University of Minnesota
Master of Geographic Information Science
mcmas002@umn.edu
612-625-6080


Master of Geographic Information Science

Home : Applying

Applying

Admission Policy

Admission to the MGIS program requires a Bachelors degree with a preferred GPA performance level of 3.0. Additional requirements include completion of a college-level mathematics course, statistics course and computer programming course. The GRE is not required. For international applicants, an English Language Proficiency Exam such as TOEFL is required.

International students who receive a Form I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) based on admission to this program will be required to maintain full time enrollment (6-14 credits per semester) and will be subject to the rules and regulations that pertain to the F-1 or J-1 student visa status.

Please be sure to carefully review our tuition and funding policy to fully understand our funding restrictions prior to applying to the program. Visit the Office of Student Finance Graduate Tuition Rate page for current MGIS tuition rates, under the heading "College of Liberal Arts Master of GIS".

Minneapolis skyline

Links of Interest to Prospective Students

Applications

Application materials are available below in PDF format. Be sure to download all materials to ensure that you have received complete information on the program. All specified application materials, including application, fee, letters of recommendation and transcript, must be submitted to the Graduate School and the Geography Department by the appropriate deadlines. Please pay careful attention to the information below which specifies how to apply to the Graduate School and the Geography Department. Failure to do so will delay your application.

Deadlines

All materials, including application, fee, letters of recommendation and transcript, must be submitted to the Graduate School and the Geography Department by January 30 for Fall admission and by September 1 for Spring admission.

Do not submit an application if you are unable to submit the application fee. Graduate School policy requires that we do not review any application for which the fee is unpaid. It is not possible to waive this requirement. Requested materials must be submitted to both the Graduate School and the Department of Geography.

The Graduate School’s admission process is completely online and can be submitted via ApplyYourself. For more information on Graduate School admissions, visit the Graduate School’s Prospective Students page.

Submit the following materials directly to the MGIS Program in the Geography Department:

  • MGIS Application Form
  • Personal Statement (e.g., background, goals, objectives, research and career interests)
  • Transcripts (photocopies acceptable)
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation
  • TOEFL Score (required for non-native English speakers); score of 100, 250 (computer) or 600 (paper) preferred; IELTS Score of 7 preferred

Although we accept photocopies of TOEFL scores, any admission would be subject to the submission of official scores to the Graduate School from ETS.

Downloadable Digital Application Packet

Return these materials directly to:

Susanna McMaster
Associate Program Director
Department of Geography
University of Minnesota
414 Social Sciences Building
267 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55455

Remember that you must submit the appropriate materials to BOTH the graduate school and the Geography Department. Failure to do so will delay the processing of your application.

MGIS Program Commitment to Diversity

The Master of Geographic Information Science (MGIS) program embraces the University of Minnesota's position that promoting and supporting diversity among the student body is central to the academic mission of the University. A diverse student body enriches graduate education by providing a multiplicity of views and perspectives that enhance research, teaching, and the development of new knowledge. A diverse mix of students promotes respect for, and opportunities to learn from, others with the broad range of backgrounds and experiences that constitute modern society. Higher education trains the next generation of leaders of academia and society in general, and such opportunities for leadership should be accessible to all members of society. The MGIS program is therefore committed to providing equal access to educational opportunities through recruitment, admission, and support programs that promote diversity, foster successful academic experiences, and cultivate the leaders of the next generation.

For more on the Graduate School's commitment to diversity, please see the Graduate School's Diversity Statement that includes the University of Minnesota's Mission Statement.