Responsible Scholarship and Professional Practice (RSPP) Workshop

Responsible Scholarship and Professional Practice (RSPP) Workshop

There is a mandate by the University that all graduate degree programs -- including the Master of GIS (MGIS) program -- shall educate every graduate student formally about the responsible conduct of research. The “SARI” (Scholarship and Research Integrity) mandate is described at the SARI@PSU Program Portal. 

Incoming MGIS students may fulfill the mandate by successfully completing either (a) a three-credit elective class (GEOG 864: Professionalism in GIS&T) or (b) a two week online non-credit workshop involving approximately eight hours of student activity (individual reading and group case study analysis and discussion). The online class is offered once a year (Summer term - that is subject to change) and the online workshop is offered three times (two weeks in May, August, and November) each year.

Students are not charged any extra tuition or fees to participate in RSPP. However, students will have only one chance to complete the free workshop; those who fail to successfully complete assigned workshop activities will be required to register for and complete the three-credit GEOG 864 course.

Course Objectives: Students who successfully complete the RSPP workshop will be prepared to:

1. Demonstrate understanding of academic integrity policies and guidelines;
2. Demonstrate ability to write English prose at a graduate level;
3. Demonstrate moral reasoning skills through methodical analysis of an ethical case studies; and
4. Demonstrate familiarity with and understanding of pertinent ethical codes and rules of conduct.

Required Course Materials: None, other than an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password.

Assignments and Grading: Student performance in RSPP is evaluated on a pass/fail basis. Students pass by completing assignments thoroughly and on schedule. Because students neither register officially nor pay tuition, the workshop does not appear on students Penn State transcripts. Instead, the MGIS program team reports student outcomes directly to the Graduate School, which audits every students compliance prior to graduation.

Below is the tentative schedule for upcoming workshops. You will be added to a workshop during your entrance interview.