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NSU is where success begins. Here professors know their subjects and how to get you ready for a career after you graduate. We empower individuals to become socially responsible global citizens by creating and sustaining a culture of learning and discovery.

Explore Our Degrees

Gather Here. Go Far

NSU is where success begins. Here professors know their subjects and how to get you ready for a career after you graduate. We empower individuals to become socially responsible global citizens by creating and sustaining a culture of learning and discovery.

Explore Our Degrees

Gather Here. Go Far

NSU is where success begins. Here professors know their subjects and how to get you ready for a career after you graduate. We empower individuals to become socially responsible global citizens by creating and sustaining a culture of learning and discovery.

Explore Our Degrees

Gather Here. Go Far

NSU is where success begins. Here professors know their subjects and how to get you ready for a career after you graduate. We empower individuals to become socially responsible global citizens by creating and sustaining a culture of learning and discovery.

Explore Our Degrees

Gather Here. Go Far

NSU is where success begins. Here professors know their subjects and how to get you ready for a career after you graduate. We empower individuals to become socially responsible global citizens by creating and sustaining a culture of learning and discovery.

Explore Our Degrees
Academics/gps/Geography/GIS Graduate Program/Masters in Applied GIS

Masters in Applied GIS

Masters of Science in Applied GIS

Total credits for earning degree: 30
Expected completion: 2 years

The master’s degree in Applied GIS is designed for professionals and recent graduates who are seeking skills to prepare for geospatial technology leadership roles in government, healthcare, business, and other settings. The program combines coursework in GIS to advance skills with courses in application domains for effective leadership. 

The program is designed for students with GIS work experience and/or course work in GIS. The curriculum consists of 15 credit hours of core courses in GIS,  9 credit hours in an outside concentration area and 6 credit hours in either (1) a thesis or (2) a practicum and capstone. 

Core Courses:  Core courses are project based and include Advanced Computer Cartography, Field Techniques in GIS, Advanced Geospatial Technologies, Advanced GIS & Spatial Analysis, Advanced Automation & Scripting.

Outside Concentration: The outside concentration provides students with an understanding of issues and a working vocabulary to be able to effectively support GIS and geospatial technology needs in an allied field.  This requirement may be met by graduate coursework in Geography and Sustainability or graduate level professional enhancement coursework in Natural Sciences, Business Administration, Public Relations, Leadership, American Studies or Criminal Justice. 

Program Prerequisites

The program requires two foundational prerequisite courses – a course in basic statistics and an introductory GIS course. Students may be accepted conditionally if they do not meet one or both of these requirements. Conditionally accepted students will be required to take course work to meet the program prerequisites during the first year of study. 

The core courses are intended to provide the students with a solid technical background at an advanced level.  The courses are focused on application GIS and geospatial technologies rather than theory.

Core GIS Courses (15 credits):

  • GEOG 5053 Advanced Computer Cartography (fall, even years)
  • GEOG 5453 Field Techniques in GIS (spring, odd years)
  • GEOG 5803 Advanced Geospatial Technologies (spring, even years)
  • GEOG 5833 Advanced GIS & Spatial Analysis (spring, even years)
  • GEOG 5853 Advanced Automation & Scripting (spring, odd years)

The outside concentration requirement may be met by completing Sustainability Option or the Professional Enhancement Option. Both options require 15 credit hours of graduate level coursework

Sustainability option:

  • GEOG 5193 Sustainability in Urban Settings (fall, odd years)
  • GEOG 5223 Advanced Natural Hazards (fall, odd years)
  • GEOG 5623 Sustainability Theory and Practices (fall, even years)
  • GEOG 5743 Climate Variability and Change (spring, even years)
  • GEOG 5763 Humans and Environmental Change (spring, odd years)

—Or—

Professional enhancement option:

Graduate level coursework in Natural Sciences, Business Administration, Public Relations, Leadership, American Studies or Criminal Justice may be used for this option. The courses will be selected based on the student’s needs and must be approved by the graduate coordinator. 

  • Introduction to GIS

    • Successful completion of a college level class that provides an introduction to GIS with hands on experience using GIS software.

      May be satisfied by Geographic Information Systems (GEOG 3813) at NSU or equivalent. 

  • Elementary Statistics

    • Successful completion of an introductory statistics class that covers measures of central tendency, variability, and basic probability concepts. 

    • May be satisfied by a NSU statistics course or equivalent or receiving a minimum score of 80% of the final exam of the Business Math and Statistics course provided by Ivy Software.

Students may be accepted conditionally if they do not meet one or both of these requirements. Conditionally accepted students will be required to take course work to meet the program prerequisites during the first year of study.

TOTAL HOURS IN THE DEGREE: 30

For more information:
Dr. John McIntosh (Graduate Coordinator)
mcinto06@nsuok.edu
(918) 444 - 3515

Updated June 20, 2023