U N I V E RS I T Y OF
1119 M a m A d m i n i s t r a t i o n B u i l d m g
College Park, M a r y l a n d 20742-5031
301.405.5252 T E L 301.405.8195 FAX
MARYLAND
OFFICE O F T H E SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND PROVOST
July 24, 2014
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Wayne Mcintosh
Interim Dean, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
FROM:
Elizabeth Beise
Associate Provost for Academic Planning and Programs
SUBJECT:
Proposal to Establish a Combined Bachelor/Master Program in Geographical
Sciences (PCC log no. 13053)
At its meeting on May 2, 2014, the Senate Committee on Programs, Curricula, and
Courses approved your proposal to establish a combined Bachelor/Master program for
Geographical Sciences. Your request to convert the Geographical Sciences Master of Arts to a
Master of Science is also approved. A copy of the approved proposal is attached.
The change is effective Fall 2014. Please ensure that the change is fully described in all
relevant descriptive materials, and that all advisors are informed.
MDC/
Enclosure
cc:
Marilee Lindemann, Chair, Senate PCC Committee
Barbara Gill, Office of Student Financial Aid
Reka Montfort, University Senate
Erin Howard, Division of Information Technology
Pam Phillips, Institutional Research, Planning & Assessment
Anne Turkos, University Archives
Linda Yokoi, Office of the Registrar
Alex Chen, Graduate School
Katherine Russell, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Christopher Justice, Department of Geographical Sciences
T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F MARYLAND, C O L L E G E P A R K
PROGRAM/CURRICULUM/UNIT PROPOSAL
•
Please email the rest of the proposal as an MSWord attachment
to pcc-submissions@,umd.edu.
Please submit the signed form to the Office of the Associate Provost
for Academic Planning and Programs, 1119 Main Administration Building, Campus.
College/School:
Please also add College/School Unit Code-First 8 digits: 01202800
Unit Codes can be found at: https.V/hypprod. umd. edu/Html Reports/units, htm
Department/Program: 1281501
Please also add Department/Program Unit Code-Last 7 digits:
Type of Action (choose one):
• Curriculum change (including informal specializations) X New academic degree/award program
• New Professional Studies award iteration
• Curriculum change for an LEP Program
• New Minor
• Renaming ofprogram or formal Area of Concentration
• Request to create an online version of an existing
• Addition/deletion offormal Area of Concentration
program
• Suspend/delete program
Italics indicate that the proposed program action
themust
full be
University
presentedSenate
to
for consideration.
Summary of Proposed Action:
5 year Bachelor of Science/ Master of Science (BS/MS) Program
Departmental/Unit Contact Person for Proposal
APPROVAL SIGNATURES - Please print name, sign, and date. Use additional lines for mult
1. Department Committee Chair
2. Department Chair
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3. College/School P C C
4. Dean
5. Dean of the Graduat
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(ifrequired)
6. Chair, Senate P C C
7. University Senate Chair (if required)
8. Senior Vice President and Provost
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PROPOSAL FOR
5-year BS/MS of Geographical Science
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AT COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND
Combined Bachelor/Master of Geographical Science
PROPOSED INITIATION DATE: Fall 2014
(comments from PCC committee & KFR 2/3/14)
Edited RWL & KAB 3/7/14
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
2
I. OVERVIEW and RATIONALE
A. Briefly describe the nature of the revised program and explain why the institution should offer it.
Mission
The goal of the 5-year BS/MS program in Geographical Sciences is to design a balanced research and academic
program for our best students. The coursework at the graduate level has been selected to provide students with a
broad knowledge of the human, physical, and technical disciplines within geography. Students will need to
demonstrate the design, development, and carrying out of an applied research project.
Curriculum
Once the program is established, students interested in the BS/MS program will have the option to apply during
their junior year to the BS/MS program. The ideal student may have experience in a number of areas associated
with the discipline e.g. research, honors, undergraduate teaching assistantship, internship and study abroad.
Students will be required to take thirty credits at the graduate level to complete the combined bachelor and
master’s degree program. See pages 4-10
Selection Process
The Geographical Sciences Bachelor of Science/Master of Science (BS/MS) program allows academically
talented students to complete both the undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years. Outstanding students
in the various Geographical Sciences concentrations will be encouraged to apply for the BS/MS program. To be
considered, students must have a 3.5 major GPA. We envision this as a very small program, and we will admit
and retain a small cohort (maximum of 15). The department does offer a free-standing master’s program, only a
Ph.D. program. See pages: 10-12
Conversion of the Master of Arts to a Master of Science
The Department of Geographical Sciences will offer a Masters of Science, rather than our formerly offered
Masters of Arts, to better reflect the Department’s current research and teaching strengths. While Geography is a
discipline spanning arts and sciences, our teaching and research programs have become increasingly more
focused on the sciences, including: Geospatial -Information Science and Remote Sensing, Human Dimensions
of Global Change, Coupled Human and Natural Systems, Land Cover – Land Use Change, and Carbon,
Vegetation Dynamics and Landscape-Scale Processes. The change from Master’s of Arts to Master’s of Science
also reflects our Department’s strategic name change. In 2012, in line with the 2010 National Academy of
Sciences Report on Strategic Directions for the Geographical Sciences in the Next Decade, the Department of
Geography formally changed its name to the Department of Geographical Sciences. This name change better
represents our research; bridging human dimensions of global change and earth system sciences with geospatial
information sciences.
Rationale and Justification
5 years ago we terminated our Masters in Geography program to concentrate on our Ph.D. program. We
replaced it with an MPS in GIS program with a strong technical emphasis. Since then we have taken a number
of our very best students directly from our undergraduate program into our Ph.D. program. We recognize that
some of these students would benefit from a Masters experience prior to entering the Ph.D. program. We polled
our undergraduates and there was strong interest in a combined bachelor and Master’s Degree program in
Geography, which has proven to be successful in other university Geography departments.
The Department of Geographical Sciences- University of Maryland College Park was ranked 3rd out of 49
Geography Departments in the 2010 NRC Rankings. This is an outstanding achievement and confirms that the
University of Maryland, Department of Geographical Sciences is one of the leading departments in the nation. The
assessment also showed that Department ranked first in the number of citations, indicating the broad level of
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
3
recognition for our research publications. While members of the Department are involved in many of the
mainstream concerns of the discipline, they are also responding to the new challenges and opportunities of earth
system science, human dimensions of global change, global warming, demographic change and economic
development, to name but a few.
Over the past two years, total departmental faculty has increased, with tenure/tenure-track faculty increasing from
11.5 to 16, and research faculty increasing from 8 to 18. In addition, the number of Research Associates ("Postdocs") increased from 3 to 13. Along with this growth, the Department is on pace to dramatically increase its
research revenue, with proposal requests growing from $17.8 million in FY11 to almost $30 million in the first five
months of FY12 alone. In 2011, seven department faculty members were recognized as "Research Leaders" at the
university level. This activity represents leadership across the board, in potential new satellite and space station
missions, new continental scale ecological field campaigns and modeling efforts, and numerous innovative basic
and applied studies. We are also working to grow even larger by combining forces and launching a new Joint
Initiative focused on formally linking UMD, NASA Goddard, and the Joint Global Change Research Institute to
address the biggest and most integrative science questions no one unit could address alone. The Department is also
actively engaging in the newly established National Socio- Environmental Synthesis Center based in Annapolis.
Nature of proposed revision
Drawing on the considerable expertise of faculty within the Department of Geographical Sciences, the combined
Bachelor/Master in Applied Geographical Sciences will provide education in all the key areas of Geographical
Sciences:, Geospatial -Information Science and Remote Sensing, Human Dimensions of Global Change, Coupled
Human and Natural Systems, Land Cover – Land Use Change, and Carbon, Vegetation Dynamics and
Landscape-Scale Processes.
B. How big is the program expected to be? From what other programs serving current students, or from
what new populations of potential students, onsite or offsite, are you expecting to draw?
The combined bachelor/master program is designed for students whose undergraduate academic performance is
exceptional. Initial enrollment is anticipated at 5 – 10 students in Year 1-2. Expected growth is to reach 15
students in subsequent years.
The combined degree program is designed so as not to unduly delay the students’ receipt of their bachelor’s
degrees. Taking graduate credits will not unduly limit the breadth of the student’s experience through premature
specialization.
All requirements of the bachelor’s program and of the master’s program must be completed to receive
the two degrees. In their senior year, students must apply to the master’s program through the
Graduate School. The Department of Geographical Sciences will review and recommend the student,
and the Graduate School will review and accept the student. Formal admission to the Graduate School
will require completion of all requirements for the bachelor’s degree.
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
4
University Requirements Include:
1. A minimum of thirty semester hours in courses acceptable for credit towards a graduate degree is required.
2. For the master's degree with the non-thesis option, a minimum of 18 credit hours in courses
numbered 600 and above is required, as well as one or more scholarly papers.
3. A structured bachelor/master program may normally include up to nine credits of graduate level courses
(600 level and above) that are counted both for the bachelor's program and the master's program.
II. CURRICULUM
A. Provide a full catalog description of the proposed program, including educational objectives and any areas of
concentration.
The combined bachelor/master of Geographical Science comprises existing courses from the Department of
Geographical Sciences located in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. No new courses will be
created for the BS/MS program, the full curriculum of the BS/MS program is listed in Appendix A.
The Geographical Science BS/MS will have several educational objectives: 1) Select students with high
academic and research aptitude 2) Provide students with a rigorous curriculum; and 3) Provide students the
opportunity to work in groundbreaking research with faculty.
B. List the courses (number, title, semester credit hours) that would constitute the requirements and other
components of the proposed program. Provide a catalog description for any courses that will be newly
developed or substantially modified for the program.
Course listings are given on the following pages. Please see Appendix A for GIS and GEOG 5- year plans. No
courses have been newly developed or substantially modified.
http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/1/s/118
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
Undergraduate Degree Requirements Geographical Science Concentration
Required Courses
GEOG201
GEOG202
GEOG211
GEOG212
PHYSICAL
HUMAN
TECHNIQUE
ELECT 300/400
GEOG306
MATH220/130/140
Geography of Environmental Systems
The World in Cultural Perspective
Geography of Environmental Systems Lab
The World in Cultural Perspective Lab
Upper-level physical geography course
Upper-level physical human course
Upper-level geographic technique course
At least one upper-level
course in physical
geography, human
geography and geographic
technique is required
regardless of the specialty
of the individual student's
program. These courses
build on the initial base
provided by the Primary
Courses, and also serve as
the basis for selection of
upper-level geography
courses.
3
3
1
1
3
3
3
Upper-level Geography electives
15
Introduction to
Geographic Methods
for the Geographic
Environmental
Sciences
Total Credits:
3
35
Supporting Courses
Calculus I Elementary
Supporting courses approved by GEOG advisor
GIS-Computer/Cartography Concentration
Required Courses
12
5
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
GEOG201
GEOG211
GEOG212
PHYSICAL
HUMAN
Geography of Environmental Systems
The World in Cultural Perspective
3
3
Geography of Environmental Systems Laboratory
The World in Cultural Perspective Lab
Upper-level physical geography course
Upper-level physical human geography course
Introduction to Geographic Methods
3
ELECT
300/400
Upper-level Geography electives
3
GEOG372
GEOG373
GEOG375
GEOG472
GEOG473
Remote Sensing
Geographic Information Systems
Computer Cartography
Remote Sensing: Digital Processing and Analysis
Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis
Total Credits
GEOG306
MATH220/130/140
1
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
35
Supporting Courses
Calculus Elementary I
Supporting courses approved by GEOG advisor
12
6
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
7
Masters of Science Degree Requirements
The combined BS/MS of Geographical Science will consist of the following courses (120
Graduate Courses
Cr
789 research
789 research
600+H level elective
600+P level elective
600+T level elective
601(DC)*
606 (DC)
600 level elective (DC)
600 level elective
600 level elective
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
30
*DC = 9 Double Counted credits required for the BS/MS in Geographical Sciences
credits/BS; 30 credits/MS:
Course sequence for the Masters:
4th year Fall
601(DC)
3
4th year Spring
600 elective (DC)
606 (DC)
3
3
3
6
Fifth Year: (21 credits for MS; total of 30)
5th year Fall
789
600 level Human elective
600 level Technical elective
600 level elective
3
3
3
3
12
5th year Spring
789
600 level Physical elective
600 level elective
3
3
3
9
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
8
GEOG 600 level Human (H) Elective
Credits 3
Human:
GEOG 614, Human Dimensions of Global Change
GEOG 632 Economic Geography
GEOG 738D, Human Sem: From Local Consumption to Global Environmental Impacts
GEOG600 level Physical (P) Elective
Credits 3
Physical:
GEOG 615, Land Cover and Land Use
GEOG 642, Ecosystem Processes and Human Habitability
GEOG 646, Water Hydrology, Modeling, and Policy
GEOG 748C, Phys. Seminar: Climate, Energy and Policy
GEOG 748F, Phys. Seminar: Forest Modeling
GEOG 748M, Phys. Seminar: Biophysical and Human Dimensions of Regional Climate Change
GEOG600 level Technical (T) Elective
Credits 3
Technical:
GEOG 636, Qualitative Methods
GEOG 671, Remote Sensing, Instruments and Observations
GEOG 672, Biophysics of Optical Remote Sensing
GEOG 673, GIS Modeling
GEOG 674 GIS Spatial Databases
GEOG 676 Advanced Programming for Geography and Remote Sensing
GEOG 788R, Land Cover Characterization Using Multi-spectral, Multi-temporal Remotely Sensed Data Sets
GEOG789 6 Credits (taken over two terms)
Independent Readings Credits: 1 – 3
Repeatable to 6 credits if content differs.
Electives: 6 credits from any 600-level course in GEOG
GEOG 600 level elective
Elective Credits: 3
GEOG 600 level elective
Elective Credits: 3
BS/MS Geographical Sciences
9
Core Courses Eligible to be Double Counted with Bachelor’s Program
GEOG 601 The Nature and Practice of Science Credits 3
GEOG 606 Quantitative Spatial Analysis Credits: 3
GEOG Graduate Elective Credits: 3. Any 600 or 700 level course that
incoming graduate students normally take in their first two years of their
Ph.D., including:
GEOG 614, Human Dimensions of Global Change (3 credits)
GEOG 632 Economic Geography (3 credits)
GEOG 738D, Human Sem: From Local Consumption to Global Environmental Impacts (3 credits)
GEOG 615, Land Cover and Land Use (3 credits)
GEOG 642, Ecosystem Processes and Human Habitability (3 credits)
GEOG 646, Water Hydrology, Modeling, and Policy (3 credits)
GEOG 748C, Phys. Seminar: Climate, Energy and Policy (3 credits)
GEOG 748F, Phys. Seminar: Forest Modeling (3 credits)
GEOG 748M, Phys. Seminar: Biophysical and Human Dimensions of Regional Climate Change (3 credits)
GEOG 636, Qualitative Methods (3 credits)
GEOG 671, Remote Sensing, Instruments and Observations (3 credits)
GEOG 672, Biophysics of Optical Remote Sensing (3 credits)
GEOG 673, GIS Modeling (3 credits)
GEOG 674 GIS Spatial Databases (3 credits)
GEOG 676 Advanced Programming for Geography and Remote Sensing (3 credits)
GEOG 788R, Land Cover Characterization Using Multi-spectral, Multi-temporal Remotely Sensed Data Sets (3 credits)
GEOG 798, Selected Topics in Geography: Seminar Series; Departmental Seminar (1 credit, repeatable up to 3 times)
C. Describe any selective admissions policy or special criteria for students selecting this field of study.
The combined bachelors/master’s program is designed for students whose undergraduate academic performance is
exceptional. At a minimum, student applicants will have maintained an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Furthermore, students will have an award winning lecturer as their mentor. This mentor will meet with them on a regular
basis, evaluate their research progress, and grade their overall experience.
III. FACULTY AND ORGANIZATION
A. Who will provide academic direction and oversight for the program? [This might be a department, a departmental
subgroup, a list of faculty members, or some other defined group.]
The degree will be housed in the Department of Geographical Sciences. Students interested in the combined BS/MS can
inquire about the program with the Undergraduate Director in the Department of Geographical Sciences.
Continuing academic and program direction will be provided by the Program Oversight Committee while the project
itself will be managed by the Department of Geographical Sciences. Members of the Program Oversight Committee
include:
1
BS/MS Geographical Sciences 0
Graduate Director: Shunlin Liang, Professor
Undergraduate Director: Ronald Luna, Lecturer
B. If the program is not to be housed and administered within a single academic unit, provide details of its administrative
structure.
The combined BS/MS of Geographical Sciences will be housed in and managed by the Department of Geographical
Sciences. A faculty member from the Department of Geographical Sciences in the College of Behavioral and Social
Sciences will serve as Graduate Director and will provide the academic leadership for the team.
Faculty selection and appointments will be made by the Department of Geographical Sciences. All faculty, including
adjunct faculty, will be members of the Graduate Faculty and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School to teach.
IV. OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS (if necessary)
A. If at Shady Grove – indicate how students will access student service. Not applicable
B. If on-line – describe the concerns in “Principles and Guidelines for Online Programs” are to be addressed.
If the program decides to offer courses on-line, the “Principles and Guidelines for Online Programs” will be adhered.
V. OTHER ISSUES
A. Describe any cooperative arrangements with other institutions or organizations that will be important for the
success of this program.
Not applicable
B. Will the program require or seek accreditation? Is it intended to provide certification or licensure for its
graduates? Are there academic or administrative constraints as a consequence?
No
VI. COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY
The University of Maryland is an equal opportunity institution with respect to both education and employment. The
University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or handicap in admission or access
to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities as required by federal (Title VI, Title IX, Section 504) and
state laws and regulations.
Through its actions and statements of policy the University of Maryland has demonstrated a commitment to diversity
by creating programs of study which explore the experiences, perspectives, and contributions of a wide variety of
cultures, groups, and individuals; and has sought to create a campus environment which encourages tolerance and
respect for individuals regardless of differences in age, race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation,
class, political affiliation, and national origin.
1
BS/MS Geographical Sciences 1
VII. REQUIRED PHYSICAL RESOURCES
A. Additional library and other information resources required to support the proposed program. You must
include a formal evaluation by Library staff.
This program uses existing courses and therefore additional library resources are not required.
B. Additional facilities, facility modifications, and equipment that will be required. This is to include faculty and staff
office space, laboratories, special classrooms, computers, etc.
This program does not require additional resources.
C. Impact, if any, on the use of existing facilities and equipment. Examples are laboratories, computer labs,
specially equipped classrooms, and access to computer servers.
This program does not require additional resources.
VIII. RESOURCE NEEDS AND SOURCES
A. List new courses to be taught and needed additional sections of existing courses. Describe the anticipated advising
and administrative loads. Indicate the personnel resources (faculty, staff, and teaching assistants) that will be needed to
cover all these responsibilities.
There will be no impact on existing resources.
B. List new faculty, staff, and teaching assistants needed for the responsibilities
in A, and indicate the source
of the resources for hiring them
No new faculty is needed.
Some of these teaching, advising, and administrative duties may be covered by existing faculty and staff. Describe your
expectations for this, and indicate
how the current duties of these individuals will be covered, and the source of any
needed resources.
Approval of all faculty overloads for teaching and advising will be in accordance with University of Maryland
policy and procedures.
C. Identify the source to pay for the required physical resources identified in Section VII. Above.
Not applicable
D. List any other required resources and the anticipated source for them
Not applicable
1
BS/MS Geographical Sciences 2
E. Complete the additional proposal and financial tables as required by MHEC.
Not applicable for MPST/GCPS programs.
2
BS/MS Geographical Sciences 0
Appendix A
20
Year 1
Fall
Course
ENGL 101
Academic
Writing
Fundamental
Studies Math
Humanities
2
BS/MS Geographical Sciences 1
Requirement
Type
AW
Credits
3
MS
HU
GEOG
201&211
Natural
Science Lab
UNIV 100
Requirement Type
Credits
Oral
Communication
OC
3
3
Humanities
HU
3
3
GEOG 202
HS and CC
3
1
MATH 130,140
or 220
(Supporting
Sequence 1)
Elective
NL
Total Credits
Spring
Course
14
2/3
16
Total Credits
Natural Sciences
NS
GEOG Physical Gate
way Course
History Social
Sciences
GEOG 212
Cumulative Credits After This
Year
Winter
Spring
Requirement Type
Credits
Course
3
3
HS
3
1
GEOG Human
Gateway Course
Elective
3
Credits
Summer
Year 2
Course
Requirement
Type
3/4
Total Credits
Fall
Winter
Course
Scholarship in
Practice
GEOG Course
of Choice Upper
Level
Supporting
Sequence 2
GEOG 306
Analytical
Reasoning
Elective
Requirement
Type
SP
Credits
Course
30
Requirement
Type
3
3
Summer
3
AR
3
3
3
Total Credits
16
Total Credits
21
15
Total Credits
Credits
2
BS/MS Geographical Sciences 2
Year 3
Fall
Course
Spring
Requirement Type
Credits
Course
Winter
Requirement
Type
SP
Credits
GEOG372
3
Scholarship in
Practice-non
major
GEOG373
Supporting Sequence
3
Understanding Plural
Societies
Elective
3
GEOG476
3
3
GEOG Elective
3
3
Elective
3
ENGL 39X
Professional Writing
PW
3
UP
Total Credits
15
Requirement
Type
Credits
3
3
Total Credits
Course
Summer
15
Year 4
Fall
Course
Spring
Requirement Type
Credits
Course
GEOG 472,473 or
475
Supporting Sequence
4
GEOG 601 (DC)
M
3
M
3
GEOG Elective
M
3
GEOG 472, 473
or 475
Supporting
Sequence 5
GEOG 600
elective (DC)
GEOG 606(DC)
3
Elective
15
Total
3
Elective
Total
Winter
Requirement
Type
M
Credits
Requirement
Type
Credits
3
3
E
3
M
3
E
2
14
22
Course
Summer
120
2
BS/MS Geographical Sciences 3
Year 5
Cumulative Credits After This Year
Fall
Requirement Type
M
Credits
3
Spring
Course
GEOG 789
Requirement Type
M
Credits
3
600 HUMAN
M
3
600 Physical
M
3
600 Technical
M/SS
3
600 Elective
E
3
E
3
Total Credits
9
Course
GEOG 789
600 Elective
Total Credits
12
23
Winter
Course
Requirement Type
120
Credits
Summer
Total Credits
21
Cumulative Credits After This Year
141