Master of Science in Geographic Information Science

Join an emerging field of study centered on the acquisition, management, analysis, and dissemination of information that is spatially referenced to locations on, above, and below the surface of the earth.

Get involved with Geographic Information Science research both “on” and “with” spatial technologies that include geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, and the global positioning system (GPS). At the core of Geographic Information Science is the integration of these technologies and their application to problems of spatial analysis.

Admission Requirements

  • Undergraduate degree in geography or related discipline
  • Recommended minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0
  • Appropriate work experience will also be considered when making decisions about your admission
  • Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examinations
  • Three letters of academic and professional recommendation
  • A personal statement

Course Requirements

You must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours as follows:

Three of the following courses (9 credits):

  • GEOG-G 535: Introduction to Remote Sensing (3 cr.)
  • GEOG-G 537: Computer Cartography and Graphics (3 cr.)
  • GEOG-G 538: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3 cr.)
  • GEOG-G 588: Spatial Statistics (3 cr.)

Two required courses (7 credits):

  • GEOG-G 639: Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3 cr.)
  • GEOG-G 560: Internship in Geographic Analysis (4 cr.)

An independent research project or a thesis (3-6 credits):

  • GEOG-G 845: Research Papers in Geography (3 cr.) or
  • GEOG-G 850: Master’s Thesis (6 cr.)

Thesis or Research Papers

You have the option of writing a thesis (G850) or two research papers (G845). Up to 6 credit hours are allowed for a thesis and up to 3 credit hours are given for each research paper.

More Info

Contact Owen J. Dwyer, III, Director of Graduate Studies