GEA Courses
PhD. in Geospatial and Environmental Analysis - Course List
Courses in the five required areas of the program are listed below:
Part I: CORE COURSES
These courses are required:
- STAT 5615: Statistics in Research I or STAT 5605 – Biometry I
- STAT 5616: Statistics in Research II or STAT 5606 – Biometry II
- GEOG/FOR 5104: Seminar in GIS and Remote Sensing (must enroll each Spring semester in residence, with a minimum of two times; 1 credit each time)
- GEOG 5034: Analysis of Spatial Data
- FOR 5494: Natural Resource Research Procedures
Total CORE hours - 13 credits
Part II: GEOSPATIAL COURSES
Select four courses (total) from the following. A minimum of one course must be completed in each category. NR 6314 is required for all candidates.
- NR 6104: Advanced Topics in Remote Sensing
Category 1: Geographic Information Systems
- BSE 5244 (CEE 5244): Advanced GIS Applications in Hydrologic Analysis
- CEE 5224: Advanced GIS Applications in Civil and Environmental Engineering
- FOR 5264 (GEOG 5364): GIS Applications in Natural Resource Management
- GEOG 5084: Elements of Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG 5314: Advanced Spatial Analysis in Geographic Information Systems
- GEOG 5384: Programming for GIS
- GEOG 5394: Web Mapping
Category 2: Remote Sensing
- FOR 5254: Remote Sensing of Natural Resources
- FOR 6214 (/GEOG 6214): Forestry Lidar Applications
- GEOG 5124: Aerial Photointerpretation and Analysis
- GEOG 5354 (GEOS 5354): Advanced Remote Sensing
- GEOG 5374: Remote Sensing and Phenology
Note: A student can substitute one 3-credit 5984 Special Study course focusing on a topic in geospatial analysis for one of the above geospatial courses if approved by the student’s advisory committee.
Note: This list is suggested, but, as course lists change over time, a student’s advisory committee may allow courses not on this list.
Total GEOSPATIAL hours - 12 credits
Part III: ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS COURSES
Below are suggested courses that fulfill this requirement. Your committee may allow others appropriate for your program.
Select two of the following courses:
- BIOL 5024: Population and Community Ecology
- BIOL 5034: Ecosystem Dynamics
- CEE 5124: Fundamental of Environmental Toxicology
- CEE 5184: Techniques for Environmental Analysis
- FIW 5114: Fisheries and Wildlife Conservation Genetics
- FIW 5214: Vertebrate Population and Habitat Analysis
- FIW 5514: Fish Population Dynamics and Modeling
- FIW 5814: Stream Habitat Management
- FIW 6214: Advanced Habitat Analysis
- FOR 5214: Advanced Forest Inventory
- FOR 5224: Forest Biometry
- FOR 5334 (PPWS 5334): Plant Water Relations
- FOR 5354: Advanced Forest Soils
- FOR 5374: Advanced Forest Ecology
- FOR 5484: Wilderness Management
- GEOG 5214 Health and the Global Environment
- GEOG 5344: Globalization of Nature
- GEOG 5234: Human Impacts on the Environment
- NR 5114: Global Issues in Natural Resources
- NR 5324: Biological Implications of Natural Resource Policy and Management
- NR 5714: Ecosystem Management
- NR 5724: Conservation Ecology
- PHS 5014: Environmental Health
Total ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS hours - 6 credits
TOTAL MINIMUM COURSEWORK = 31 CREDITS
Part IV: RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION
● FOR/GEOG/FIW/NR 7994: Research and Dissertation - minimum (based on enrolling in up to12-15 hours of Research and Dissertation per semester) - 30 research credits total
Part V: ADDITIONAL HOURS
● Other coursework and/or additional hours of FOR/GEOG/FIW/NR 7994 – minimum (which can include up to 15 hours of coursework transferred from another university and/or graduate coursework taken at Virginia Tech prior to enrolling in this program) - 29 additional credits total
TOTAL MINIMUM DEGREE REQUIREMENT = 90 CREDITS