Why Earn a Master's Degree or Graduate Certificate in Geodesign?
How do organisms sustain on an overcrowded planet? This is the type of question a geodesign major loves and strives to tackle. Geodesign combines landscape architecture, design, geography, and spatial science to help solve the world's transportation, conservation, and population issues. A master's degree or graduate certificate in geodesign gives students the tools to merge geography, science, and technology with design and nature so they may find improved, sustainable solutions to land-based problems. Examples include coastal planning, urbanization, roadway development, infrastructure and electric energy, and highway design.
What Skills Will I Learn While Studying for the Geodesign Master's Degree or Graduate Certificate?
While studying for a master's degree or graduate certificate in geodesign, students will be exposed to and prepared for important field-related competencies, including:
- Investigating real geodesign-related problems individually and colloboratively to find creative, conceivable solutions.
- Gaining fluency in geodesign-related technologies.
- Collecting and analyzing geographically referenced data to back a multitude of issues and projects.
- Understanding how to solve issues that will satisfy shareholders, policy and regulation, analysts, scientists, and engineers.
- Presenting research and findings in a clear, concise, and logical way, both verbally, as well as on paper.
- Learning the interconnectedness of urban planning, principles of design, and globalization with surrounding areas and building thriving, sustainable communities.
How are Geodesign Courses Taught?
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an important component and often required as a prerequisite to geodesign courses. Studio courses are taken throughout the program to offer further GIS skills practice and to aid students in an oft-required project-based thesis or capstone project. In fact, many programs favor problem-based learning. Students are given a problem which they must solve independently or with a group. Little information is provided about the given issue or topic and the teacher acts merely as facilitator. This allows students to get real-world practice in solving issues relevant to geodesign.
How Long Does It Take to Earn a Master's Degree or Graduate Certificate in Geodesign?
A master's degree or graduate certificate program in geodesign differs in the length of time it will take to complete. Philadelphia University, for example, offers an accelerated master's degree program that can be completed in eighteen months. Generally, master's degree programs in geodesign require the completion of twenty-eight to thirty-six credits while most graduate certificate programs require the completion of twelve to sixteen credits.
How do Online Master's Degrees or Graduate Certificates in Geodesign Work?
A number of master's degree programs in geodesign are offered solely in an online format. This gives students the flexibility to complete the master's or certificate program at their own pace. Courses, themselves, function much like those taken in-person. Students participate in lectures and studio-based classes, as well as research and complete projects, either individually or as part of a team.
What if I Have Questions about the Online Geodesign Master's Degree Format and Process?
Questions about an online master's degree or graduate certificate in geodesign can most often be answered through research or through contacting a school of interest directly.
Some questions to consider:
- Is the school accredited?
- How do students and faculty collaborate and interact with each other?
- What are the faculty's credentials, experience, and area of expertise?
- Does the school offer financial aid?
- Is a thesis, project, field work, or research paper due as a graduation requirement?
- What is the time commitment involved for completing projects and field work?
- What type of academic and career counseling is available?
- What type of course materials are available?
What Will I Need to be Successful Studying Online?
Obtaining an online degree in any capacity requires a high level of self-discipline. Since many geodesign master's degree and graduate certificate programs advocate project-based learning, time management is crucial. Students must commit themselves to staying organized and maintaining a routine schedule, so they can successfully conduct, analyze, and synthesize research. Additionally, many projects require students work as part of a team. Therefore, dependability and accountability are other crucial elements toward a rewarding online academic experience.
Geodesign Online Master's Degree or Graduate Certificate Course Examples
Courses taught online at the graduate level toward a degree or certificate in Geodesign include:
- Geodesign History, Theory, and Principles
- Sustainable Design Methodologies
- Geodesign Studio
- Advanced GIS for Landscape Analysis
- Advance GIS for Urban Planning and Development
- Information Modeling
- Problem-Solving with GIS
- Spatial Data Acquisition
- Concepts for Spatial Thinking
- Spatial Analysis
- Cartography and Visualization
- Geospatial Technology for Project Management
- Remote Sensing for GIS
Tuition and Costs for an Online Master's Degree or Graduate Certificate in Geodesign
An online master's degree or graduate certificate in geodesign will range in cost of tuition from $10,235 to $52,164 per year. Other costs may include books, technology and lab fees, as well as one-time application and transcript fees.
What Kinds of Jobs Can I Do with a Geodesign Master's Degree or Graduate Certificate?
Those with a master's degree in geodesign can pursue the following careers:
- Cartographer/Photogrammetrist, $61,140
- Geographer, $76,860
- Geospatial Analyst, $57,565
- Geographic Information Systems Director, $95,048
- Surveyor, $61,140
- Geotechnical engineer, $65,311
- Community planner, $51,810
- Environmental engineer, $86,800
- Government consultant, $66,400
- Geophysical engineer, $65,311
- Environmental Project Manager, $69,608
What are the Benefits of Having a Master's Degree or Graduate Certificate in Geodesign?
There is a growing need for professionals knowledgeable in the many facets of geodesign. By obtaining a master's degree or graduate certificate in geodesign, students gain experience researching actual sustainability, infrastructure, and design issues plaguing local and global societies today. Students also work in studio settings and out in the field to become experts in design, spatial science, geography, business, ethics, policy, and sustainability. The level of expertise acquired at the graduate level in geodesign can empower students to influence positive change in top-level positions across environmental, political, and private sectors.
How Can I Get More Information on Geodesign?
More information on both a master's degree, as well as a graduate certificate, in Geodesign can be found at: