Department of Geographical Sciences Combined BS/MS Handbook 2015 2016 Academic Year 1
Contents Overview:... Eligibility:... Application:... Academic Requirements:... 4 Academic Benchmarks:... 4 Faculty Advisor... 4 Course Requirements:... 5 Appendix A: BS/MS Step I Application Form... 8 Appendix B: BSOS Graduate Credit Permission Form... 10 Appendix C: Combined Bachelor s/master s Degrees Form... 11 Appendix D: BS/MS Rubric for final BS/MS Scholarly Paper or Technical Report... 12 Appendix E: Independent Studies Form and Proposal... 1 2
Overview: The Department of Geographical Sciences Combined, Five Year BS/MS Program is an opportunity for topachieving undergraduate students to enhance their academic portfolio, and best prepare to enter the workforce or a doctoral program. This balanced research and academic program includes coursework at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and a student-designed applied research project. Students who complete all program requirements will leave the University of Maryland after five years with a Bachelor s of Science (BS) in Geographical Sciences, as well as a Master s of Science (MS) in Geographical Sciences. Eligibility: Undergraduate Geographical Sciences students with: Minimum.5 GPA overall Undergraduate course plan eligible for eight credits of graduate courses in senior year (check with Undergraduate Advising Office). Application: Spring semester junior year: 1. Visit Dr. Rachel Berndtson (rberndts@umd.edu) to discuss your eligibility. 2. Fill out step I application (Appendix A) and return to Dr. Berndtson by April 1. Materials include: Student information (name, GPA, course plan, etc.) Research statement Potential faculty advisors BSOS Grad form (Appendix B) and Combined BS/MS form (Appendix C). The Department of Geographical Sciences will reject or conditionally accept. Conditional acceptance indicates that in senior year the student is eligible to enroll in graduate courses and apply to the Graduate School for the MS degree. The Graduate School will determine admission to the MS portion of the degree in spring semester of the student s senior year. 4. Acceptance decisions made by May of junior year. Fall semester senior year: 1. Submit an application to the Graduate School by December 15. Admission requires both University and Departmental approval. 2. Acceptance decisions made by March of senior year.
Academic Requirements: 1. Complete all Bachelors of Science in Geographical Sciences course requirements with.5 or above GPA. 2. Complete all Masters of Science in Geographical Sciences course requirements with.0 or above GPA.. Complete and successfully pass scholarly product in fifth year (see Appendix D). 4. Complete BS/MS academic benchmarks (see below). Academic Benchmarks: Failure to meet any benchmarks within the given timeframe results in termination from the program. Students can appeal failed benchmarks to the Graduate Director. 1. Senior year: a. Pass all graduate level courses with grade of B or better b. Semester 1: meet with faculty advisor to discuss coursework and scholarly product plan c. Semester 2: meet with faculty advisor to discuss coursework and scholarly product plan 2. Fifth year: a. Pass all graduate level courses with grade of B or better b. Start of semester 1: meet with faculty advisor to discuss scholarly product plan through GEOG789 (submit independent studies form and proposal, Appendix E) c. Middle of semester 1: meet with faculty advisor to discuss scholarly product plan; advisor assesses student s progress towards work outlined in GEOG789 proposal d. Start of semester 2: meet with faculty advisor to discuss scholarly product plan through GEOG789 (submit independent studies form and proposal) e. End of semester 2: submit first draft of scholarly product by April 1 st ; f. End of semester 2: submit final draft of scholarly product by April 15 th ; faculty advisor and graduate director review and submit evaluation for pass/fail Faculty Advisor Students select a graduate faculty advisor in the step I application to the BS/MS program. The advisor must be a member of the Department of Geographical Sciences graduate faculty. The advisor s research should align with the student s MS research interests. Graduate faculty advisors assist students in selecting graduate level courses, and mentor students through the process of completing the scholarly product. Students and faculty advisors meet regularly in the fifth year through GEOG789: Independent Readings. 4
Course Requirements: The BS degree requires 120 credit hours, and the MS degree requires 0 credit hours. Eight credit hours for the BS degree will be double counted for the MS degree. The eight double-counted credits only fulfill non-major elective credits for the BS degree. If in senior year a student opts out of the MS degree, the eight credits are applied towards the BS degree. The eight double-counted credits include: Year 4 Fall Semester Credits Year 4 Spring Semester Total Double Counted Credits Credits GEOG6XX (upper level elective) GEOG606 (stats) GEOG798 (grad seminar) 1 GEOG798 (grad seminar) 1 Total credits 4 4 8 The MS degree requires 22 additional credits of 600/700 level courses in the fifth year, including: Year 5 Fall Semester Credits Year 5 Spring Semester Credits Total Credits GEOG789 (research) GEOG789 (research) GEOG601 (nature, practice of science) GEOG6XX (600 level human elective) GEOG6XX (600 level technical elective GEOG6XX (600 level elective) GEOG6XX (600 level physical elective) GEOG798 (seminar) 1 Total credits 12 10 22 Below is an example course plan needed in years 1-5 to earn the BS/MS degree. Year 1: Fall Spring Total Credits Course Requirement Credits Course Requirement Credits ENGL101 (AW: Academic Oral Writing) Communication OC MA Fundamental Studies MA HU HU Humanities HU Math10,140 or 220 Supporting Sequence1 NL: Natural GEOG201&211 Sciences Lab 4 Elective 2/ UNIV100 1 GEOG202 HS and CC 14 15/16 Total credits 0 /4 Cumulative credits after this year: 0 5
Year 2 Fall Spring Total Credits Course Requirement Credits Course Requirement Credits Natural Science NS GEOG06 AR History/Social HS GEOG Systematic Sciences Course1 GEOG Physical Supporting M Gateway Sequence2 GEOG Human Gateway C Elective Elective E Elective 15 15 Total credits 0 Cumulative credits 60 after this year: Year Fall Spring Total Credits Course Requirement Credits Course Requirement Credits ENGL 9X PW Scholarship in practice-non major SP Scholarship and GEOG Techniques SP Practice Gateway Course 2 GEOG212 M 1 GEOG Systematic Course 2 Supporting Sequence C GEOG Elective Understanding Plural Societies Elective UP Elective 16 15 Total credits 1 Cumulative credits 91 after this year: 6
Year 4 Fall Spring Total Credits Course Requirement Credits Course Requirement Credits GEOG Elective M GEOG Systematic Course 5 (400 lvl) M GEOG Systematic Course GEOG Systematic Course 4 GEOG6XX elective (Double Counted as Grad Course) GEOG798 (Double Counted ad Grad Course) Supporting Sequence 4 E M 1 Supporting Sequence Course 5 M GEOG606 (Double Counted as Grad Course) GEOG798 (Double Counted ad Grad Course) M M 1 Elective E 16 16 Total credits 2 Cumulative credits 12 after this year: Year 5 Fall Spring Course Requirement Credits Course Requirement Credit s GEOG789 M GEOG789 M GEOG601 M 600Human M 600Technical M 600Elective E 600Physical M GEOG 798 M 1 12 10 Total credits 22 Cumulative credits 145 after this year: 7
Appendix A: BS/MS Step I Application Form Student Information: Student ID: First name: Street address: Telephone: Department of Geographical Sciences University of Maryland, College Park Five Year BS/MS Program Departmental Application Date: Last name: City, state: Email: Major: Minor: Undergraduate faculty advisor: Eligibility: GPA: Class standing: # Credits remaining for BS degree: Senior year course plan. Explicitly indicate which courses double-count as graduate level courses. Senior Year Fall Senior Year Spring Total Credits Course Credits Course Credits GEOG6XX (elective) GEOG606 GEOG798 1 GEOG798 1 Total: Total: Total credits this year: Cumulative credits after this year: Attach a one-page statement indicating your intended research topic. First choice of graduate faculty advisor: Second choice of graduate faculty advisor: Return this application with all additional attachments to Dr. Rachel Berndtson by April 1. 8
To be completed by the Department: BS/MS Program decision: Accepted ( ) Not accepted ( ) Departmental Signatures: By signing below, I attest to the fact that I have reviewed the above student s BS/MS research statement, and I approve it in the context of the student s overall academic goals. My signature also indicates my recommendation of this student for enrollment in the Geographical Sciences BS/MS program, as well as my agreement to serve as this student s BS/MS faculty advisor. Graduate Faculty Advisor Signature and Date: BS/MS Coordinator Signature and Date Undergraduate Director Signature and Date 9
Appendix B: BSOS Graduate Credit Permission Form 10
Appendix C: Combined Bachelor s/master s Degrees Form 11
Appendix D: BS/MS Rubric for final BS/MS Scholarly Paper or Technical Report The student s academic advisor and another faculty member solicited by the advisor (tenure track or research faculty) should each complete one of these forms for the student in question following review of the scholarly paper or technical report. Student must pass each criterion from both reviewers to pass the benchmarks and graduate. Option to appeal to Graduate Director if student does not pass. First draft of the scholarly paper or technical report due to advisor by April 1 st of graduating semester. Final draft of scholarly paper or technical report due to advisor and second reader by April 15 th of graduating semester. Semester: Check one for each listed criterion Criteria for written components: Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 1. Statement of problem is clear and well-conceptualized. 2. Relevance of problem within the context of previous geographic research is presented.. Conclusions are well-justified. 4. Methodology is well-selected and well-executed. 5. The final product is appropriate and thorough. For product (database, visualization, code, etc.) with technical report, product itself must be operational. 6. There is appropriate use of primary and/or secondary sources. 7. The paper/technical report is well-written. 8. The paper/technical report is in a form suitable for professional standards (i.e. the style, structure, bibliography, figures, etc. conform to formats commonly seen in journals of geographic research). Comments (optional): Advisor name/signature Graduate director name/signature Student name/signature 12
Appendix E: Independent Studies Form and Proposal 1
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