Florida International University in Miami offers a fully online Bachelor of Arts in Geography through FIU Online. Officially, it is the geography track of FIU’s B.A. in Global Studies, housed in the Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies within the Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs.
The program pairs human and political geography with required GIS training, and students can add an 18-credit GIS certificate that is also available fully online. Florida residents pay one of the lowest per-credit rates among the online programs we profile.
Program at a Glance
| Degree | B.A. in Global Studies, Geography track (marketed as B.A. in Geography) |
| Total credits | 120 |
| Major credits | 30 |
| Format | Fully online |
| Start terms | Fall, spring or summer |
| In-state tuition | $235.57 per credit, plus fees |
| Out-of-state tuition | $690.19 per credit, plus fees |
| Support | A success coach for every online student; Honors College eligible |
| Accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) |
Curriculum
The 30-credit major has no common prerequisites. Students need a C or better in every major course. Course requirements come from the department program page and geography track plan (PDF).
| Requirement | Courses | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | IDS 3315 Gaining Global Perspectives | 3 |
| Core | ANT 3212 World Ethnographies; GEO 3001 Geography of Global Change; SYP 3456 Societies in the World | 9 |
| Theory (choose one) | GEO 3421 Cultural Geography; GEO 3471 Political Geography; GEO 3502 Economic Geography | 3 |
| Methods | SYA 3300 Research Methods; GIS 3048 Applications of Geographic Information Systems | 6 |
| Geography electives | Two upper-division GEA or GEO courses | 6 |
| Social science elective | One upper-division anthropology or sociology course | 3 |
Degree requirements also include at least 48 upper-division credits, a foreign language (a second-semester course or higher with a C or better), and the last 30 credits taken at FIU.
GIS Certificate
Geography students can add FIU’s Applied Geographic Information Systems certificate, an 18-credit (six-course) undergraduate certificate offered in person or fully online. It is taught through the FIU GIS Center, which provides ArcGIS and ENVI software. GIS 3048 and SYA 3300, both required for the major, also count toward the certificate.
How the Online Format Works
- Fully online: the program has been fully online since spring 2021.
- Success coaching: every online student is paired with a success coach, reachable through Canvas.
- Course schedule: FIU does not publish course length or synchronous requirements for this program, so ask an advisor before you enroll.
Note: the department’s undergraduate page names only the Sociology track as fully online, while FIU Online lists Geography as fully online. Confirm the current online course rotation with the department.
Admission Requirements
- Florida College System A.A. graduates are guaranteed admission to FIU (except specialized programs) within three years of earning the A.A.
- Transfer students with fewer than 60 credits need a 2.0 transfer GPA, ENC 1101 and college-level math with a C or better, plus SAT/ACT scores and a high school transcript.
- First-year students submit SAT, ACT or CLT scores and a $30 application fee, or a fee waiver.
FIU applies up to 60 lower-division and 30 upper-division transfer credits toward the degree. Sources: admission standards and transfer credit policy.
Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid
| Item | Florida resident | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition per credit | $235.57 | $690.19 |
| Estimated 120-credit tuition | About $28,300 | About $82,800 |
| Estimated 60-credit transfer tuition | About $14,100 | About $41,400 |
Online students also pay a per-credit distance learning fee and an optional Panther Book Pack ($20 per credit), but fully online students do not pay the transportation access fee. Source: FIU Online tuition.
- FIU Online Distance Learning Scholarship: a one-time $500 award for fully online students with a 3.5 GPA taking at least two courses per semester.
- Florida Bright Futures and a First Generation Scholarship are also available to eligible students.
Faculty and Department
The Department of Global and Sociocultural Studies includes geographers working on political geography, coastal and marine governance, and culture and nature. Professor Kevin Grove edits the journal Progress in Human Geography. The department’s Environments and Resilience research cluster studies Everglades restoration, disaster management, urban resilience, coastal development and climate adaptation. The FIU GIS Center supports GIS teaching and research across the university.
Careers
FIU says geography graduates work in high tech, real estate, public health, environmental management, education, disaster response, city and regional planning and community development. Program alumni have worked for the Florida Department of Transportation and as GIS analysts and cartographers. FIU does not publish salary outcomes for the program.
Pros and Considerations
Strengths
- Low in-state tuition for Florida residents
- Required GIS course plus an online GIS certificate option
- Guaranteed admission for Florida College System A.A. graduates
- Strong global, coastal and resilience research focus
Things to Consider
- Out-of-state tuition is nearly three times the in-state rate
- The degree is officially Global Studies with a geography track
- Foreign language requirement
- Course format details are not published
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FIU’s online geography degree fully online?
FIU Online lists the B.A. in Geography as fully online, with fall, spring and summer starts. Confirm the current online course rotation with the department.
How much does FIU’s online geography degree cost?
Tuition is $235.57 per credit for Florida residents and $690.19 for out-of-state students, plus fees. All 120 credits come to about $28,300 in-state.
Does FIU’s geography degree include GIS?
Yes. GIS 3048 Applications of Geographic Information Systems is required, and students can add an 18-credit GIS certificate offered fully online.
Can I transfer to FIU with an associate degree?
Yes. Florida College System A.A. graduates are guaranteed admission within three years of earning the degree, and FIU applies up to 60 lower-division credits.
Compare FIU with other schools in our online geography degree rankings, or see campus programs in Florida.
Official Sources
We verified this profile against the following school pages in October 2026. Program details change, so confirm current requirements and costs with the school before you apply.
- FIU Online B.A. in Geography
- Department: B.A. Geography track
- Geography track plan (PDF)
- Catalog: B.A. in Global Studies
- Undergraduate GIS certificate
- FIU Online tuition
- FIU Online scholarships
- Admission standards
- Transfer credit policy
- Department faculty
- Environments and Resilience cluster
- FIU GIS Center
- FIU accreditation