Transportation Planning and Management (Thesis Option), Master of Science
General Information
Graduate study in Transportation Planning and Management at Texas Southern University focuses on developing an interdisciplinary program designed to train outstanding students for successful careers in the field of Transportation. Programmatic emphasis is on preparing the student to enter the public and private sector with considerable training and advanced knowledge concerning transportation planning and policy, highway traffic operations, transportation systems and technology, transportation logistics and management, maritime transportation management and security, and homeland security. Emphasis is on technical and economic as well as public policy aspects of transportation systems.
For those focusing on planning or operations careers, the TSU transportation program has a strong foundation in traffic operations, transportation planning, public transportation and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Students may structure degree programs to build on these strengths. For those pursuing management careers, TSU transportation programs have strong foundations in transportation principles, transportation systems and technologies, highway traffic operations, economics and finance, logistics, maritime transportation, homeland security, and transportation policy and management.
Through a rigorous graduate program of instruction, students will develop problem solving and analytical thinking skills by the study of transport system design, planning, and analysis. Students will also master appropriate research skills for use in both public and private transportation-related agencies and organizations. Graduate students and their faculty advisors will form research partnerships based upon their particular interests and the current needs of the transportation industry.
Majors in transportation are provided with unique opportunities to work with transportation experts through the Center for Transportation Training and Research (CTTR), the National Transportation Security Center of Excellence for Petrochemical (NTSCE-P), and the Innovative Transportation Research Institute (ITRI) at Texas Southern University. The CTTR, NTSCE-P and ITRI provide training programs with specialized internships and research opportunities through ongoing applied and empirical research and include demonstration activities.
Vision
We envision an education, research, training, and technology transfer program designed to develop a skilled and educated workforce that is highly competitive in a global market. The academic research and training program serves as an important resource of traffic and transportation engineers, planners, systems analyst, policy makers, business and industry leaders, logistics specialists, port managers, and security specialists for local, state, and federal governments, community organizations and agencies, and consulting companies in the nation.
Mission
In keeping with the traditional and urban mission of Texas Southern University, the Division of Transportation Studies in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology will provide education that builds on the latest data, systems and technologies in transportation. In preparing the next generation of transportation professionals, particular attention will be given to attracting and retaining individuals who represent diverse backgrounds socially, economically, and academically, and especially those who have not been well represented among transportation professionals in the past. There is a strong commitment to partnership development and a climate wherein various racial/ethnic and culturally diverse groups can develop their full potential.
Goals and Objectives
The primary goal of the academic program is to educate transportation planners, engineers, specialists, and managers who are able to plan, functionally design, and operate facilities and systems which satisfy the demand for both passenger and freight transportation services. To fulfill both the traditional and urban mission of Texas Southern University, the Transportation Studies Department has established strategic planning initiatives to fulfill both short and long term needs. The Transportation Studies Department shall
- Improve and expand transportation education, training and research.
- Advance technology transfer and expertise.
- Foster sound linkages between the department, other University units, and the public and the private transportation sectors.
- Participate in local, state and federal research and training initiatives.
The principal objectives of graduate study in transportation are:
- to provide students with the professional knowledge and skills needed to compete successfully in a global economy;
- to enhance students’ abilities to develop creative solutions to complex problems in the context of socioeconomic and environmental considerations; and
- to develop innovative ways to address transportation needs and problems.
The central focus of the academic program is to:
- identify and respond to the training needs of the transportation industry;
- provide an environment which enables students to develop maximum potential;
- encourage visionary and creative thinking;
- provide varied internships and research opportunities which acquaint students with human knowledge and actual work experiences;
- offer transportation education and training programs directed toward career development in cooperation with business, industry, labor, and public service agencies; and
- identify and meet professional and in service training needs through specialized short-courses, conferences, symposia, and/or seminars.
Requirements for Admission
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an institution of acceptable standing and have a grade point average point of “B” or better in work completed during the last two years of undergraduate study. The applicant who will receive the bachelor’s degree at the end of the semester or term when applying for admission will be considered for a conditional admission. The bachelor’s degree may be in:
- engineering,
- natural sciences,
- urban/city planning,
- business,
- public administration,
- political studies,
- geography,
- sociology,
- airway science/aviation,
- avionics,
- economics, or
- other transportation-related fields.
The applicant must meet the criteria for admission to the Graduate School. Applications cannot be evaluated until these requirements are met and the Graduate School receives the completed application. Application for admission forms may be obtained from:
The Graduate School
Texas Southern University
3100 Cleburne Avenue
Houston, Texas 77004
For information call the Graduate School at (713) 313-7233, or visit the department website and detailed information on the application steps can be found and downloaded at http://transportation.tsu.edu/.
Admission of International Students
Applications from international students are evaluated in the same manner as those of students from the United States. However, international students who have not received any degree or diploma in an institution whose official language is English must satisfactorily pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination. This requirement is designed to determine whether or not students have a sufficient command of English to enable them to pursue their graduate studies effectively.
Degree Requirements
The Master of Science in Transportation Planning and Management degree program is structured to provide a common core of educational and training experiences as well as to provide the flexibility for interfacing with a variety of related disciplines. Efforts are made to equip students with the basic analytical, managerial, and planning competencies necessary either to work in the transportation industry immediately or to advance to doctoral study successfully.
Basic Requirements
- Completion of a total of thirty-nine (39) semester credit hours of prescribed coursework.
- A minimum 3.0 (A = 4.00) quality point average for all graduate work attempted.
- Demonstration of acceptable grasp of the core courses by successful completion of the written comprehensive examination.
- Completion of an internship/project report for all non-thesis option students.
- Completion and successful defense of a thesis with the quality of scientific research for all thesis option students.
- Demonstration of English proficiency by successfully completing the course English 501 Graduate Professional Writing, or by taking Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and getting score 3.5 or better on the analytical writing portion of the GRE or GMAT.
- All other requirements of the Graduate School in Texas Southern University.
Computer Literacy
Students will be exposed to uses of computers and computer packages in transportation as part of the curricula. Emphasis is on personal and microcomputers. Students will use packages in highway capacity, traffic signal timing and coordination, traffic simulation and travel demand models in required course work. Students have access to TSU’s personal computer laboratories with access to the Internet.
Thesis
Students electing the non-thesis option are not required to complete a thesis.
The culmination of the thesis program is the successful completion and defense of a thesis which is based upon independent research. The thesis must be prepared in a way that demonstrates rigorous, independent, empirical or applied research. This option will require that the final product of independent research is prepared in a way that demonstrates that the student has acquired a high level analytical ability. The research must exhibit substantive depth, logical organization, high level of creativity, and clarity of ideas. A faculty committee guides the student’s work and evaluates the thesis. Students choosing the thesis track must enroll in the thesis course for a total of 6-9 hours, 3 of which can be substituted for by the internship class. The thesis course receives a grade of satisfactory or unsatisfactory only. Grades are assigned only after the defense of the thesis. A successful defense and submission of the thesis requires the supervising member of faculty to assign a satisfactory grade for the thesis course.
Internship
Students electing the thesis option are not required to complete an internship.
Students electing the non-thesis option are required to submit a final report on an investigation conducted while completing the internship or a project report assigned by the faculty advisor. Placements of internships will be sought with various public/private transportation agencies and firms. Students choosing this track must enroll in the 3-hour internship class.
Summary
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | 15 | |
| Electives & Concentrations | 15 | |
| Thesis/Internship | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 39 | |
Core Curriculum Requirements (15 SCH)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Maritime Management and Security | ||
| TMGT 810 | Fund Of Trans | 3 |
| TMGT 811 | Fund of Shipping | 3 |
| TMGT 815 | Computer Apps In Trans | 3 |
| TMGT 823 | Economics Of Trans | 3 |
| TMGT 826 | Ship Operations & Mgmt | 3 |
| Other Concentrations | ||
| TMGT 810 | Fund Of Trans | 3 |
| TMGT 812 | Prin Trans & Des Engrng | 3 |
| TMGT 815 | Computer Apps In Trans | 3 |
| TMGT 823 | Economics Of Trans | 3 |
| TMGT 830 | Urban Trans Plng | 3 |
SPECIALIZATION Electives/Concentrations (15-18 SCH)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following concentrations: | 15-18 | |
| Planning and Policy | ||
| Fund of Shipping | ||
| Trans Mgmt & Policy | ||
| Marine Trans Sys | ||
| Quan Anal For Trans | ||
| Tran Project Implementation | ||
| Sys Anal In Trans | ||
| Travel Demand Analysis | ||
| Site Traffic Analysis | ||
| Hwy Traffic Operations | ||
| Traffic Signals & Signal Ctrl | ||
| Freight & Log Mgmt | ||
| ITS Tech & Applications | ||
| GIS for Transportation | ||
| Quan Asmt Tran Envir Impact | ||
| Transportaton Seminar | ||
| Trans Research Method | ||
| Systems and Technology | ||
| Fund of Shipping | ||
| Marine Trans Sys | ||
| Quan Anal For Trans | ||
| Tran Project Implementation | ||
| Sys Anal In Trans | ||
| Tran Infrastructure Mgmt | ||
| Travel Demand Analysis | ||
| Site Traffic Analysis | ||
| Hwy Traffic Operations | ||
| Traffic Signals & Signal Ctrl | ||
| ITS Tech & Applications | ||
| GIS for Transportation | ||
| Quan Asmt Tran Envir Impact | ||
| Transportaton Seminar | ||
| Trans Research Method | ||
| Logistics and Management | ||
| Fund of Shipping | ||
| Trans Mgmt & Policy | ||
| Marine Trans Sys | ||
| Ship Operations & Mgmt | ||
| Tran Project Implementation | ||
| Sys Anal In Trans | ||
| Travel Demand Analysis | ||
| Special Lecture Series | ||
| Traffic Signals & Signal Ctrl | ||
| Freight & Log Mgmt | ||
| Seminar on Ports and Waterways | ||
| ITS Tech & Applications | ||
| GIS for Transportation | ||
| Quan Asmt Tran Envir Impact | ||
| Transportaton Seminar | ||
| Trans Research Method | ||
| Maritime Management and Security | ||
| Trans Mgmt & Policy | ||
| Marine Trans Sys | ||
| Urban Trans Plng | ||
| Tran Project Implementation | ||
| Travel Demand Analysis | ||
| Mktg of Maritime Trans Svcs | ||
| Marine Trans Sys Dsgn & Policy | ||
| Maritime Operations & Tech | ||
| Marine Ins & Cargo Loss Ctrl | ||
| Freight & Log Mgmt | ||
| Seminar on Ports and Waterways | ||
| Maritime Global Trading Sys | ||
| Maritime Ship & Port Security | ||
| ITS Tech & Applications | ||
| GIS for Transportation | ||
| Quan Asmt Tran Envir Impact | ||
| Transportaton Seminar | ||
| Trans Research Method | ||
| Homeland Security | ||
| Trans Mgmt & Policy | ||
| Marine Trans Sys | ||
| Freight & Log Mgmt | ||
| ITS Tech & Applications | ||
| GIS for Transportation | ||
| Transportaton Seminar | ||
| Trans Research Method | ||
| Issues in Terrorism and AJ | ||
| Total Hours | 15-18 | |
Thesis (6-9 SCH)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thesis |
Course Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours required: 39
- Core Curriculum: 15 SCH
- Thesis Option
- Electives 15-18 SCH
- Thesis - 6-9 SCH