Program Requirements

Certificate Requirements

Graduation Requirements

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in geography or a related field¹
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Goal statement
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive)) by earning one of the following:²
• Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
• Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
• Minimum 58 PTE score
• Minimum 110 DET score

¹

Requirement that undergraduate degree be in geography or related field may be waived with evidence of professional experience using geospatial technologies or alternative evidence of ability to excel in a geographic information science graduate program.

²

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Spring Semester
  • Rolling admissions

• Delivery:
  • Fully online

Program Requirements

Certificate Requirements

Graduation Requirements

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in geography or a related field¹
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Goal statement
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:²
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 DET score

¹

This requirement may be waived with evidence of professional experience using geospatial technologies or alternative evidence of ability to excel in a geographic information science graduate degree program.

²

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Spring Semester
  • Rolling admissions

• Delivery:
  • Fully online

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Engage in independent research projects.
2. Acquire experiences in formulating research problems, reviewing relevant literature, designing research methodology, analyzing research data and formulating results from academic research.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 2.750 GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• GRE scores (starting with the fall 2025 admission term, the GRE will no longer be required)
• Résumé
• Goal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:¹
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 DET score

¹

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Priority Deadline: February 1

Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Geography coursework must be graded. Maximum 3 credit hours of GEOG 80998 may count towards the geography coursework. New students are strongly encouraged to take GEOG 70800 and GEOG 79701 within the first year of their enrollment, if they have not already taken similar courses at the master's level.

²

The cognate field must be in a department other than geography. Generally, cognate study is taken with the cognate member of the student's advisory committee.

³

Candidacy examinations are taken after the dissertation proposal is approved by the committee. This should be completed by the end of the second year of doctoral study. Each doctoral candidate, upon admission to candidacy, must register for GEOG 80199 for a total of 30 credit hours. It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I, and thereafter GEOG 80299, each semester, until all requirements for the degree have been met.

Graduation Requirements

• Of the 30 credit hours of doctoral-level coursework required for the degree, students must complete a minimum of 18 credit hours that are letter graded.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Acquire advanced knowledge of the concepts, theories and technology in geography.
2. Synthesize and present concepts and theories in geography
3. Demonstrate the ability to formulate research problems and carry out independent research projects.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• GRE scores (starting with the fall 2025 admission term, the GRE will no longer be required)
• Résumé
• Goal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:¹
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 DET score

¹

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Priority deadline: February 1

Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Students who earned their bachelor's degree at Kent State University and have completed the undergraduate equivalents of any technique courses required in the master's degree can count them toward the technique courses requirement. Courses taken at the undergraduate level will not count toward the minimum total credit hour requirement for the master's degree; however, the additional technique courses will not be required.

²

Maximum 3 credit hours of research (GEOG 60996 or GEOG 60998) may count toward the M.S. degree requirements.

³

Students may elect to write a thesis or two research papers.

Graduation Requirements

• No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
• Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Full Description

The Master of Geographic Information Science degree provides students with skills that extend beyond simply understanding software features or capabilities. Students develop a more robust understanding of how GIS functions across different sectors and have a positive impact on some of the greatest global challenges today, including climate change, transportation, and public health. Students have the opportunity to design and manage geographic information technologies to develop and improve the tools and systems people rely on every day

Graduates of the program are prepared for analytical and managerial positions that utilize geospatial technologies. Those positions can be found in a number of sectors, ranging from real estate and healthcare to disaster relief and finance.

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in geography or a related field¹
• Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Goal statement
• Two letters of recommendation
• English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning one of the following:²
  • Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
  • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
  • Minimum 58 PTE score
  • Minimum 110 DET score

¹

Requirement that the undergraduate degree must be in geography or related field may be waved with evidence of professional experience using geospatial technologies or alternative evidence of ability to excel in a geographic information science graduate program.

²

International applicants who do not meet the above test scores will not be considered for admission.

Application Deadlines

• Fall Semester
  • Rolling admissions
• Spring Semester
  • Rolling admissions

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Collect, edit, integrate, manage and analyze geospatial data.
2. Demonstrate skills and working knowledge of commercial and open-source GIS application suites and utilities.
3. Identify, explain and analyze spatial patterns, relationships and processes.
4. Apply cartographic principles and techniques to create quality maps.
5. Apply critical and spatial thinking to solve geospatial problems with respect to theories, principles and practices of geographic information science and fields in the degree concentration areas.
6. Demonstrate good communication skills and ability to work in a team environment.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

As the capstone to the program, students will complete a practicum that is designed to provide practical experience in the application of M.G.I.Sc. degree course content in real-world professional settings. Students will select a professional project in consultation with their employer and program faculty and then will design, implement and report on their activities in a culminating professional paper.

Graduation Requirements

• No more than one-half of a graduate student’s coursework may be taken in 50000-level courses.
• Grades below C are not counted toward completion of requirements for the degree.

• Delivery:
  • Fully online

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

¹

Students in this minor can have the ECON 22061 prerequisite waived by contacting the Department of Economics

²

Students in this minor can have the prerequisite waived by contacting the Department of Political Science

³

Students in this minor can have the prerequisite waived by contacting the Department of Sociology

⁴

Unused courses from the Group A list may be used to fulfill the Group B list. Some courses have prerequisites and the course description should be consulted

⁵

Internship credits can come from the participating departments of Economics, Geography, Sociology, Political Science and possibly other departments as approved by the program coordinator

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus
  • Stark Campus

Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus