This degree
program is jointly offered by the
Professors: Carlos Aiken (Geosciences), Brian J. L. Berry (Economic,
Political and Policy Sciences),� Denis J.
Dean (Economic, Political and Policy Sciences), Daniel Griffith (Economic,
Political and Policy Sciences), Paul Jargowsky
(Economic, Political and Policy Sciences), James Murdoch (Economic, Political
and Policy Sciences), Edwin Sha
(Computer Science), Robert Stern (Geosciences)
Associate Professors: Tom Brikowski
(Geosciences), John Ferguson (Geosciences), Fang Qiu (Economic, Political and Policy Sciences),
Michael Tiefelsdorf
(Economic, Political and Policy Sciences)
Assistant Professors: Karen Hayslett-McCall
(Economic, Political and Policy Sciences), Weili Wu (Computer Science)
Powerful new technologies have emerged in recent years to collect, store, manage,� analyze, and communicate information regarding the features of the Earth's surface and to combine these with other types of environmental, social and economic information. These technologies, which include geographic information systems (GIS), the global positioning system (GPS), and� remote sensing, are used in many ways, including the production of digital maps in vehicles, the management and maintenance of city infrastructure, � agriculture and forestry, the policing of communities, and the conduct of modern warfare. The PhD in Geospatial Information Sciences aims to develop individuals capable of advancing this field by developing new knowledge or capabilities relevant to it.
The degree
program is jointly offered by the School of Economic, Political and Policy
Sciences, the
The mission of the Doctor of Philosophy in Geographic Information Sciences program is to cultivate innovative researchers capable of advancing the frontiers of knowledge in the geospatial information sciences through improved theories, new technologies, innovative methodologies, sophisticated quantitative analyses, and integrative applications. U.T.Dallas Doctoral graduates will find employment in research departments of public and private organizations and in major academic institutions. Specifically, program graduates will:
� demonstrate their knowledge of the fundamental theories and concepts underlying the geospatial sciences.
� master the advanced methodologies and/or quantitative analyses used in at least one of three geospatial specialization areas: [a] computing and information management, spatial analysis and modeling, or [c] remote sensing and satellite technologies.
� produce innovative research that advances theory or methodology in the geospatial sciences.
� participate at academic conferences, publish in peer-reviewed journals and find employment in research departments of public and private organizations and in major academic institutions.
Students
have access to state-of-the-art GIS computing facilities housed� in the
The University�s general admission requirements are discussed here.
The PhD program in Geospatial Information Sciences seeks applications from students with a baccalaureate, Master of Arts, Master of Science or professional masters-level degree in any field relevant to geospatial information science including, but not limited to, computer science, economics, engineering, geography, geology, management information systems, marketing, natural resource management, public affairs and public administration, statistics, and urban and regional planning. Applicants will be judged and evaluated by the existing admission standards as set forth by the University in its Graduate Catalog and by the standards set forth here by the Geospatial Information Sciences program. A bachelor�s degree from an accredited institution or its equivalent and fluency in written and spoken English are required. A grade average of at least 3.25 in undergraduate and graduate course work, and a combined verbal and quantitative score of 1150 on the GRE are desirable. An analytical writing score of at least 4.5 in the GRE is considered desirable.
Students must submit transcripts from all higher education institutions attended, three letters of recommendation, and a one-page essay outlining the applicant�s background, education, and personal objectives as they specifically relate to a Ph.D. in Geospatial Information Sciences.
The following pre-requisites/co-requisites will also be required for admission to the PhD program: (i) college mathematics through calculus, (ii) competence in at least one modern programming language equivalent to GISC 5317 Computer Programming for GIS,� CS 5303 and CS 5330 Computer Science I & II, MIS 5321 Computer Programming, �MIS 6322 Visual Basic, MIS 6323 Java, or their equivalents, and (iii) at least one course in inferential statistics through to regression analysis equivalent to GISC 5313 Geospatial Data Analysis Fundamentals, POEC 5313 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics, or GEOS 5306 Data Analysis for Geoscientists. Graduate courses taken at U.T.Dallas to meet these pre-requisites may be counted as electives toward the 90 credit hours required of students entering the Ph.D. program directly from a B.A. or B.S. degree, but they shall not be considered substitutes for any other specified course.
Because of the cross-disciplinary nature of this doctoral program, to ensure adequate preparation and appropriate course sequencing, every doctoral student is required to consult with the student�s designated advisor and/or the GIS Doctoral Program Director prior to registration in every semester. Students generally will not have a faculty advisor when they first enter the Ph.D. program, but every student is required to select (with consent of the potential advisor) an advisor from the advising faculty before they complete 20 credits after admission.
The University�s general degree requirements are discussed here.
To receive the PhD in Geospatial Information Sciences, students must complete the Geospatial Science Core (15 SCH) to achieve a mastery of appropriate Geospatial Information Science technologies and theory, have a Geospatial Specialization Area (15 SCH), have a Specific Application area or Technical field (12 SCH), evidence research skills through successful completion and defense of a Ph. D. dissertation, and take related electives as necessary for a total of 90 semester credit hours. In addition, students must satisfy a set of exams and qualifiers. Other courses may be substituted for those listed below with the written permission in advance of the Director of the GIS Doctoral program.
Geospatial Science Core (15 SCH)
GISC
6381 GIS Fundamentals
GISC
6382 Applied GIS
GISC
6384 Spatial Analysis and Modeling
GISC
6385 GIS Theories, Models and Issues
GISC
5316 Regression Analysis with Spatial Applications or POEC 5316 Advanced
Regression
Geospatial Specialization Area selected from one of the following, with a minimum of 15 SCH. Courses selected must include at least three at successively advanced levels.
I. Geospatial Computing and Information Management
CS
6359 Object Oriented Analysis and Design
CS 6360
Database Design
CS 6364
Artificial Intelligence
CS 6366
Computer Graphics
CS 6375
Neural Nets and Machine Learning
CS 6378
Advanced Operating Systems
CS 6V80
Spatial Data Management
CS 6381 Combinatorics and Graph
Algorithms
CS 6384
Computer Vision
GISC
5317 Computer Programming for GIS
GISC
6388 GIS Application Software Development
GISC
7363 Internet Mapping and Information Management
* MISC
6326 Databse Management
Systems
II. Spatial Analysis and Modeling
CS
5343 Data Structures
*ECON 6309 Econometrics I
*ECON 6310 Econometrics II
*ECON
6311 Statistics for Economists
*ECON
6314 Structural Equation and Multilevel (Hierarchical) Modeling
*ECON
6315/POEC 7370 Time Series Econometrics
*ECON
6316 Spatial Econometrics
*GEOS
5306 Data Analysis for Geoscientists
GISC
7360 GIS Pattern Analysis
GISC
7361 Spatial Statistics
GISC
7363 GIS Network Modeling
GISC
7364 Demographic Analysis and Modeling
GISC
7368 Spatial Epidemiology
GISC
7384 Advanced Raster Modeling
*POEC
5313 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
*POEC
5316 Advanced Regression Analysis
III. Remote Sensing and Satellite Technologies
GEOS 5322 GPS Surveying Techniques
GEOS
5324 3-D GIS Data Capture and Ground Lidar
GEOS
5325/GISC 6325 Introduction to Remote Sensing
GEOS
5329/GISC 5329 Applied Remote Sensing
GEOS
5326/GISC 7365 Remote Sensing Digital Image Processing
GEOS
7327/GISC 7367 Remote Sensing Workshop
EE 6360
Digital Signal Processing I
EE 6363
Digital Image Processing
IV.
Customized Geospatial Specialization(15
SCH)
Identified
by the student with approval in advance by the Director of the GIS
Doctoral Program.
* may not be used in conjunction with certain other courses. Consult GIS Doctoral Program Director
Application Area or Technical Field (12 SCH)
Twelve semester-credit hours of specialized course work in an application area or technical field relevant to GIScience. Normally, these will derive from the student�s masters degree. These hours may be transferred from another institution, or taken at U.T.Dallas in an existing master�s program area and may be applied toward a master�s in that area.
Application area examples: planning, public affairs, criminal justice, health and epidemiology, geoscience, forestry, hydrology, marketing, real estate, economics, civil engineering.
Technical field examples: statistics, computer science, software engineering, management information systems, image analysis, operations research/location science, instrumentation.
Research and Dissertation (24 to 48 SCHs)
Which must include:
GISC
7387 GIS Research Design
GISC
7389 GIS PhD Research Project Qualifier
And may include:
GEOS
8V21 Research in Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS
GISC
6387 GIS Workshop
GISC
6389 GIS Masters Project
GISC
7367/GEOS 7327 Remote Sensing Workshop
GISC
8V29 Research in GIS
*POEC
5310 & 6342 Research Design I & II
GISC
8v99 or GEOS 8v99 or CS 8v99 Dissertation
Other Related Electives (0 to 24 SCH)
Students may choose up to 24 SCHs in related electives with consent of their advisor or the GIS Doctoral Program Director.
Exams and Qualifiers
The student must register for and complete GISC 7389 Geospatial Information Sciences PhD Research Project Qualifier according to uniform guidelines established by the GIS program.
The student must have a GPA of at least 3.25, and preferably 3.5, in courses taken at UT-Dallas at the time they register for GISC 7389 Ph.D. Qualifier, or they must petition the GIS faculty for an exemption for extenuating circumstances beyond the student�s control.
After meeting the Research Project Qualifier, the student must (1) demonstrate through a general exam his/her competency in the area chosen for their dissertation, and (2) successfully present and defend a dissertation proposal through an oral examination, according to uniform guidelines established by the GIS program.
Defense of Dissertation
A dissertation must be prepared and defended successfully following the procedures established by the Dean of Graduate Studies.