Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Major in Geographic Information Science

Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours

General Requirements

  1. The general education core curriculum courses are listed in the degree plan below along with the statewide component code number. See the General Education Core Curriculum section of this catalog for the Texas State requirements and options in the core curriculum, including Honors courses.
  2. This major requires students to select a minor area from the approved list of Undergraduate Minors offered at Texas State. Various minors may be appropriate depending on a student's interests and career goals. Students are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor to review minor options and degree requirements.
  3. This major requires a minimum of 36 semester credit hours of Geography courses.
  4. To satisfy graduation requirements, students must have at least a 2.50 major GPA for Geography and at least a 2.25 TXST GPA. Students must make a grade of "C" or better in all Geography courses that are to be counted for credit toward their major.
  5. Required major courses include the following:
    GEO 1309Introduction to Cultural Geography3
    or GEO 1310 World Geography
    GEO 2410Introduction to Physical Geography4
    GEO 2426Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems4
    GEO 3301Research Methods in Geography3
  6. Required Geography core courses include the following:
    GEO 3411Maps and Mapmaking4
    GEO 3416Remote Sensing and Earth Observation4
    GEO 3426Advanced GIS4
  7. Required 4000-level Geography includes at least three courses from the following: 
    GEO 4351Geospatial Data Science and Health3
    GEO 4411Advanced Cartographic Design4
    GEO 4412Digital Image Processing and Machine Learning4
    GEO 4420GeoProgramming4
    GEO 4422Web Mapping4
    GEO 4424GPS and GIS4
    GEO 4427GIS Consulting Practicum4
    GEO 4380Internship in Geography3
    or GEO 4430 Field Methods
    Students cannot take both GEO 4380 and GEO 4430 to count towards 4000-level requirement
  8. Students must complete a minimum of 36 advanced hours (3000 or 4000 level courses).
  9. The minimum number of hours required for this degree program is 120. The number of free elective hours a student will complete depends on the number of hours a student may need to achieve the required 120 total or 36 advanced hours.
  10. Nine hours of writing intensive (WI) courses are required for graduation.

Course Requirements 

Freshman
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Communication Component Code 0103Communication Component Code 0103
Mathematics Component Code 02013Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303
Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303American History Component Code 0603
Government/Political Science Component Code 0703Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 080 (not to include GEO 1310)3
GEO 1309 or 1310 (TCCN GEOG 1302 or 1303)3GEO 24104
US 11001 
 16 16
Sophomore
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 0403Component Area Option Code 090/0913
American History Component Code 0603Computer Science, Computer Infomation Systems, or Mathematics Course (not to include MATH 1312 or MATH 1316)3
Government/Political Science Component Code 0703Modern Language 1420 (if required) or Elective4
Modern Language 1410 (if required) or Elective4GEO 33013
GEO 24264Minor3
 17 16
Junior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Creative Arts Component Code 0503GEO 34114
ENG Literature (Component Area Option Code 090/094)23GEO 34164
GEO 34264Minor6
Minor3 
 13 14
Senior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ENG 3303 (BS Literature or Technical Writing)3GEO 4411, 4412, 4420, 4422, 4424, 4427, 4380, or 44304
GEO 4411, 4412, 4420, 4422, 4424, 4427, 4380, or 44304Minor3
GEO 4411, 4412, 4420, 4422, 4424, 4427, 4380, or 44304Electives (as needed)7
Minor3 
 14 14
Total Hours: 120
1

One course from the following may be chosen to satisfy the Mathematics Component Code 020: MATH 1315 (TCCN 1314), MATH 1317 (TCCN 1316), MATH 1319 (TCCN 1324), MATH 1329 (TCCN 1325), MATH 2321 (TCCN 2313), MATH 2417 (TCCN 2412), or MATH 2471 (TCCN 2413).

2

An ENG Literature course may be selected from the following: ENG 2310 (TCCN ENGL 2322), ENG 2320 (TCCN ENGL 2323), ENG 2330 (TCCN ENGL 2332), ENG 2340 (TCCN ENGL 2333), ENG 2359 (TCCN ENGL 2327), ENG 2360 (TCCN ENGL 2328), ENG 2371