Master of Science Policies and Procedures Handbook

     The purpose of this Handbook is to identify and describe the objectives, curriculum and regulations of the Master of Science (M.S.) program in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Texas State University. The Graduate College awards the M.S. degree. In addition to the regulations of the Department specified in this Handbook, students must comply with the regulations of the Graduate College as specified in the most recent edition of the Graduate Catalog. The regulations of the Graduate College take precedence over the regulations of the Department in the event of any conflict or ambiguity.
     Students are responsible for knowledge of the contents of the Handbook and the latest edition of the Graduate Catalog. Students are responsible for compliance with the regulations of the Department and the Graduate College.

     The M.S. degree with a major in Geography is designed to give highly qualified students exposure to geographic theory and research at the pre-doctoral level. Programmatic emphases include Environmental Geography, Geographic Education, Geographic Information Science, and other specialty areas in geography represented by the current active research interests of the faculty. The program was formally approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in August 2000.

     The M.S. program is administered by members of the Graduate Faculty of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. The Graduate Faculty consists of full- time, tenured or tenure- track faculty members who are eligible to teach graduate-level courses, serve on graduate committees, and direct theses in accordance with the standards of the Graduate College.
     While the Graduate Faculty of the Department shares in the administration of the program, the Graduate Program Coordinator, the Department Chair, and the Graduate Committee of the Department have special roles in program administration. The Coordinator is responsible for day-to-day program administration and supervision. The Coordinator serves as the Department's formal liaison to the Graduate College through membership on the Graduate Council, which is responsible for the administration of graduate programs across the University.
     The Graduate Coordinator also serves as chair of the Graduate Committee, which consists of several members of the Graduate Faculty along with the Department Chair ex officio. The Department Chair is authorized to undertake any of the Graduate Coordinator's responsibilities as described in this Handbook in the Graduate Coordinator's absence. The Graduate Committee is charged with reviewing the program's structure and requirements and with initiating proposed changes that are then voted upon by the full graduate faculty of the Department.

     Applicants seeking admission to the M.S. Major in Geography program must comply with the Graduate College Admissions guidelines and the procedures outlined in the Graduate Catalog. Application Requirements for the M.S. Major in Geography program can be found in the following link:

• M.S. Major in Geography

     All documents must be submitted directly to the Graduate College through the Graduate Admissions application portal. International students should refer to the International Students resources provide by the Graduate College for additional procedures.

     The fundamental learning outcomes upon graduation for all graduate students of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies are to have a working knowledge of the core concepts of geography as well as an insightful understanding of the essential concepts of their specializations that would be expected at the master’s level of study. 
     An applicant who holds a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than geography, environmental studies, or a related field may be admitted to the program at the discretion of the Graduate Program Coordinator. Leveling courses may be required and can be completed at any accredited institution. Leveling courses are identified and prescribed by the Graduate Program Coordinator with a timeline for completion communicated to the applicant. Students completing a leveling course at a college or university other than Texas State must provide a copy of a grade report or transcript to the Graduate Program Coordinator within the prescribed timeline.
     Because GEO 3301 (Quantitative Methods in Geography) is a prerequisite for Geography 5301, students who have not had GEO 3301 or an equivalent introductory course in statistics with a grade of B or better are required to complete GEO 3301 or equivalent as a leveling course.

     The M.S. degree program has an approved degree plan that outlines the course and product requirements to successfully complete the degree. Degree plan and requirements for the program are linked below. 

• M.S. Major in Geography

     After program admission, the student may access a degree audit from CATSWEB. The degree audit provides guidance for course selection and registration. In addition to a degree audit, students need to meet with their graduate advisor during the first semester of admission to discuss options and review the degree audit and program requirements. 

     Any deviation from the program degree plan provided in the catalog requires approval by the Graduate Program Coordinator. Failure to initiate a change in the degree plan when a course or courses that do not appear on the degree plan are taken prevents such courses from counting toward the degree. This omission may cause a significant delay in completing the degree.
     If the Coordinator approves the proposed change, they will submit a request to the Graduate College for the change. If the Dean of the Graduate College concurs with the requested change, the Graduate College issues a new degree plan. The new degree plan replaces the old one.
     In accordance with Departmental policy, the Graduate Coordinator will not approve requests to substitute for the core courses: GEO 7300, 5301 or 5304, and 5309 for the M.S. degree plan. 

     The standard course load for a full-time M.S. student is six (6) hours of graduate-level coursework per semester. Students working full time are advised to take no more than three to six credit hours per semester. For students employed by the department as graduate assistants, the full-time requirement is nine (9) hours of graduate-level coursework per semester.

     GEO 5395 is a number reserved for Problems in Applied Geography. This course is taught by various faculty members on an occasional basis to allow investigation of topics outside the standard curriculum. GEO 5395 can be repeated for credit for up to six hours.

     Students who wish to pursue independent investigation into topics outside and beyond formal course work may elect to take independent study hours. The independent study courses are GEO 5190, 5290, and 5390, which entitle students to one, two, or three hours of credit, respectively. Students may count up to six hours of independent study toward the M.S. degree.
     Independent study credit requires instructor or graduate advisor permission. Before requesting independent study credit, a student should have a clear idea of the topic(s) to be investigated. The student and the instructor/graduate advisor must agree on what final product (e.g., a research paper) is expected of the student before the student formally enrolls for independent study.
     Before the student enrolls, the instructor must send an email to the Graduate Staff Advisor indicating approval for the student to enroll in an Independent Study course. The Graduate Staff Advisor will enter an override onto the computerized enrollment (Banner) system allowing the student to enroll. The Graduate Staff Advisor will then send an email to the student letting them know that the override has been entered, and the student may enroll in the course.

     Up to six hours of graduate-level course work taken at another accredited university may be counted toward the graduate hours required for the M.S. degree. These hours must not have been used toward completion of any other graduate degree. A request to count graduate-level hours taken at other institutions requires approval of the Graduate Coordinator and the Dean of the Graduate College. Prior approval is required if the course is taken after admission to the M.S. Students who wish to have hours taken at another institution counted towards the M.S. degree must contact the Graduate Program Coordinator with their request. The Graduate College requires an official transcript or other evidence that the courses to be transferred were graduate-level courses.

     The M.S. degree requires that students in the program maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Students whose grade-point averages fall below this standard are placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation have one semester to raise their grade-point averages to the minimum standard. Students who fail to do so are suspended from the Graduate College and are not permitted to enroll in courses.
     After being on suspension for six months, a student may petition for permission to re-enroll in the M.S. program in accordance with the policies of the Graduate College. The petition process requires permission from the Graduate Program Coordinator. Except under extraordinary circumstances, the Graduate Program Coordinator will not support petitions for re-enrollment and will not do so without the explicit approval of the Department Chair and the student’s advisor.

     Generally, students in the M.S. program complete all degree requirements within four (4) semesters. However, the Graduate College allows students up to six (6) calendar years since initial enrollment to complete all degree program requirements. 

     Advising is critical to a student’s success in the M.S. program. Over the course of the M.S. program, students will work closely with their graduate advisor. Therefore, students are encouraged to identify a graduate advisor before the end of the first semester in the program. The graduate advisor guides a student in course selection, research, and other academic activities. Before a student identifies a graduate advisor, the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Graduate Staff Advisor can provide guidance related to course selection and academic activities.
     At the beginning of each fall semester, the Graduate Staff Advisor provides orientation information to all new master level students about academic advising and degree plans in GEO 5309 Geographical Analysis. 

     The graduate advisor plays a critical role in the student’s program. The graduate advisor serves as the committee chair of a student, directs the thesis project, chairs the comprehensive examination committee, and takes the lead in ensuring that the degree is completed in a rigorous and timely fashion. Any member of the Geography and Environmental Studies faculty who holds Graduate Faculty status can serve as the graduate advisor. Graduate Faculty and their research concentrations can be found in Research Concentrations. Again, the selection of the graduate advisor must be made by the end of the student’s first fall semester.
     Although the Department is committed to the advising of all students who enroll in the M.S. program, Graduate Faculty members are under no obligation to accept advisees. Nor are Graduate Faculty members obligated to advise students in areas outside their own major research interests. Students should be prepared to modify their ideas about potential directed research topics in a manner compatible with Graduate Faculty research interests.
     M.S. students are also required to have at least two committee members. The committee members are selected in consultation with the graduate advisor. Once the graduate advisor has agreed to accept a student as an advisee, the student must contact the Graduate Staff Advisor to complete the Graduate Advisor form. Similarly, once the committee members are identified, the student must reach out to the Graduate Staff Advisor to complete the Committee Form.

     Advising is critical to a student’s success in the M.S. program. Over the course of the M.S. program, students will work closely with their graduate advisor. Therefore, students are encouraged to identify a graduate advisor before the end of the first semester in the program. The graduate advisor guides a student in course selection, research, and other academic activities. Before a student identifies a graduate advisor, the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Graduate Staff Advisor can provide guidance related to course selection and academic activities.
     At the beginning of each fall semester, the Graduate Staff Advisor provides orientation information to all new master level students about academic advising and degree plans in GEO 5309 Geographical Analysis. 

     The graduate advisor plays a critical role in the student’s program. The graduate advisor serves as the committee chair of a student, directs the thesis project, chairs the comprehensive examination committee, and takes the lead in ensuring that the degree is completed in a rigorous and timely fashion. Any member of the Geography and Environmental Studies faculty who holds Graduate Faculty status can serve as the graduate advisor. Graduate Faculty and their research concentrations can be found in Research Concentrations. Again, the selection of the graduate advisor must be made by the end of the student’s first fall semester.
     Although the Department is committed to the advising of all students who enroll in the M.S. program, Graduate Faculty members are under no obligation to accept advisees. Nor are Graduate Faculty members obligated to advise students in areas outside their own major research interests. Students should be prepared to modify their ideas about potential directed research topics in a manner compatible with Graduate Faculty research interests.
     M.S. students are also required to have at least two committee members. The committee members are selected in consultation with the graduate advisor. Once the graduate advisor has agreed to accept a student as an advisee, the student must contact the Graduate Staff Advisor to complete the Graduate Advisor form. Similarly, once the committee members are identified, the student must reach out to the Graduate Staff Advisor to complete the Committee Form.

     Occasionally, students may need to change graduate advisors or committee membership as a result of:
 

• Death, retirement, incapacity, or resignation from the university of the faculty member.
• Loss of status as Graduate Faculty on the part of the faculty member.
• A student’s decision that his or her academic and professional interests would be better served with a different graduate advisor or committee member.
   

     If a change of graduate advisor or committee member is necessary, the student needs to contact the Graduate Staff Advisor to complete another Graduate Advisor Form or Committee Form.

     Students and their advisors should make every effort to complete their major degree requirements, including the comprehensive examination within the fall and spring semesters as specified in this Handbook.
     Summer teaching depends on the availability of funding from the University and the willingness of the faculty to teach in the summer. There is no guarantee that specific course work in Geography and Environmental Studies will be offered during the summer sessions. Graduate Faculty are under no obligation to supervise independent study projects, theses, and directed research projects during the summer as they are employed on nine-month contracts. During the summer, faculty’s primary responsibilities include professional research along with the completion of grant and contract activities. Because of these activities, many faculty members are away from the campus for extended periods of time during the summer. For these reasons, students should not expect graduate advising during the summer sessions.

     M.S. students are required to complete a thesis. Six hours of credit are given for the thesis (GEO 5399A and 5399B). Students should be aware that thesis projects require considerably more time and effort than ordinary courses. Ordinarily, the completion of a thesis takes at least three semesters. Refer to the Thesis Requirements of the M.S. Major in Geography.

     M.S. students are required to complete a thesis. Six hours of credit are given for the thesis (GEO 5399A and 5399B). Students should be aware that thesis projects require considerably more time and effort than ordinary courses. Ordinarily, the completion of a directed research project takes at least  three semesters.  Refer to the Thesis Requirements of the M.S. Major in Geography. 

     The thesis project begins with the preparation of a research proposal. Students work closely with their graduate advisors to prepare the proposal. Once the proposal is approved by their graduate advisor, it is shared with the committee. Once the committee has approved the proposal, the Thesis Proposal Form and a copy of the proposal must be signed and submitted to the Graduate College.

The proposal for the M.S. thesis must include the following elements:

• An appropriate, concise title.
• A clear statement of purpose.
• A statement of the research problem including the goals and objectives of the study.
• A brief survey of relevant professional literature.
• A statement of hypotheses or expected findings.
• A clear description of research design and methods to be used to evaluate the hypotheses and/or determine the research findings.
• A statement of the significance of the research.
• A bibliography of cited references.

     The student should be aware of and adhere to the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) at Texas State University while designing and conducting his/her thesis research. Carefully review Graduate College’s Thesis/Dissertation Guide: Focus on Process and Procedures covering the following topics: Plagiarism, Using Copyrighted Materials, Laws and University Regulations, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Institutional Review Board, Sponsored or Shared Research Initiatives, and Brief Overview of Embargoes.

     M.S. students should work closely with their graduate advisor to make consistent progress toward the completion of their thesis, including the presentation and review of their thesis drafts. Details about thesis preparation are included in the Graduate College’s Thesis/Dissertation Guide: Focus on Processes and Procedures; Focus on Formatting; Focus on Vireo Submission; Vireo Formatting Template (Microsoft Word).
     After the graduate advisor has approved the thesis, the student will share the thesis with the committee. The thesis is considered fully approved when the majority of the committee signifies to the graduate advisor that the thesis meets their expectations.

     Once the thesis has been written and approved by the student's committee, the student must defend the thesis in a public presentation. For the thesis to be publicly defended, the student will need to email the Graduate Staff Advisor the following information at least two weeks prior to the defense: 1) date and time of the defense, 2) Zoom link, the room number, or both, 3) the title of their thesis, and 4) an abstract. The Graduate Staff Advisor will then send this information out to the department to promote the defense.

     Thesis approval requires the signatures of members of the committee on a Thesis Submission Approval Form. An electronic copy of the thesis must be also submitted to the Graduate College through the Viero system. 

     Students are responsible for compliance with deadlines for completion of thesis established by the Graduate College and the department. Refer to the Graduate College deadlines.

     The Graduate College requires that all candidates for the master's degree pass a comprehensive examination. The comprehensive examination is taken after formal course work has been completed and the thesis proposal has been approved by the committee. The examination covers the course work and general knowledge of geography as developed throughout the curriculum. Comprehensive exams must be completed and the associated paperwork submitted to the Graduate.

     A student in the M.S. program will have an examination committee consisting of at least three members. The graduate advisor serves as the first member, and at least one additional member must hold Graduate Faculty status in Geography and Environmental Studies. The committee members are selected in consultation with the graduate advisor. Ordinarily, the comprehensive examination committee is the same as the thesis committee. 

     Near the end of formal coursework, the graduate advisor arranges the date and location of the oral comprehensive examination in consultation with the student and the committee. The graduate advisor will notify the Graduate Staff Advisor of the exam. The Graduate Staff Advisor will provide the graduate advisor with a Master’s Comprehensive Examination Report Form. Except under extraordinary circumstances, such as a medical emergency, all members of the committee must be present at the examination. The examination lasts no more than two hours.

     The committee evaluates the comprehensive examination to determine if the student passes or fails. If the student passes the exam, the committee will sign the Master’s Comprehensive Examination Report Form and route it for signatures from the Graduate Program Coordinator and Department Chair. After all departmental signatures are completed, the Graduate Staff Advisor will forward the form to the Graduate College for processing.
     Students who fail the comprehensive examination may be required by their committees to complete additional course work, undertake additional applied research projects, or study additional materials. These additional requirements must be completed to the satisfaction of the committee before the comprehensive examination is retaken. Students who fail the comprehensive examination may retake the comprehensive examination thirty days after the first scheduled exam date. 

     A student currently enrolled in the M.S. program may transfer to the M.A.Geo. program upon request.
     A student currently enrolled in the M.A.Geo. program must have a GPA of 3.6 or higher in their first nine hours of graduate-level coursework. If the student has not completed 12 graduate hours in Geography, he or she must have a 3.4 grade-point average in the last sixty hours of undergraduate course work.

     A student who transfers from the M.A.Geo. program to the M.S. program must have a GPA of 3.6 or higher in their first nine hours of graduate-level coursework.  In addition, a student is permitted to count up to 15-18 hours of master level coursework that is approved as part of the M.S. degree plan. Except for these courses, others taken toward the M.A.Geo. degree will not count toward the M.S. degree. 
     A student transferring from the M.S. program to the M.A.Geo. program may count all but thesis course work applicable to the M.A.Geo. program. With the approval of the research advisor, the Graduate Coordinator may request exceptions to this policy to the Dean of the Graduate College.