This program is offered only through College of Continuing and Professional Education at a higher tuition rate.
The Master of Science in Geographic Information Science (MSGISci) is designed to address the needs of individuals across the geospatial workforce who require focused and specialized training to become competitive and contribute to the range of positions in this diverse industry. This one-year 30-unit applied training program combines advanced technical and analytic training in the geospatial sciences with training in interpersonal and business skills. The program's coursework is designed as a professional science masters to develop competencies essential for successful entry into the geospatial workforce.
Prerequisites include an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 and experience comparable to the following:
Take the following courses:
Take three NSCI courses or 9 units of advisor approved, professionally focused upper-division coursework.
The program culminates with a team-based research experience. The team-based research design allows students to actively apply and demonstrate the knowledge and skills that they have both brought to and acquired through the curriculum. Applied research topics will have relevant practical applications and will be informed by our network of GIScience Professionals in the local workforce community. Topics may address spatial problems currently faced by members of our advisory board, our network of GISci professionals, or existing faculty research. Students will participate in the equivalent of 5-units of work on an applied research project to engage them in a relevant hands-on research activity (1-unit project orientation course and a 4-unit summer project course). Project reports will integrate the core competencies developed through the curriculum and reflect students' integration of instruction. The project deliverable will include a written project report and oral presentation. Results will be presented at a culminating research presentation.
