Academic Program Proposal

Date Proposal Activated	Institution and Proposal	Degree Awarded	Academic Program Name	Objection Deadline	MHEC Final Action	Final Decision Date
	University of Maryland, College Park Proposal	Master of Science (M.S.)	Geospatial Information Sciences	4/10/2019	Approved	4/24/2019
Geospatial Information Sciences Program Description
Geospatial Information Sciences is a software application system that has a wide range of application areas such as transportation logistics, network analysis, emergency management, urban planning, and environmental research. The purpose of this proposal is to move the existing curriculum out from under the Master of Professional Studies umbrella and to create a standalone Master of Science in Geospatial Information Sciences degree program, allowing it to be classified as a STEM program through a more appropriate federal CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) designation. Giving a proper CIP classification to the curriculum will help attract more highly skilled domestic and international students. For domestic students, the STEM designation will enhance their application for scholarships and career improvement. For international students, the extra optional practical training (OPT) term, allowed by the Department of Homeland Security for specific STEM‐designated programs, will benefit their future job searches. The curriculum is focused on enterprise‐level GIS, including topics such as remote sensing, computing, and statistics, with a broader spectrum than a traditional program. The goal of the program is to help students become GIS developers.