Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems

MS GIS Degree Overview

The Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems (MS GIS) degree is designed for professionals and recent graduates seeking to enhance their knowledge of the analysis, management, and communication of geographic information. It combines the development of strong technical skills and in-depth understanding of geographic information systems and theory. The one-year program consists of 10 months of coursework and the undertaking of a Major Individual Project. The two-year program consists of six 14-week semesters (including summers).

Core Courses

  • GIS 611 Fundamentals of Geographic Information
  • GIS 691 Project Concept & Scope
  • GIS 692 Project Management

Elective Courses

  • GIS 630 GIS Professional Practice
  • GIS 660 GIS Workshops
  • GIS 661 Topics Courses
  • GIS 662 Geographic Database Management Systems
  • GIS 663 Remote Sensing & Image Processing
  • GIS 665 Geospatial Analysis
  • GIS 666 Projections and Coordinate Systems
  • GIS 667 Programming for GIS
  • GIS 668 Communicating Geographic Information 
  • GIS 669 GIS for the Web
  • GIS 671/672/673 Individualized Study

Major Individual Project Courses

  • GIS 695 Project Implementation
  • GIS 696 Project Completion

Esri Training Courses

Six Esri training courses are offered in the year and topics include ArcGIS Pro, WebApp Builder, Geoprocessing Scripting, Managing Geodatabases, Sharing GIS Content, and ArcGIS Enterprise. Students also have unlimited access to Esri Virtual Campus classes.