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Degree &
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Programs

Geography B.S.
Extended Geography; Geographic Education; Geographic Information Management (GIS);
Remote Sensing

Public Planning B.S.
Land Use Planning;
Environmental Planning; Tourism & Recreation Planning; GIS & Planning; American Indian Planning

Parks & Recreation Management
B.S. & Certificate

M.S. Applied Geospatial Sciences

Geographic Information Certificate

Park Ranger Training Program

Master of
Administration:
Community Planning

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Master of Science in Applied Geospatial Sciences

The MS Applied Geospatial Sciences degree plan is designed for students who want to pursue a career in understanding and managing land, community and environmental spatial systems, including geographic information systems (GIS), and remote sensing, and public planning and recreation. Both thesis and nonthesis plans are available. This nonthesis plan requires a professional applied paper that is overseen by your practicum committee.

To complete this 36-unit plan, you take:

• 4 units of the Applied Geospatial Sciences core:
  • GGR 681 (3) [Geographic Thought and Method]
  • GGR 687 (1) [Thesis/Practicum proposal writing]
    
    
• 6 units of seminar topics, including one human geography topic and one physical geography topic:
  • GGR 599, 698, PL 599, PRM 599
    • these are current issue and special topic classes;
    • other 400 and 500 level Geography, Planning and Recreation courses may also satisfy this requirement, with advisor approval, including GGR 461 and PRM 531 for the physical geography seminar.
      
      
• a concentration of 20 units in one of the following emphasis areas:
  
  
  • Geospatial Technologies Emphasis
    Take the following classes:
    • GGR 531 (4) GIS Principles I: Foundations
      
      • Overview of computer applications in map production, including geographic information systems.
    • GGR 533 (4) GIS Principles II: Project Design and Implementation
      • Fundamentals of vector and raster geographic information systems.
    • GGR 535 (4) GIS Programming I: Tools and Applications
      
      • Pre-requisite: GGR 4/533 or 4/534, or Instructor’s Consent
    • GGR 536 (4) GIS Programming II: DBMS and Internet GIS
      
      • Pre-requisite: GGR 4/533 or 4/534, or Instructor’s Consent
    • One of:
      • GGR 537 (4) GIS Analysis I: Environmental Modeling - Raster
        
        • Pre-requisite: GGR 4/535 or 4/536; Pre- or Co-requisite: STA 571 / 472
      • GGR 538 (4) GIS Analysis II: Spatial Data Analysis - Vector
        
        • Pre-requisite: GGR 4/535 or 4/536; Pre- or Co-requisite: STA 571 / 472
    • If you already have skills in these areas, you may, with advisor approval, select electives from the following courses:
      • GGR 522 (4) Remote Sensing Techniques I
      • GGR 523 (4) Remote Sensing Techniques II
      • GGR 523 (2) Remote Sensing Techniques III
      • GGR 534 (4) Exploring Spatial Data
        
        
  • Planning and Recreation Emphasis:
    Selected, with advisor consent, from:
    • PL 501 (3) Communities and Public Planning
      • This online seminar introduces students to major issues and approaches in public planning.
    • PL 506 (3) Planning Analysis and Presentations
      • This online class introduces students to census and population data and its analysis and presentation related to land use issues.
    • PL 514 (3) Sustainable Community Planning
    • PL 521 (3) Land Use Planning Law and Ethics
    • PRM 531 (3) Recreation Ecology and Physical Impact Analysis
    • PL 532 (3) GIS for Planners
      • This online class teaches planners how to use geographic information systems for land and community analysis. (Computer knowledge and skills are a prerequisite for this course, along with permission from the instructor to register for it.)
        
    • PL 545 (3) Community Planning and Public Health
    • PL/PRM 599 (3) Current Issues / Special Topics
    • PL/PRM 608 (1-12) Fieldwork Experience (internship)
      
      
    • You may take up to two 400 level classes in your graduate program, which, with advisor consent, may include the following:
      • PL 401 (2) Planning Permitting and Review
      • PL 402W (3) Environmental Impact Statements (undergraduate writing)
      • PL 405C (3) Planning Studio (undergraduate capstone)
      • PL 407 (3) Planning on Public Lands
      • PRM 423 (3) Recreation Facilities Planning
      • PRM 426 (3) Parks and Recreation Administration and Finance
      • PRM 446 (3) Protected Area Management
      • PRM 447 (4) Research and Evaluation in Parks and Recreation Management
        
        
  • Custom Geography, Planning and Recreation Emphasis
    Selected, with advisor consent, from:
    • Any combination of graduate level Geography, Parks and Recreation, and Planning courses.
  • Up to 12 units may be taken from other NAU graduate level courses with adviser’s consent.
    
    
• 6 units of GGR 689 or PL 689, a professional practicum, or 6 units of GGR 699 or PL699, for the research, writing, and oral defense of an approved thesis.
  • Please be aware that you can only count 6 units of practicum or thesis credit toward your degree. However, you may end up taking more units because you must enroll for GGR 689/699 or PL 689/699 each term once you begin work on your thesis.

Additional Notes about the MS Applied Geospatial Sciences Curriculum

• Graduate students may apply only two 400 level courses (up to 8 units) toward their graduate degree with prior approval by your advisor.
  • You must file the "Override Authorization - Audit/Class Links/Out of Career" form (available on the Registrar's Office forms page) to get credit for a 400-level course on your master's degree.
  • Courses at the 400 level that are listed in the NAU Catalog, but are not listed above are either seldom offered or are not recommended.
    
    
• Course titles and short descriptions can be found under the "Geography", "Planning" and "Parks and Recreation" Courses sections of the NAU Catalog.
  • Courses at the 500 and 600 level listed in the NAU Catalog that are not listed above are seldom offered.
    

APPLICATION

• Department Application Forms
  
  
• NAU Graduate College Application
  
  
• Both Department and Graduate College forms must be submitted to complete the application process.

Teaching and Research Assistantships

• TA and RA funding is limited. Students are encouraged to apply by February 15 to be considered for assistantship support for the following Fall semester. Students are also encouraged to apply for work-study aid through the NAU Office of Student Financial Aid.
• The department also has a very limited number of in-state and out-of-state tuition scholarship. Unanticipated scholarships and assistantships sometimes become available over the summer, as well.
• Applications for assistantships and scholarships are made through the department application forms.
  
• NAU Graduate Assistant Benefits

Graduate Program Coordinator: Dr. Alan A. Lew < alan . lew (at) nau . edu >