Admission and Retention in an Online M.S. in GIScience Program

Ming-Chih Hung
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO

Patricia Drews
Northwest Missouri State University
Indianapolis, IN

The online M.S. in Geographic Information Science program at Northwest Missouri State University was established in fall 2003. We offer a M.S. degree and a companion graduate certificate in GIScience. Student enrollment increased rapidly from 20 in fall 2003 until stabilizing in 2008 with enrollment of about 100 students, counting both M.S. and certificate students enrolled in at least one credit hour in a given semester. During the past eight years, the program has gone through changes in curriculum design.

This presentation examines curriculum design changes and issues, statistics in student enrollment and retention, and some administrative issues related to an online Master’s program.

Biography

Patricia Drews is an associate professor of geography at Northwest Missouri State University. She teaches GIS classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She also serves as the Graduate Program Director for the online Master of Science and graduate certificate programs in GIScience at Northwest.