING Option
12+ cr
COURSE
CRN
COURSE
CRN
Required: GEOG 411 Natural Hazards and Society (3cr, *S)
*TBD
GEOG 535 Climate Change Mitigation (3cr, *F)
*43741
GEOG 414 Socioeconomic Apps in GS (3cr, *S)
*TBD
Select 9+ credits from the following courses: GEOL 548 Tectonics (3cr, TBD)
TBD
SOIL 536 Principals of Sustainability (3cr. *F)
*44514
GEOG 414 Socioeconomic Applicatons in GS (3cr, *S)
TBD
ENVS 520 Intro to Bioregional Planning (3cr. TBD)
TBD
REM 510 GIS Applications in Fire Ecology and Management (3cr, *F)
*TBD
ENVS 523 Planning Sustainable Places (3cr. *F)
*43755
ENVS 530 Planning Theory and Practice (3cr. TBD)
TBD
ENVS 548 Drinking Water and Human Health (3cr. *SP)
*75183
*75179
NRS 588 NEPA in Policy and Practice (3cr, *S)
*85228
*41101
ENVS 511 Data Wizardry in ENVS (3cr, *F)
*44597
GEOL 567 Volcanology (3cr, *F) GEOL 454 Air Quality, Pollution, and Smoke (3cr, *F) FIRE 554 Air Quality, Pollution, and Smoke (3cr, *S) NRS 576 Environmental Project Management and Decision Making (3cr, *SP) GEOE 535 Fluvial Geomorphology and River Mechanics (3cr, *F)
41772 *TBD *45100 *86106
CE 536 Seepage and Slope Stability (3cr, TBD)
TBD
NRS 588 NEPA in Policy and Practice (3cr, *S)
*85228
TM 517 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Fundamentals (3cr, TBD) TM 525 Emergency Management and Planning (3cr, *SP) INDT 472 National Incident Management System (3cr, S) Allowable Substititution: INDT 462 Industrial Safety (3cr. *SP) Allowable Substititution: INDT 470 Homeland Security (3cr. *F)
TM 517 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience Fundamentals (3cr, TBD) TM 525 Emergency Management and Planning (3cr, *SP)
TBD *76943
TBD *76943 82641 *68206 *38016
* These courses are available online. F(Generally taught in the fall semester), SP(Generally taught in the spring semester), S (Generally taught in the summer semester).
875 Perimeter Drive MS 3021 | Moscow, ID 83844 | 208-885-6192
Astronaut photograph of the Yates Oilfield, Texas (Credit: NASA Visible Earth)
GEOTECHNICIAN Option
12+ cr
GEOSPATIAL INTELLIGENCE Option
12+ cr
COURSE
CRN
COURSE
CRN
Required: GEOL 562 Petroleum Systems and Stratigraphic Concepts (3cr. *S)
*TBD
GEOG 565 Geopolitics and Conflict (3cr. TBD)
TBD
GEOG 414 Socioeconomic Apps in GS (3cr, *S)
*TBD
ECON 446 International Economics (3cr. F)
11203
Select 9+ credits from the following courses: GEOL 471 Ore Deposits and Exploration (3cr. F)
42710
GEOL 512 Environmental Hydrogeology (3cr. TBD)
TBD
GEOL 531 Chemical Hydrogeology (3cr. TBD)
TBD
STAT 419 Intro to SAS/R Programming (3cr. *F)
*40467
GEOG 550 Geography of Development (3cr. TBD)
TBD
STAT 431 Statistical Analysis (3cr. *S)
*82206
TM 525 Emergency Management and Planning (3cr, *SP)
*76943
*75540
INDT 470 Homeland Security (3cr. *F)
*38016
*42447
CS 575 Machine Learning (3cr, *F)
*45207
CS 577 Python for Machine Learning (3cr. *SP)
*76274
CS 579 Data Science (3cr. SP)
72565
POLS 410 Game Theory (3cr. SP)
74453
NRS 578 LiDAR and Optical Remote Sensing Analysis (3cr. *SP) ENVS 579 Introduction to Environmental Regulations (3cr. *F) ENVS 548 Drinking Water and Human Health (3cr. *SP)
*75183
ECON 447 International Development Economics (3cr. SP) NRS 578 LiDAR and Optical Remote Sensing Analysis (3cr. *SP)
Allowable Substititution: BCB 520 Foundations of Data Visualization (3cr, *TBD) Allowable Substititution: BCB 521 Communicating with Data (2cr. *TBD) Allowable Substititution: CS 574 Deep Learning (3cr. *F) Allowable Substititution: CS 528 Multi-User Games and Virtual Environments (3cr. F)
41187 *75540
*TBD *TBD *45171
* These courses are available online. F(Generally taught in the fall semester), SP(Generally taught in the spring semester), S (Generally taught in the summer semester).
875 Perimeter Drive MS 3021 | Moscow, ID 83844 | 208-885-6192
45162
New and Updated Fall 2023
CLIMATE CHANGE CERTIFICATES BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
Help solve the most pressing challenges that our world has witnessed in generations. The scale and magnitude of climate-driven stressors on food, water, and energy systems are unprecedented. Many challenges exist with managing and mitigating the impacts of climate driven disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and pests. This certificate is ideal for professionals who need a working knowledge of the science of climate change, its potential impacts, and adaptation and mitigation strategies to build climate resilient societies and landscapes. These certificates help students obtain climate literacy across a range of disciplines. Many of the courses are available online allowing for the certificate to be completed remotely.
UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE
12 cr
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE
12 cr
COURSE
CRN
COURSE
CRN
Required: GEOG 313 Global Climate Change (*F)
37261 *41782
Required: GEOG 513 Global Climate Change (*F)
37262 *41783
Select 3 Courses from the following
Select 3 Courses from the following GEOG 317 Tree Rings and Environmental Change (*SP)
76018 *76597
BE 533 Northwest Climate and Water Resources Change (F)
41167
GEOG 401 Climatology (*SP)
76206 *77164
GEOG 430 Climate Change Ecology (SP)
TBD
GEOG 430 Climate Change Ecology (SP)
TBD
GEOG 455 Societal Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change
TBD
GEOG 435 Climate Change Mitigation (*F)
42829 *43740
GEOG 488 Geography of Energy Systems
TBD
GEOG 488 Geography of Energy Systems
TBD
GEOG 517 Tree Rings and Environmental Change (*SP)
76019 *76530
GEOL 435 Glaciology and the Dynamic Frozen Earth (SP)
73248
GEOG 535 Climate Change Mitigation (*F)
42830 *43741
SOC 466 Climate Change and Society
TBD
GEOL 535 Glaciology and the Dynamic Frozen Earth (SP)
73249
Allowable Substitutions: GEOL 454/FIRE 454 Air Quality, Pollution, and Smoke (*F)
*86033 *69901
GEOL 562 Petroleum Systems and Stratigraphic Concepts (F)
TBD
GEOG 301 Meteorology (*F) GEOG 411 Natural Hazards and Society(F)
*44278 43024
SOC 466 Climate Change and Society
TBD
GEOG 410 Biogeography (SP) BE 453 Northwest Climate and Water Resources Change (F)
76024 41168
Allowable Substitutions: FIRE 554 Air Quality, Pollution, and Smoke (*S)
*84480
ENGL 322 Climate Change Fiction
72480
GEOG 512 Climatology (*SP)
* These courses are available online. F(Generally taught in the fall semester), SP(Generally taught in the spring semester), S (Generally taught in the summer semester).
875 Perimeter Drive MS 3021 | Moscow, ID 83844 | 208-885-6192
TBD
New and Updated Fall 2023
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS CERTIFICATES MAP YOUR FUTURE
These certificates provide you with the tools to understand how the Earth is changing in space and time to better understand our complex world. Geographic Information Systems based approaches make use of spatial analysis, modeling, remote sensing imagery, mapping platforms such as Google Earth, and advanced visualizations such as Virtual Reality and immersive 3D environments. Through the Geographic Information Systems certificates, you will achieve key skills and understanding to be able to explore the spatial interconnections between different landscape components. The Geographic Information Systems certificates will enable you to use spatial technologies to inform environmental decisions, assess climate change solutions, and montitor natural disasters, among many more applications. UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE COURSE GEOG 385 Foundations of GIS (3cr. *F|SP|S) GEOG 475 Intermediate GIS (3cr. *SP)
15 cr
GRADUATE CERTIFICATE
15 cr
CRN
COURSE
CRN
GEOG 576 Intermediate GIS (3cr. *SP) ** This can be substituted with either GEOG 524 or GEOG 583
*TBD
GEOG 579 GIS Programming (3cr. *F) ** This can be substituted with GEOG 593
*TBD
GEOG 525 Graduate GIS Fundamentals (*S)
*86075
Fall: *33375 Spring: *63041 Sum: *86074 *76020 67773
Select 9 credits from the following courses GEOG 390 Cartographic Design & Geovisualization (3cr. *F)
*43726
GEOG 402 GIS Skills Development (1-6cr. *F|SP)
*TBD 40760
Select 6 credits from the following courses GEOG 524 Hydrologic Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing (3cr. *F) **
*40926 27841
GEOG 583 Remote Sensing IMAGE ANALYSIS/GIS Integration 3cr. *SP) **
*76286
GEOG 407 Spatial Analysis and Modeling (3cr. SP)
TBD
GEOG 507 Spatial Analysis and Modeling (3cr. SP)
67087
GEOG 414 Socioeconomic Applications of GIS (3cr. F)
TBD
GEOG 593 Geovisualization (3cr. *S) **
*86065
GEOG 424 Hydrologic Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing (3cr. *F)
*27840 39421
ENVS 511 Data Wizardry in Environmental Sciences (3cr. *F)
*44597
REM 475 Remote Senisng Applications with Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) (3cr. *F)
*43948
GEOG 479 GIS Programming (3cr. *F)
*TBD 71338
REM 476 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Applications (3cr. *SP)
* 76297
GEOG 483 Remote Sensing IMAGE ANALYSIS/GIS Integration (3cr. *SP)
*76307 54903
STAT 431 Statistical Analysis (3cr. *F).
GEOG 487 Topics in Geospatial Analysis (3cr.)
TBD
STAT 426 SAS Programming (3cr. S)
*36204 *70467 *72345 72544
STAT 427 R Programming (3cr. F)
41151
FOR/NRS 375 Fundamentals of Geomatics (F|SP)
38855
TBD
REM 407 GIS Application in Fire Ecology and Management (2cr. *SP)
*63154
CE 573 GIS and Transportation Plannning Allowable Elective Substitutions: GEOG 402*, GEOG 414, GEOG 487*, FIRE 407 (*)
STAT 419 Introduction to SAS/R Programming (3cr. *F|*SP)
* These courses are available online. F(Generally taught in the fall semester), SP(Generally taught in the spring semester), S (Generally taught in the summer semester). ** Can only count once.
875 Perimeter Drive MS 3021 | Moscow, ID 83844 | 208-885-6192
*var
New and Updated Fall 2023
ENVIRONMENTAL HYDROGEOLOGY CERTIFICATE E N S U R I N G WAT E R S E C U R I T Y
Our planet is facing several compounding threats associated with urbanization, smoke, water pollution, and restoration and there is an urgent need for a well trained workforce that understand how belowground water systems are impacted and that can make informed decisions on wells, pumps, drains, and restoration of waterways following land use. To meet this need, the Environmental Hydrogeology Certificate focuses on providing students with knowledge on how groundwater moves through soil and rocks, including aquifers. UNDERGRADUATE CERTIFICATE
15 cr
REQUIRED COURSES
CRN
GEOL 309 Ground Water Hydrology (3cr.)
F: 20018
GEOL 410 Groundwater Field Methods (3cr.)
F: 12103
HYDR 409 Quantitative Hydrogeology (3cr.)
F: 40930
HYDR 412 Environmental Hydrogeology (3cr.)
SP: 75155 SP*: 76805
Select 1 course from the following GEOL 428 Geostatistics (3cr.)
SP: 74125
GEOG 424 Hydrologic Applications of GIS and Remote Sensing (3cr.)
F: 27840 F*: 39421
GEOL 431 Chemical Hydrogeology (3cr.)
SP: 74127
WANT TO LEARN MORE? Existing University of Idaho Students
Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students may pursue an Academic Certificate by completing a change of curriculum.
Non-Degree Seeking Students
New students wishing to pursue Academic Certificates without being enrolled for a degree must apply for admission as a nondegree seeking student.
* These courses are available online. F(Generally taught in the fall semester), SP(Generally taught in the spring semester), S (Generally taught in the summer
R E A DY TO G E T S TA R T E D ?
For More Information: earth-sciencerocks@uidaho.edu Departmental Contacts: Alistair Smith | alistair@uidaho.edu (208-885-1009) Renee Jensen-Hasfurther | renee@uidaho.edu (208-885-6216)
875 Perimeter Drive MS 3025 Moscow, ID 83844-3025 www.uidaho.edu/sci/ess earth-sciencerocks@uidaho.edu (208) 885-6216 Lidar canopy height model (Credit: AM Sparks)