Three people in a grassy area working with a large 8-armed drone

Master of Geographic Information Science

What is MGIS?

See, capture, store, and interpret data for terrains and applications that range from the distribution of organic mound-building ants in Yellowstone National Park to assessing the northernmost-known population of emerald ash borers in North America—to banking infrastructure or urban sewer systems. The uses for geospatial technology continue to expand. Companies use data to track assets, teams, and customers. Communities, for routing 911 responders, drilling wells, and designing cell-phone networks.

A professional Master of Geographic Information Science (MGIS) degree equips you to understand relationships, patterns, and trends using GIS, LiDAR, remote sensing, and other geographic-information system skills.

For specific requirements of this graduate program please see the CFRES Graduate Handbook | Printable.

Program Strengths and Opportunities

The 30-credit coursework-only degree builds a strong foundation in core geospatial principles.
Thesis and report options are also available for those interested in pursuing a research project as part of their degree (note that all course requirements of the degree must be satisfied).
The program includes interdisciplinary studies in statistics, communications, environmental policy, and business.
The US Department of Labor's Geospatial Technology Competency Model, which outlines skills and knowledge needed to perform as an effective GIS professional, was used as a guide to develop Michigan Tech's MGIS degree program.

Master of Geographic Information Science: Thesis Option

This option requires a research thesis prepared under the supervision of the advisor. The thesis describes a research investigation and its results. The scope of the research topic for the thesis should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in 12 months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

The minimum requirements are as follows:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	20 Credits
Thesis research	6-10 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

Master of Geographic Information Science: Report Option

This option requires a report describing the results of an independent study project. The scope of the research topic should be defined in such a way that a full-time student could complete the requirements for a master’s degree in twelve months or three semesters following the completion of coursework by regularly scheduling graduate research credits.

Of the minimum total of 30 credits, at least 24 must be earned in coursework other than the project:

Total Credit Requirements
Option Parts	Credits
Coursework (minimum)	24 Credits
Report	2-6 Credits
Total (minimum)	30 Credits

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	12 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

Programs may have stricter requirements and may require more than the minimum number of credits listed here.

Master of Geographic Information Science: Coursework Option

This option requires a minimum of 30 credits be earned through coursework. A limited number of research credits may be used with the approval of the advisor, department, and Graduate School. See degree requirements for more information.

A graduate program may require an oral or written examination before conferring the degree and may require more than the minimum credits listed here:

Distribution of Coursework Credit
Distribution	Credits
5000-6000 series (minimum)	18 Credits
3000-4000 (maximum)	12 Credits

"As excited as I am about learning new materials and tools, the biggest reward of teaching occurs when you run into or hear from a student and they say, 'Thank you for teaching me that GIS thing, it’s helping me big time in my job or research.'"Parth Bhatt, Program Director, MGIS Online Program

Graduate Program Director:

Michael Hyslop

Graduate Program Assistant:

Marjorie Banovetz

Application Process and Admissions Requirements

Applications are reviewed on an individual basis using a holistic approach. Fill out our free graduate application online to apply to any of our programs. Official transcripts and scores are not required for the initial application, although you will need to upload them later.

Graduate School Admissions Process

Applying to Graduate School is free (no application fees) and fast (no official transcripts or test scores are needed to start). The application process involves three easy steps. International applicants are required to pay a non-refundable $10 processing fee per application.

See Admissions Steps

Graduate School Admissions Options

Michigan Tech offers several admissions options in order to meet the educational needs of students from a variety of backgrounds. Students should review the options available to them and apply for the program that will best help them achieve their personal educational goals.

See Admissions Options

Graduate School Requirements

To be considered for admission to the Graduate School as a degree- or certificate-seeking student, you need to:

have a bachelor's degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, and
be prepared for advanced study in your chosen field, as demonstrated by your previous degree and your scholastic record.

See additional application requirements, including required materials:

Student Statements

Official Transcripts

Program Specific Requirements

Program Specific

3 Letters of Recommendation (1 Letter of Recommendation for Michigan Tech students)
Résumé / Curriculum vitae
Admitted applicants typically have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale
Please view our faculty webpage and identify three faculty members that you would like to work with
GRE not required

International Students

TOEFL: Required Score of 79 iBT
IELTS: Required Overall Band Score of 6.5

Michigan Tech requires a minimum of 79 overall TOEFL or 6.5 overall IELTS score.

Admissions Decisions

Made on a rolling basis.

Recommended Deadline

Apply at least a semester in advance of projected admission to improve your chances of receiving funding.

International Student Requirements

International Students must apply and be accepted into a degree-granting program in order to earn a graduate certificate. A non-refundable $10 processing fee per application is required.

See International Applicants

Career Opportunities

An MGIS degree prepares you for some of the biggest career areas, including utilities, transportation, telecommunications, and education. From regional planning to public health and epidemiology, this degree prepares you for your future.
You don't need to be an IT expert. Because GIS has so many applications, and deals intimately with computers and data, the profession is often associated and combined with information technology. IT experience is useful, but you need a wide range of skills besides computer literacy to be a successful geospatial professional.

Financial Aid Questions

If I am accepted, do I get financial support?

Admission to the Graduate School and the MGIS program does not automatically include financial support. Students should plan to fund their graduate education. However, support opportunities may be available. Michigan Tech offers graduate assistantships—competitive teaching or research positions awarded to qualified students—which provide both financial support and professional experience.

In addition, external fellowships such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship or the Department of Defense SMART Scholarship are available to graduate students (some limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents). These awards are highly competitive, and the strongest applications are developed in collaboration with your faculty advisor and the Graduate School. We encourage all students to explore these options as part of their funding plan.

What are the types of financial support I can apply for at Michigan Tech?

While acceptance is independent of financial support, there are other ways a student can pay for their graduate education. The first is by self support, or paying "out of pocket". Many graduate students support their education, which is what makes the one-year Coursework MGIS an attractive option.

Other options include being hired as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Graduate Research Assistant (GRA), or being hired through an external fellowship. GTAs and GRAs are student employees of Michigan Tech. These positions are based on teaching and research needs and available resources, the same as employment. Qualifications to these positions vary and often extend beyond the scope of experience based on a CV alone. If you are considering becoming a GTA or GRA, it is important to consider the qualifications you possess to teach or perform graduate research, as well as your experience or knowledge of university teaching methods in the US, and technical competence compared to those you are teaching or performing research with.