Graduate Certificate
in Geographic Information Science - Online

Overview | Curriculum | Admissions | Getting Started | Tuition & Fees | Contact Us

Admissions requirements

The processes outlined on this page are for people seeking to obtain the 19-credit online graduate certificate without already being in a full-time, degree-seeking graduate program here at OSU. This option is therefore aimed at off-campus, in-career working professionals or other kinds of continuing-education students seeking a credential in geographic information science. 

Note: You must fulfill both university and departmental requirements for admission into this online graduate certificate program.  All graduate admission application materials should be submitted at least one month in advance of the start of classes to allow time for processing.  International students should apply at least two months in advance.

Make sure you meet the applicant requirements first:

• Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree (in any field) from a college or university.
• The undergraduate GPA must be at least a B (3.0) for coursework in the major field and at least a B- (2.67) for all coursework as a whole.
• Students should expect and be prepared to complete graduate-level coursework toward the certificate.
• Applicants must have basic computer literacy (high comfort level with Microsoft Windows file and disk management, as well the Internet).
• Applicants must have in their record the equivalent of a basic statistics course (including rudimentary data processing), a basic cartography course, and the equivalent of high school algebra before starting the core courses in the certificate.
• Prior experience with relational databases or spatial analysis is not required, but will be extremely helpful.
• Prior experience with GIS or remote sensing software is not required.
• Courses for credit taken previously at OSU may be used to satisfy the requirements for the graduate certificate. Courses for credit taken for the online graduate certificate may also be transferred to a full OSU graduate degree program at a later date, should the student decide to pursue a full graduate degree at OSU.

Proceed with admissions:

1. First, fill out and submit the GIScience pre-screening application form on the web. The certificate program associate director will notify you of the results of the pre-screening and advise accordingly:

Application Deadlines
	Winter 2010	Spring 2010	Summer 2010	Fall 2010
Applications Due	Oct 30	Feb 8	Apr 5	May 10
Applicants Notified	Nov 6	Feb 12	Apr 9	May 14
Registration Starts	Nov 15	Feb 21	Apr 18	May 20

2. Upon positive notification from the associate director, proceed to formally applying to the Graduate School at Oregon State University by following the instructions provided under Step 1. Application to Oregon State University: complete an online application form (as a degree-seeking graduate student); pay the $60 nonrefundable application fee by credit card; and send two photocopies of original transcripts of all previous college coursework by email, fax, or mail. If you are unable to use the online application system, please send the Graduate School application, application fee payment and transcripts in one packet to:

Graduate School
300 Kerr Administration Bldg
Oregon State University
Corvallis OR 97331-2121
Telephone: 541-737-2251 or toll-free 877-648-0088
Fax: 541-737-3313
Email: graduate.admissions@oregonstate.edu
Web site: http://oregonstate.edu/admissions/graduate.php

3. If you are an international student, you must also send the following documents with your application materials:

a) Two sets of official TOEFL scores or IELTS scores.  English language proficiency demonstrated by a minimum TOEFL score of 550 (paper/pencil test) or 213 (computer-based test). IELTS test scores can be used as a substitute for TOEFL scores. The score must be 7.0 or above. Scores must be less than 2 years old at the time of the applicant’s registration for classes.  View OSU Admissions TOEFL information.

b) A certified English translation of the official academic transcripts.

4. Upon acceptance by the Graduate School, proceed with registering for the classes in the online graduate certificate program that are available during the upcoming term.

Course participation by students not seeking the GIScience graduate certificate

If you are not pursuing the GIScience Graduate Certificate, and do not wish to apply to the OSU Graduate Program, but are interested in taking individual classes that are part of the GIScience Graduate Certificate curriculum, you may apply to OSU as a Non-degree Seeking graduate student.

Non-degree students:
The admissions steps and other listed requirements (described above) apply only to graduate certificate-seeking or graduate degree-seeking students. Non-degree seeking students who may later wish to apply to the GIScience Graduate Certificate program or other graduate degree program should be aware that a maximum of 6 credits earned as a non-degree seeking student may be transferred to a graduate certificate or degree program.  For additional details, please refer to the Graduate Admission Policy as it pertains to non-degree graduate status students.  You may apply for Non-degree Graduate Status by using the non-degree online application.

Need assistance?

For help or clarification, please contact the Certificate Program Associate Director, Ms. Kuuipo Walsh, or Ecampus Student Services at 800-667-1465.