Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville offers the lowest-cost online GIS master’s in our guide: a 30-credit M.S. in Geographic Information Science at $432 per credit for students in every state. It also offers a 15-credit Graduate Certificate in GIScience and an online MBA with a GIS concentration.
All three use 7-week courses with four start dates a year. Northwest has no online undergraduate geography or GIS degree; its bachelor’s in GIScience is a Maryville campus program.
Program at a Glance
| Degree | M.S. in Geographic Information Science (online) |
| Credits | 30 (12 core, 12 electives, 6 research) |
| Format | 100% online, 7-week courses |
| Time to finish | As few as 14 months |
| Start dates | Four a year (next: January 11 and March 8, 2027) |
| Tuition (2026–27) | $432 per credit, all states; $12,960 total |
| GRE | Combined 286, with several waivers |
| Also online | 15-credit GIScience certificate ($6,480); MBA in GIS ($492/credit) |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission |
M.S. in GIScience Curriculum
Core (12 credits)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| GEOG 32602 Principles of GIS | 3 |
| GEOG 32604 Applications of Remotely Sensed Data | 3 |
| GEOG 32606 Cartographic Design and Visualization | 3 |
| GEOG 32620 GIS and Spatial Analytics | 3 |
Electives (choose 12 credits)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| GEOG 32608 Fundamentals of GeoStatistics | 3 |
| GEOG 32611 Special Topics in GIScience | 1–3 |
| GEOG 32615 Geographic Foundations of Geospatial Intelligence | 3 |
| GEOG 32621 Business Location Analytics | 3 |
| GEOG 32630 Raster-Based GIS and Modeling | 3 |
| GEOG 32641 Geoprocessing with Python | 3 |
| GEOG 32642 Internet GIS | 3 |
| GEOG 32650 GIS Database Design | 3 |
| GEOG 32655 GIS Project Management | 3 |
| GEOG 32663 Digital Image Processing | 3 |
Research (6 credits)
| Course | Credits |
|---|---|
| GEOG 32680 GIScience Research Seminar | 3 |
| GEOG 32690 GI Science Research Project (capstone) | 3 |
Northwest says Geoprocessing with Python requires no prior programming experience. Courses use Esri ArcGIS Pro, ModelBuilder and Python. The school recommends a PC, since Mac users are likely to run into issues with Esri software.
Graduate Certificate and MBA in GIS
The GIScience certificate takes the same four core courses as the M.S. plus one elective (15 credits). It requires no GRE, costs $6,480 and can be finished in as few as 12 months. Its credits apply toward the M.S., and completing it also waives the M.S. GRE requirement.
The MBA in Geographic Information Systems combines a 24-credit business core (including Principles of GIS) with two GIS electives. It runs $492 per credit plus a $39 accreditation fee per course, about $15,150 total. Students without a business degree first take a foundation course.
How the Online Format Works
- 7-week courses: two sessions each fall and spring, so students can start four times a year.
- Fully online: Northwest lists all three programs as 100% online.
- Faculty-taught: Northwest says all classes are taught by professionals, not graduate assistants.
- 2026–27 starts: August 24 and October 19, 2026; January 11 and March 8, 2027. Apply about two weeks ahead.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 2.5 GPA
- Official transcripts from all institutions
- GRE combined verbal and quantitative score of 286 or higher, waived for any of the following: a master’s or higher, Northwest’s GIScience certificate, one year of full-time professional GIS work, three years of full-time professional work in any field, or an undergraduate GPA of 3.3 or higher
- Certificate: 2.5 GPA and no GRE
Northwest does not list the application fee amount on its program pages. Source: M.S. program page.
Tuition
| Program | Credits | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.S. GIScience | 30 | $432/credit | $12,960 |
| GIScience certificate | 15 | $432/credit | $6,480 |
| MBA in GIS | 30 | $492/credit + $39/course | $15,150 |
These online professional rates apply to Missouri residents and nonresidents alike, and they run below Northwest’s standard campus graduate rate of $540 per credit. Laptops and textbooks are extra.
Faculty and Department
The programs are housed in Northwest’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Dr. Ming-Chih Hung teaches the remote sensing, image processing and research courses, and his research covers remote sensing, LiDAR and precision agriculture. Dr. Yi-Hwa Wu teaches Principles of GIS and Geoprocessing with Python. Northwest has a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) that offers internship and job opportunities, and it describes itself as the first institution to pilot a master’s-level GIScience program.
Careers
Northwest lists roles such as GIS manager, GIS technician, cartography technician, conservationist, climate scientist, health geographer, app developer, meteorologist, precision agriculture researcher and marine survey analyst. The MBA adds logistics and operations management paths. Northwest does not publish placement data for the online programs.
Pros and Considerations
Strengths
- $12,960 total tuition for the M.S., the same in every state
- 7-week courses with four starts a year
- Python, remote sensing, web GIS and geospatial intelligence electives
- GRE waived for most working adults
Things to Consider
- No online bachelor’s option
- GIS-only curriculum with little human or physical geography
- Esri software works best on a PC
- Application fee amount is not listed on the program pages
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Northwest Missouri State’s online GIS master’s?
Tuition is $432 per credit for 2026–27, or $12,960 for 30 credits, the same for in-state and out-of-state students.
Does Northwest Missouri require the GRE for its online GIS master’s?
It asks for a combined score of 286, but waives it for applicants with a 3.3 undergraduate GPA, a prior master’s, the GIScience certificate, one year of professional GIS work or three years of full-time work.
How fast can I finish?
Northwest says the M.S. can be completed in as few as 14 months and the certificate in as few as 12 months.
Is there an online GIS bachelor’s at Northwest?
No. The B.S. in Geographic Information Science is a Maryville campus program.
Compare Northwest with other programs in our online geography and GIS degree guide, or see campus programs in Missouri.
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.
- M.S. in Geographic Information Science (online)
- Graduate Certificate in GIScience
- MBA in Geographic Information Systems
- Online and professional tuition rates
- Standard tuition and fees
- Graduate degree list
- Graduate admission requirements
- Undergraduate GIScience (campus)
- Dr. Ming-Chih Hung
- Dr. Yi-Hwa Wu
- Accreditation