UNDERGRADUATE HANDBOOK FOR SPATIAL SCIENCES STUDENTS

Transcription

1 UNDERGRADUATE HANDBOOK FOR SPATIAL SCIENCES STUDENTS DEPARTMENT OF FOREST SCIENCE CATALOG 127-SPRING 2005

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... 2 DEPARTMENTAL ADVISING SYSTEM... 4 DEGREE REQUIREMENTS... 5 PREREGISTRATION... 5 ADDING AND DROPPING COURSES... 6 WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY... 6 COURSE SEQUENCES... 7 ELECTIVES... 7 UNIVERSITY CORE CURRICULUM... 7 TRANSFER CREDIT FROM ANOTHER UNIVERSITY... 8 DUAL ENROLLMENT... 9 COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS AND PETITIONS... 9 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS SATISFACTORY AND UNSATISFACTORY DOUBLE MAJORING..10 INCOMPLETE SCHOLASTIC PROBATION SPATIAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM PROPOSED DEGREE PLAN SCHEDULE.18 SPATIAL SCIENCES COURSE DESCRIPTIONS..23 CONTACT INFORMATION.27 1

3 INTRODUCTION This handbook is for undergraduates majoring in Spatial Sciences at Texas A&M University. It will answer many of your questions as you progress toward a Bachelor of Science degree by explaining methods and procedures used by the University. While this handbook summarizes the more important information from all sources, you are ultimately responsible for observing all University rules and regulations pertaining to your academic program and progress. Therefore, you should also read the Texas A&M Undergraduate Catalog and the latest edition of the Texas A&M University Regulations. These provide complete information on the various rules and regulations and may contain recent changes which have not been included in this handbook. Use this handbook as a reference manual while you are here at Texas A&M, and watch for revisions. You will likely refer to it often for information about your academic program. For any questions or problems not adequately covered in this handbook you should see your advisor or the department s student coordinator. A revised Undergraduate Catalog is published each year by the university and is available from the bookstore. A student may follow any Catalog edition published after he or she entered college. THE DEGREE: Spatial Sciences: This degree gives students the knowledge and skills to use computer-based technologies such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Position Systems (GPS), and Remote Sensing. These technologies help natural and environmental resource managers in mapping geographical features, patterns, changes, and conditions for environmental decision-making, planning, and problem solving purposes. Texas A&M University, through the Department of Forest Science (Spatial Sciences Laboratory) and the Department of Geography, offers a degree in spatial sciences that combines a solid background in spatial science and environmental studies. This degree provides students with an advanced knowledge of the spatial sciences, experience in interpretation of aerial photographs and satellite images, as well as a broad understanding of computer applications and database management. Through core coursework in spatial sciences and supporting courses students will learn to utilize the full potential of the spatial sciences in real-world problem solving. From realtime wildfire risk assessment to crime analysis, the spatial sciences are fast becoming an integral part of modern resource management. 2

4 (Dr. Srinivasan giving a presentation) Career Opportunities: Forestry, urban planning, public health, homeland security, natural resource management, rangeland ecology, air and water quality management, environmental consulting, local to federal government regulatory agencies, oil and gas industry, bioenvironmental science, soil and crop science, transportation, business and local, state and federal government agencies, and many more. (Dr. Feagin teaching GIS) Internship Opportunities: Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering Geospatial Hydrology Group Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center 3

5 Spatial Sciences Laboratory Texas Farm Service Agency Texas Transportation Institute Texas Water Resources Institute City of Bryan, Texas City of College Station, Texas DEPARTMENTAL ADVISING SYSTEM There are two advising offices for the spatial sciences degree. The advising office through the department of Forest Science is in Room 311 of the Horticulture/Forest Science Building and another advising office through the department of Geography is in Room 810 of the O&M Building. Your permanent records are maintained there and are available for your review. A faculty member will be assigned to oversee your academic program and provide career counseling. The degree plans available to you are included in the appendix. Entering Freshmen: For information regarding freshman admission requirements you should review the Freshman handbook found online. This will give you information on admission requirements, including SAT/ACT testing information, course requirements as well as any important deadlines. Once admitted by the Office of Admissions and Records, all entering freshmen in this degree program will meet with an advisor during their freshmen orientation conference held in the summer months. Course scheduling will take place at this time. Entering Transfer Students: Students transferring to Texas A&M from other universities will have an appointment with the coordinator or advisor made by the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and/or College of Geosciences during transfer conferences either in the summer months or the second week in January, depending on the semester of transfer. The coordinator will review your transfer credits and determine appropriate substitution hours on your degree plan pending approval by your faculty advisor. Students transferring from other colleges within the University will need a change of curriculum approved by the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and/or Dean of Geosciences. The Dean is located in Room 109 of the Kleberg Building. Currently, this degree program requires a minimum 2.5 GPA for 24 graded semester hours in order to be considered for admission. 4

6 The most important courses a transfer student can take prior to transferring to Texas A&M University is what is called the Core Curriculum as known as The Basics to others. These courses included English, mathematics, history, government, speech, science, and computer courses and should correspond to the Texas Common Course Numbering System to determine how courses will transfer to A&M. Change of Curriculum Students: Students transferring from one major within Texas A&M University to Spatial Sciences will consult with both his/her present and future academic advisor. The advisor will review all courses taken by the student as well as his or her current GPA. Currently, the department will not accept students with less than a 2.0 GPA or one who has accumulated more than 75 course credit hours. Also no major change for beginning freshman and new transfers will be considered until after the end of the semester. If a student meets the criteria, then a change of curriculum form will be filled out and signed by the appropriate individuals. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS Our advisors are here to help you define and achieve your educational goals. During the first meeting with the advisor, degree emphasis will be discussed (see Appendices) and a tentative set of courses agreed upon. You may check with the advisor at any time and ask for a degree audit. PREREGISTRATION Preregistration is the term used to describe the period in which students pre register for classes which will be taken the following semester. All students currently enrolled will be blocked from registering until they have scheduled a visit with the advisor and discussed their degree plan. By reviewing the degree plan, there will less likely be delays in graduation because of skipped courses, etc. Preregistration for fall semester is generally scheduled during the second week in April; spring semester preregistration is generally scheduled during the second week in November. Each student will be given a registration time which will be stated in an posted on his or her Neo Account. Courses for the upcoming semester can be found using NOTE: There is no preregistration for summer school. Registration will occur the same time a student is given to register for fall courses. You should consult the Registrar's Office (Heaton Hall) if you are interested in taking summer courses at another institution for transfer to Texas A&M. Consult your 5

7 advisor/coordinator for dual enrollment (classes taken outside Texas A&M while working on your degree). ADDING AND DROPPING COURSES You may drop courses during the first 4 class days of a fall or spring semester and during the first 3 class days of a summer term or 10-week summer semester with no record. You may add courses during the first 5 class days of a fall or spring semester and during the first 4 days of a summer term or 10-week summer semester. Refunds or supplemental billings will be made for courses dropped or added during these times. Refunds will be mailed to your local address. NOTE: Refunds will not be made for courses dropped during the Q-drop period. (See below). You are not allowed to drop all of your courses through the drop/add process. Once you have registered and paid fees, you must go through the withdrawal process in order to drop all courses and withdraw from the University. Q-Drop Policy: Following the Add/Drop period, you may Q-drop a course through the 50th class day of a fall or spring semester, the 15th class day of a summer term, or the 35th class day of a 10- week summer semester. You must have the approval of your advisor and/or dean to Q- drop a course. (The Q-drop policy is unique to A&M.) The course will appear on your record with a designation "Q" and does not affect your grade point ratio. Refunds of money will not be made during the Q-drop period and you will be permitted only three Q-drops during your undergraduate studies. After the Q-drop period, individual courses may not be dropped -- you must "stick it out" in the class or withdraw from the university and all classes. If you fail to drop a course(s) in the appropriate manner, you will earn a grade of "F" in the course(s). For all drop and add procedures, you should see the advisor to initiate the Q-drop. During summer sessions the deadlines are much sooner than during a regular semester. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY While we hope it does not happen to you, students occasionally find it necessary to withdraw from the University during a semester. This may be due to illness, accident or family problems requiring your presence at home. Should you need to withdraw from the University during a semester, it is important that you take the time to follow the correct 6

8 procedures. Failure to do so will result in your receiving a grade of "F" in each course. These grades will remain on your official transcript and will seriously affect your grade point ratio. To properly withdraw from the University, you should follow these steps: 1. Visit with your advisor, who may be able to offer some suggestions that will allow you to remain in school. 2. If you decide to withdraw after visiting with your advisor, he/she will provide the instructions to properly withdraw from the University. 3. If you have time, it is advisable to visit each of your professors and tell them you are withdrawing. They will provide counseling for re-entering their classes. NOTE: It is your responsibility to properly withdraw to prevent unnecessary penalties. COURSE SEQUENCES Before you register for a course, check the catalog to be sure that you have the listed prerequisites. Without the prerequisites, you may not have the background information necessary to understand the course material. When in doubt, go to the instructor's office and check with him or her. Also some of the professional courses are offered every other year. Please take note of this when planning your schedule. ELECTIVES Restricted electives are designated by the option to educate you in that particular field. The free electives on the other hand are chosen by the student to enhance his or her particular expertise in an area. You should consult with your advisor on these electives to get the most out of the emphasis chosen. UNIVERSITY CORE CURRICULUM Texas A&M has instituted a "Core Curriculum" -- a series of requirements in foreign language, speech and writing skills, science, mathematics/logic, humanities and social sciences in addition to the physical education activities and citizenship requirements 7

9 mandated by the state. Core requirements also specify the level of coursework acceptable. Virtually all degree programs at Texas A&M have core requirements "built into" the degree plan; however, the requirements are usually specific courses rather than optional choices from the approved core curriculum list published in the University Catalog. Students must be aware that courses satisfying general core curriculum requirements do not necessarily meet specific degree program requirements. For this reason, all courses and electives on your degree plan must have the advance approval of your advisor. In Catalog 127, you must receive credit for the following courses to meet university core curriculum requirements: 6 hours Communication...(ENGL 104 & 210/301) 6 hours Mathematics...(MATH 141/172 & 142/171) 8 hours Natural Sciences...(BOTN 101 or BIOL 111 & CHEM 101) 6 hours History...(HIST 105 & 106) 6 hours Political Science...(POLS 206 & 207) 3 hours Humanities...(GEOG 302/301/305/323) 3 hours Social & Behavior Sciences..(AGEC 105; ECON 202; GE201/304/440) 3 hours Speech...(COMM 203) 3 hours Visual & Performing Arts 6 hours Internationals & Cultural Diversity 2 yrs High School Foreign Language or 2 semester College 1 hour KINE hour KINE 199 Students who are members of the Corps of Cadets will register for the basic ROTC course according to their branch of service. Students in the Texas Aggie Band will also register for KINE TRANSFER CREDIT FROM ANOTHER UNIVERSITY If you have transferred to Texas A&M from another college or university, the Registrar's office will have evaluated your previous coursework to determine its acceptability, and if acceptable, the Texas A&M equivalent courses. Most transfer courses will be accepted as direct replacements for Texas A&M courses. For example, the first English course you took at another university will probably transfer as credit for A&M's English 104. Some courses may transfer "by title only". These will be listed in the right-hand column of the transfer evaluation sheet. Courses accepted "by title only" are those for which Texas A&M does not have an equivalent course or A&M's course is taught at a higher level. Courses accepted "by title only" are counted in the total hours of college credit; 8

10 however, they may not necessarily be accepted as credit toward your degree. Sometime during your first semester you should check with the Coordinator to determine which of the courses transferred "by title only" will be accepted as part of your degree plan in Spatial Sciences. Final approval by your advisor is required. After enrolling at Texas A&M you may wish to take courses at another college or university during the summer to substitute for a course required here. Before taking a course at another college or university, it is advisable to check with the Registrar's office. They can tell you the exact course you need to take at another college to transfer as a specific course here. This will prevent you from taking a course and not being able to receive the transfer credit you expected. In order to receive credit for courses completed at other institutions, you should have an official transcript sent to the Office of Records located in the Metro Centre. DUAL ENROLLMENT You may wish to take courses at Texas A&M and another college simultaneously. You do not need permission from your department before being enrolled in two colleges or universities simultaneously but it is advisable to check with your advisor or coordinator about the courses you plan to take. If you are receiving financial aid, it is advisable to check with the Financial Aid Office (second floor of The Pavilion) to make sure your type of support will allow dual enrollment. COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS AND PETITIONS The curricula required for a spatial sciences degree have been carefully designed to provide a balanced emphasis on general education and specialized professional courses. However, it is not always possible to schedule the exact courses included on your approved degree plan. Moreover, due to changes in interests and career objectives, you may wish to change some of your electives. In these instances, your advisor can request that another course be substituted for a course on the degree plan or added to the degree plan. For students with strong backgrounds in the areas of science and mathematics, more advanced courses may be substituted to satisfy the required hours in chemistry and mathematics. In addition, three of the required six hours of Political Science may be satisfied by completing the equivalent semester hours in approved Military Science courses. It is possible to test out of one Political Science course, and to substitute an upper level approved History course for the American History requirement. Three hours 9

11 of Political Science and three hours of History must be earned through classroom instruction. You should be thoroughly familiar with all provisions of the University Core Curriculum. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS There are a number of requirements and procedures which must be followed to ensure you graduate on time and with minimum stress. Failure to meet any of these requirements on time may delay your graduation. Some of the more important graduation requirements are as follows: 1) You must have completed 131 hours of approved coursework. If you have completed the advanced Military Science program, you may need 12 additional hours to graduate. 2) To graduate, you must have an overall GPR of at least and a GPR of for all Spatial Sciences courses taken. Degree applicants should have their diploma fee assessed with their tuition fees (option code 66) during preregistration of their final semester. Complete the necessary degree application forms on line at within the first two week of the semester you plan to graduate. Also check with your academic advisor throughout the semester to make sure all requirements have been met. SATISFACTORY AND UNSATISFACTORY The hours for which you receive a grade of "Satisfactory" (C or above) are not included in the computation of your grade point ratio; but, a grade of "Unsatisfactory" (D or F) is included at 0.0 grade points per credit hour. DOUBLE MAJORING To obtain two B.S. degrees, you must have been in residence at TAMU for at least two academic years, must have completed all of the required coursework for both degrees, and must have a total of at least 30 semester hours in addition to the greater number required for either of the two degrees. It is necessary to get a letter from the dean of the college in which the second degree is to be earned, stating the additional courses required. Many students contemplating two degrees should consider a Masters Degree in the second discipline. It normally takes only a little more time and may be more valuable. 10

12 INCOMPLETE The temporary grade of "I" (incomplete) indicates that you have completed the course with the exception of a major quiz, final examination, term project, or other work. The instructor is authorized to give an I only if the deficiency is due to an authorized absence or other cause beyond the control of the student. Instructors are required to fill out an Incomplete Grade Report stating the reason for awarding the grade. Incomplete work must be completed before the end of the next full semester unless the Dean s office grants an extension of time for good reason. If the incomplete work is not completed within this period of time, the "I" will be changed to an "F". If you register for the same course again, it will appear on your transcript twice, once with an "F" and once with the new grade. SCHOLASTIC PROBATION In the event that ones overall GPR drops below (a "C" average), you are considered to be scholastically deficient and will be placed on scholastic probation for the following semester. The standard probation term is a "C" (average) + "X" (quality grade points). A grade of "B" in a three credit course would produce three quality points; similarly, a grade of "A" would produce six quality points. A "D" or "F" reduces quality grade points in the same way. If you fail to fulfill your assigned probation terms, you will be blocked from registering for classes in the next semester. A student is given one semester to make up the GPA deficit or on a case by case bases show substantial improvement toward his/her academic performance. If a student does not meet either, then the student will officially be dismissed from the department. In the case that a student does show substantial improvement toward his/her academic performance, then they will remain on academic probation for another semester. The requirements will remain the same and assessed at the end of the semester following final grades. 11

13 SPATIAL SCIENCES CURRICULUM 12

14 REQUIRED COURSES University Core Curriculum Courses: Communication (6 Hours) ENGL 104 Composition and Rhetoric (3 Hours) ENGL 210 or Scientific and Technical ENGL 301 or Writing AGJR 404 Mathematics (6 Hours) MATH 141 or MATH 172 MATH 142 or MATH 171 Business Math I Calculus Business Math II Analytic Geometry and Calculus Natural Sciences (8 Hours) BOTN 101 or Botany (4) BIOL 111 Introductory Biology CHEM 101 Fundamentals of Chemistry (4) Humanities (Choose 3 Hours) GEOG 202 Geography of Global Village GEOG 301 Geography of the US GEOG 305 Geography of Texas GEOG 323 Geography of Latin America Visual and Performing Arts (3 Hours) Social and Behavioral Science (Choose 3 Hours) AGEC 105 Intro. To AGEC ECON 202 Principles of Economics GEOG 440 History and Nature of Geography GEOG 201 Intro. To Human Geography GEOG 304 Economic Geography 13

15 US History (6 Hours) Hist 105 American History Elective Hist 106 American History Elective Political Science (6 Hours) POLS 206 POLS 207 American National Government State and Local Government International & Cultural Diversity 1,2 (6 Hours) Kinesiology (2 Hours) KINE 198 Health & Fitness Activity (1) KINE 199 Physical Activity (1) Additional University Core & Competency Courses: COMM 203 Public Speaking RENR 205/215 Fundamentals of Ecology (4) and Laboratory STAT 302 or Statistical Methods STAT 211 Principles of Statistics I GEOG 203/213 or Planet Earth: Intro. To (4) BIOL 112 Earth Systems Science Introductory Biology CHEM 102 Fundamentals of Chemistry II (4) Environmental Core Courses: AGEC 350 Environmental Resource Economics AGRO 301 Soil Science (4) AGSM 337 Technology for Environmental and Natural Resource Engineering BESC 403 Sampling and Environmental Monitoring MGMT 309 The Management Process RENR 470 Environmental Impact Assessment 14

16 Natural Resourses: (Choose 12 Hours) AGRO 310 Soil Morphology and (2) Interpretation FRSC 304 Forest Ecology RENR 375 Conservation of Natural Resources RENR 410 Ecosystem Management (4) RLEM 301 Range and Forest Watershed Management WFSC 428 Wetland Ecosystem Management Policy/Regulations: (Choose 3 Hours) FRSC 406 Forest Policy GEOG 330 Resources and the Environment MGMT 209 Legal and Social Environment of Business PLAN 365 Introduction to Planning PHIL 314 Environmental Ethics WFSC 303 Fish and Wildlife Laws and Administration Spatial Sciences Core Courses: CPSC 110 Programming (4) FRSC 398/GEOG 398 Interpretation of Aerial Photographs FRSC 484 Internship Credit GEOL 352 GPS in the Geosciences (2) RENR 444 Remote Sensing in Renewable Natural Resources Spatial Sciences Courses: (Choose 3 Hours) FRSC 461 GIS for Natural Resource Managers GEOG 390 Principles of GIS LAND 461 GIS Application in Resource Managment RENR 405 GIS for Environmental Problem Solving 15

17 Spatial Sciences Courses: (Choose 9 Hours) AGSM 410 Spatial Technology for Precision Agriculture CPSC 206 Structured Programming in C CPSC 310 Database Systems CVEN 201 Plane Surveying ENDS 370 Virtual Architecture ENDS 375 Foundation in Visualization FRSC 462 Advanced GIS Analysis for Natural Resource Management GEOG 361 Remote Sensing in Geosciences GEOG 475 Advanced Topics in GIS PLAN 365 Introduction to Planning RPTS 307 Methods of Environmental Interpretation STAT 212 Principles of Statistics II Free Electives: (9 Hours) TOTAL HOURS: If a course listed in the core curriculum satisfies another degree requirement, it can be used to satisfy both requirements if the student so wishes to (e.g. GEOG 202 can satisfy requirements for Humanities and International and Cultural Diversity). 2 These courses can be used to satisfy the International and Cultural Diversity Requirement. a. Foundation courses. 61 hours of core curriculum courses, with the following prescribed courses: ENGL 104, ENGL 210 or 301 or AGJR for communication, MATH 141 or 172, MATH 142 or 171, STAT for mathematics, CHEM 101 (4), BOTN 101(4), CHEM 102(4) - for basic sciences, RENR 205/215 (4), GEOG 203/213 (4) - for natural sciences, GEOG 202/301/305/323 - for humanities, GEOG 440/201/204 or ECON 202 or AGEC for social and behavioral science. b. Courses required for all students in the proposed program. 12 hours of environmental core courses: AGEC 350/344, AGSM 337, BESC 403, MGMT hours of natural resources: AGRO 301 (4), 12 credits selected from RLEM 301, RENR 375, AGRO 310(2), WFSC 428, RENR 410(4), FRSC

18 6 hours of policy/regulations: RENR 470, and one course selected from MGMT 209, PHIL 314, PLAN 365, RENR 420, WFSC 303, GEOG hours of mathematics and statistics: MATH 141 or 172, MATH 142 or 171, STAT 302 or STAT hours of required science and technical courses: CHEM 101 (4), BOTN 101(4), CHEM 102(4), RENR 205/215 (4), GEOG 203/213 (4). 6 hours of history selected from: HIST 359, HIST 360, HIST 363, HIST hours of core spatial sciences courses: RENR 444, FRSC 398, CPSC 110 (4), GEOL 352 (2), FRSC 461/GEOG 390/LAND 461/RENR hours of core curriculum courses: ENGL 104, ENGL 210/ENGL301/ AGJR 404, 3 hours of visual and performing arts, 6 hours of philosophy from POLS 206, POLS 207, KINE 198(1), KINE 199(1), GEOG 202/301/305/323, GEOG 440/201/204 or ECON 202 or AGEC 105, 6 hours of international and cultural diversity from qualified courses including PLAN 415. c. Elective courses prescribed for those students. 9 hours from the following courses: CPSC 310, RPTS 307, GEOG 361, CPSC 206, CVEN 201, PLAN 414, ENDS 370, ENDS 375, GEOG 475, STAT 212. d. Courses freely elected by students. 9 hours of free electives. e. Other, specify. None. 17

19 PROPOSED DEGREE PLAN SCHEDULE FALL 1 st YEAR: ENGL 104 Composition and Rhetoric (3 Hours) MATH 141 or Business Math I MATH 172 Calculus BOTN 101 or Botany (4) BIOL 111 Intro. Biology and Lab I CHEM 101 Fund. of Chemistry I (4) KINE 198 Health and Fitness Activity (1) Total 15 Hours SPRING 1 st YEAR: MATH 142 or MATH 171 GEOG 202 or GEOG 301 or GEOG 305 or GEOG 323 Business Math II Analytic Geometry and Calc. Geog. Global Village Geog. U.S. Geog. Texas A&M University Geog. Latin Am. CHEM 102 Fund. of Chemistry II (4) RENR 205/215 Fund. of Ecology and Lab (4) KINE 199 Req. Physical Activity (1) Total 15 Hours 18

20 FALL 2 nd YEAR: ENGL 210 or ENGL 301 or AGJR 404 Scientific and Tech. Writing Tech. Writing Comm. Ag. Info. to the Public AGRO 301 Soil Science (4) AGSM 337 Tech. for Env. and Nat. Res. Eng. POLS 206 American Nat. Gov. American History Elective Total 16 Hours SPRING 2 nd YEAR: POLS 207 State and Local Gov. COMM 203 Public Speaking STAT 302 or Statistical Methods STAT 211 AGEC 105 or ECON 202 or GEOG 440 or GEOG 201 or GEOG 204 GEOG 203/213 or BIOL 112 International and Cultural Diversity Elective/Visual & Performing Arts Total Prin. of Stat. I Intro. Ag. Econ. Prin. of Economics History and Nature of Geog. Intro. Human Geog. Economic Geog. Plant Earth: Intro. Earth Sci. Intro: Biology II 19 Hours (4) FALL 3 rd YEAR: AGEC 350 Envir. Resource Econ. BESC 403 Sampling and Environment Monitoring FRSC 406 Policy/Regulations Elective suggested--covers writing (W) requirement MGMT 309 The Management Process American History Elective Total 15 Hours 19

21 SPRING 3 rd YEAR: CPSC 110 Programming (4) FRSC 461 or GIS for Nat. Res. Mgrs. GEOG 390 or LAND 461 or RENR 405 Prin. GIS GIS Appl. in Res. Mgmt. GIS for Env. Prob. Solving GEOL 352 GPS in the Geosciences (2) Natural Resource Elective Spatial Sciences Elective Free Elective Total 18 Hours FALL 4 th YEAR: RENR 470 Env. Impact Assessment FRSC 398/GEOG 398 Interp. Aerial Photographs Natural Resources Electives Selected Spatial Science Electives Free Elective (4) Total 16 Hours SPRING 4 th YEAR: RENR 444 Remote Sensing in RENR FRSC 484 Internship Credit Natural Resources Electives (6) Selected Spatial Science Electives Free Elective (2) Total 17 Hours Elective Choices American History Electives (6) see Undergraduate Catalog Free Electives (9) If you do not take FRSC 406 under Policy-Regulations Electives, then you must use 3 of your Free Electives to take a University Writing Requirement course (W). International and Cultural Diversity Electives (6) see Undergraduate Catalog Visual and Performing Arts Electives see Undergraduate Catalog 20

22 Natural Resource Electives (Choose 12 Hours) AGRO 310 Soil Morphology and (2 Hours) Interpretation FRSC 304 Forest Ecology RENR 375 Conservation of Natural Resources RENR 410 Ecosystem Management (4) RLEM 301 Range and Forest Watershed Management WFSC 428 Wetland Ecosystem Management Policy/Regulations Electives (Choose 3 Hours) FRSC 406 Forest Policy GEOG 330 Resources and the Environment MGMT 209 Legal and Social Environment of Business PLAN 365 Introduction to Planning PHIL 314 Environmental Ethics WFSC 303 Fish and Wildlife Laws and Administration Selected Spatial Science Electives (Choose 9 Hours) AGSM 410 Spatial Technology for Precision Agriculture CPSC 206 Structured Programming in C CPSC 310 Database Systems CVEN 201 Plane Surveying ENDS 370 Virtual Architecture ENDS 375 Foundation in Visualization FRSC 462 Advanced GIS Analysis for Natural Resource Management GEOG 361 Remote Sensing in Geosciences GEOG 475 Advanced Topics in GIS PLAN 365 Introduction to Planning RPTS 307 Methods of Environmental Interpretation STAT 212 Principles of Statistics II 21

23 SPATIAL SCIENCES DEGREE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 22

24 SPATIAL SCIENCES DEGREE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Courses are listed below by department. The course numbering scheme is as follows: , primarily open to freshmen; , primarily open to sophomores; , primarily open to juniors; , primarily open to seniors. Figures in parentheses following the course title indicate the clock hours per week devoted to theory and practice, respectively. Theory includes recitations and lectures; practice includes work done in the laboratory. Agricultural Systems Management (AGSM) 410. Spatial Technology for Precision Agriculture. (2-2). Credit 3. Information techniques and technologies of precision agriculture and their application within agronomic systems with emphasis on commercial practices; including global positioning system, mapping software, variable rate technologies and decision support systems; selection of appropriate technologies for use in a management system. Prerequisites: AGRO 301, AGLS 201 or equivalent; junior classification. Computer Science (CPSC) 110. Programming I. (3-2). Credit 4. I, II, S. Basic concepts, nomenclature and historical perspective of computers and computing; internal representation of data; software design principles and practices; structured programming in Pascal; use of terminals, operation of editors and execution of student-written programs Structured Programming in C. (3-2). Credit 4. Basic concepts, nomenclature and historical perspective of computers and computing; internal representation of data; software design principles and practice; structured and object-oriented programming in C; use of terminals, operation of editors and executions of student-written programs Database Systems. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S. File structures and access methods; database modelling, design and user interface; components of database management systems; information storage and retrieval, query languages, high-level language interface with database systems. Prerequisite: CPSC 210 or 211. Civil Engineering (CVEN) 23

25 201. Plane Surveying. (2-3). Credit 3. I, II, S. Principles of surveying, basic measuring procedures, error analysis, levelling, traverse, mapping, horizontal curves, vertical curves and earthwork. Prerequisite: MATH 142. Environmental Design (ENDS) 370. Virtual Architecture. (3-0). Credit 3. Introductory course to both HTML (language of the world wide web) and VRML (language of web-based 3-D virtual environments); specific components of Java, language used for interactive control and message passing will also be reviewed. Prerequisites: Basic programming skills and upper-level classification Foundations of Visualization. (3-0). Credit 3. A comprehensive introduction to visualization concepts, techniques and applications; major topic areas include the digital image, visual language, coordinate systems, geometric representation, modeling animation, image synthesis, visualization ethics and the future of visualization. Prerequisites: CPSC 110 or 111; MATH 102 and 103 or equivalents. Forest Science (FRSC) 398. Interpretation of Aerial Photographs. (2-3). Credit 3. I. Identification and evaluation of natural and cultural features on aerial photographs; methods for extracting information concerning land use, vegetative cover, surface and structural features, urban/industrial patterns and archaeological sites. Prerequisites: Any mathematics course and one of the following: AGRO 301, BIOL 111, FRSC 101, GEOG 203, GEOL 101, RENR 205, WFSC 101. Cross-listed with GEOG Geographic Information Systems for Resource Management. (2-2). Credit 3. I. Geographic Information System (GIS) approach to the integration of spatial and attribute data to study the capture, analysis, manipulation and portrayal of natural resource data; examination of data types/formats, as well as the integration of GIS with remote sensing and Global Positioning System; laboratory includes extensive use of GIS applications to conduct analyses of topics in natural resources. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor. Cross-listed with AGSM Advanced GIS Analysis for Natural Resource Management. (2-2). Credit 3. II. Provides students with the capability to solve applied natural resource problems using advanded GIS tools such as Spatial Analyst, 3D analysit, and ArcIMS. The course is designed to familiarize student swith a wide range of GIS procedures, extensions, options, and approaches, particularly in a project-based enviornment. Prerequisite: FRSC 461/AGSM 461/ GEOG 390/ LAND 461 or Approval of instructor. Geography (GEOG) 24

26 361. Remote Sensing in Geosciences. (3-2). Credit 4. Introduction to the principles, techniques and applications of remote sensing technology in geosciences including the analysis and interpretation of airborne and spaceborne remote sensing data for studying key earth system processes. Prerequisite: GEOG 332 or approval of instructor Principles of Geographic Information Systems. (2-2). Credit 3. I, II. Basic concepts of design, planning and implementation of geographic information systems. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification Advanced Topics in GIS (Geographic Information Systems). (3-2). Credit 4. Topics related to GIS implementation, spatial database design, spatial data analysis, and various advanced GIS applications. Prerequisite: GEOG 390 or equivalent. Geology (GEOL) 352. GPS in the Geosciences. (1-3). Credit 2. Introduction to the Global Positioning System (GPS); basic geodesy, figure of the earth; frames of reference, map projection, datums, ellipsoids; GPS accuracy and precision; applications in earth resource mapping and database creation; elementary GPS phase data processing. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification; approval of instructor. Landscape Architecture (LAND) 461. Geographic Information System Application in Resource Management. (2-4). Credit 3. Process of and planning for change in the urban environment and its infrastructure; Geographic Information System (GIS) tools introduced and used to support this work; GIS theory and resource management modeling. Prerequisites: Junior classification and approval of instructor. Renewable Natural Resources (RENR) 405. GIS for Environmental Problem Solving. (2-2). Credit 3. Interdisciplinary approach to train students to integrate GIS and relevant technologies for environmental problem solving; helps students relate learning to real world situations; students conceptualize, develop and manage projects using real data; one term project required. Prerequisite: RENR 201 or equivalent or approval of instructor Remote Sensing in Renewable Natural Resources. (2-3). Credit 3. II. Application of fundamental photogrammetry and photo interpretation and the use of other sensors in remote detection and analysis of natural resources; interpretation of natural vegetation as it applies to ecosystem analysis for range, forest and wildlife management; natural resource planning for rural, urban and recreational development. Prerequisite: Junior classification. 25

27 Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences (RPTS) 307. Methods of Environmental Interpretation. (2-2). Credit 3. I, II. Communication processes and practices between resource managers and publics using or affected by natural, cultural and tourism resource places; principles and techniques of gathering, analyzing and disseminating information through various media, such as exhibits, presentations, publications and programs. Statistics (STAT) 212. Principles of Statistics II. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II. Continuation of STAT 211. Design of experiments, model building, multiple regression, nonparametric techniques, contingency tables and short introductions to response surfaces, decision theory and time series data. 26

28 CONTACT INFORMATION For Further information concerning the Spatial Sciences degree program please contact: Dr. Raghavan Srinivasan (Srini) Dr. Andrew Klein Spatial Sciences Laboratory Department of Geography Department of Forest Science (979) (979) Jennifer Novosad Debbie Davis Academic Advisor Academic Advisor Department of Forest Science Department of Geography (979) (979)