Arizona State University Online Geography Degrees (B.S., B.A., GIS, M.A., MUEP)

Arizona State University offers one of the widest ranges of online geography programs among the schools we profile. Through ASU Online, students can earn a B.S. in Geography, a B.A. in Geography, a B.S. in Geographic Information Science or an M.A. in Geography. All run in 7.5-week classes, and the diploma simply says Arizona State University. ASU Online also offers a PAB-accredited Master of Urban and Environmental Planning.

The programs are taught by ASU’s School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning (SGSUP), home to the Spatial Analysis Research Center and the Urban Climate Research Center. Online students pay the same tuition whether or not they live in Arizona.

Program at a Glance

Online degrees	B.S. in Geography; B.A. in Geography; B.S. in Geographic Information Science; M.A. in Geography
Bachelor’s credits	120 (40 classes)
M.A. credits	30 (10 classes); no GRE
Planning master’s	MUEP, 47 credits; PAB-accredited; no GRE
Format	7.5-week online classes
Next starts	January 11, 2027 (bachelor’s); October 14, 2026 (M.A.)
Undergraduate tuition	$580 per credit, residents and nonresidents (Fall 2026), plus fees
Graduate tuition	$605 per credit, residents and nonresidents (Fall 2026), plus fees
Transfer credit	Typically up to 64 credits
Accreditation	Higher Learning Commission

Which ASU Geography Degree Fits You?

	B.S. Geography	B.A. Geography	B.S. GIScience
Focus	Physical and human geography with statistics and GIS	Human, cultural and regional geography	GIS, spatial statistics and programming
Language	None	Second language through intermediate level	None
Math	MAT 114	MAT 114	MAT 170 Precalculus
Key requirements	GIS I, Statistics for Geography and Planning, Research Methods, physical geography electives	World Geography or Global Economy, Research Methods, regional or cultural focus	GIS I, II and III; two programming courses; two statistics courses; internship or seminar
Best for	Environmental and technical careers	Planning, policy and international work	GIS analyst and data roles

Bachelor’s Curriculum

B.S. in Geography

Required courses (2026–27 checksheet), each with a C or better:

Course	Credits
GCU 102 Introduction to Human Geography	3
GPH 111 Introduction to Physical Geography and GPH 112 Lab	4
GIS 205 Geographic Information Science I	3
GIS 270 Statistics for Geography and Planning	3
GCU 496 Geographic Research Methods	3
Upper-division GIS elective	3
Upper-division physical geography electives or internship	6
Upper-division geography or GIS electives	6
Related-area electives	9

B.A. in Geography

The B.A. shares the introductory geography, GIS and research methods courses, adds GCU 121 World Geography or GCU 241 Global Economy in Transition, and requires a second language through the intermediate level. Students can focus on cultural topics or on a world region such as Latin America, Asia or Europe.

B.S. in Geographic Information Science

The GIScience degree is ASU’s most technical option:

GIS 205, GIS 211 and GIS 311 (Geographic Information Science I, II and III)
GIS 222 and GIS 322 Programming Principles in GIS I and II
GIS 270 Statistics and GIS 470 Advanced Statistics for Geography and Planning
A hands-on requirement: internship, pro-seminar, individualized instruction or honors thesis
Nine credits of upper-division GIS electives

GIScience students can also pursue an accelerated pathway into ASU’s Master of Urban and Environmental Planning.

M.A. in Geography

The online M.A. takes 30 credits in 7.5-week classes and requires no GRE. Requirements from the degree page include:

GCU 596 Geographic Research Methods
GCU 528 Geographic Problems and Context or GCU 529 Contemporary Geographic Thought
Geography Colloquium (taken twice) and an approved methods or statistics course
Electives from graduate geography, GIS and planning courses
A capstone (GPH 597, a professional portfolio with a written report and oral presentation) or a 6-credit thesis

Applicants need a 3.00 GPA, one letter of recommendation, a résumé, transcripts and a personal statement of up to two pages. Online priority deadlines are July 23 (fall), December 14 (spring) and April 20 (summer).

Online Master of Urban and Environmental Planning

ASU Online also offers a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning (MUEP), taught by SGSUP. The 47-credit degree has 15 classes of 7.5 to 15 weeks, and the next online start is January 11, 2027. ASU’s degree page lists one MUEP, offered at the Tempe campus or online, and the Planning Accreditation Board accredits ASU’s MUEP through December 31, 2028 (PAB). Neither source addresses the online format separately.

Requirement	Credits
Core: PUP 501, 520, 531, 544, 571, 579 and 642 (planning theory, practice and ethics, law, land use, quantitative and qualitative methods, urban economics)	21
PUP 542 Environmental Planning and PUP 576 GIS Workshop for Planners	6
Electives	14–15
Culminating experience (online students take PUP 580 Practicum: Planning Workshop)	5–6

Admission: bachelor’s degree with a 3.00 GPA (ASU may consider 2.50–3.00), personal statement of up to 600 words, resume and transcripts. No GRE; recommendation letters are optional (degree requirements).
Online deadlines: August 1 for fall and December 1 for spring. Note: the SGSUP FAQ says its graduate programs are designed to start in fall, while ASU Online lists a January 11, 2027 start (MUEP FAQ).
Cost: ASU’s graduate online rate is $605 per credit for Fall 2026, or about $28,435 for 47 credits before fees. ASU notes that some programs carry differential tuition or program fees, so confirm the MUEP total with ASU (graduate online tuition).

Geography and GIScience students can enter the MUEP through ASU’s accelerated pathways. Compare planning programs in our urban planning degree guide.

How the Online Format Works

7.5-week classes: students take one or two courses at a time in short sessions throughout the year.
Same diploma: the diploma and transcript do not say online.
Earned Admission: ASU Online offers a path for students who don’t meet standard admission requirements, by earning a 2.75 GPA in online courses.

Admission Requirements

First-year: required high school courses plus one of: top 25% of class, a 3.00 GPA in the required courses, ACT 22 (24 for nonresidents) or SAT 1120 (1180 for nonresidents). Tests are optional.
Transfer: a 2.50 transfer GPA with 24 or more credits, or a 2.00 GPA with an associate degree. ASU Online typically accepts up to 64 transfer credits.
Application fee: $55 for Arizona residents, $85 for domestic nonresidents.

Tuition, Fees and Financial Aid

Item (Fall 2026)	Undergraduate	Graduate
Tuition per credit	$580	$605
Residents vs. nonresidents	Same rate	Same rate
Student-initiated fee	$48 (1–6 credits) or $78 (7+) per term	$76 or $106 per term
Advanced Technology Fee	$50 or $100 per term	$50 or $100 per term
College fee	Per credit, by program tier	See graduate fee schedule

At $580 per credit, 120 credits come to about $69,600 before fees, though transfer credit can cut that sharply. The 30-credit M.A. comes to about $18,150 in tuition at $605 per credit. ASU also charges a per-credit college fee, but it does not publish which fee tier applies to geography. Sources: resident, nonresident and graduate online tuition schedules.

Faculty and Department

SGSUP reports 28 tenure-track faculty and more than 900 undergraduate and graduate students, with about $10 million a year in research spending. Its research centers include the Spatial Analysis Research Center (GIScience, earth observation and spatial data science) and the Urban Climate Research Center, which ASU says leads the world in research impact on urban heat. ASU says its geography faculty include American Association of Geographers Fellows and National Academy of Sciences members.

Careers

ASU Online lists careers such as GIS analyst, GIS technician, cartographer, climate change analyst, hydrogeologist and environmental compliance inspector for the B.S.; park ranger, surveyor and historian for the B.A.; and data scientist, geospatial intelligence analyst and intelligence officer for the GIScience degree. M.A. graduates go into education, government agencies, research and doctoral study.

Pros and Considerations

Strengths

Four online geography programs, from B.A. to M.A.
Same tuition for every state
7.5-week classes and multiple start dates
Large, research-active department; no GRE for the M.A.
PAB-accredited planning master’s also offered online

Things to Consider

$580 per credit is higher than several public flat-rate programs
College fee tier for geography is not published
B.A. requires a second language through the intermediate level
Transfer credit typically capped at 64 credits

Frequently Asked Questions

What online geography degrees does ASU offer?

ASU Online offers a B.S. in Geography, a B.A. in Geography, a B.S. in Geographic Information Science and an M.A. in Geography. It also offers an online Master of Urban and Environmental Planning.

How much does ASU’s online geography degree cost?

For Fall 2026, undergraduate online tuition is $580 per credit and graduate tuition is $605 per credit, the same for residents and nonresidents, plus fees.

Does ASU’s online geography master’s require the GRE?

No. Applicants submit a résumé, one letter of recommendation, transcripts and a personal statement, and need a 3.00 GPA.

What is the difference between ASU’s B.A. and B.S. in Geography?

The B.A. requires a second language and focuses on human and regional geography. The B.S. drops the language requirement and adds statistics, more GIS and physical geography.

Compare ASU with other schools in our online geography degree rankings, or see campus programs in Arizona.

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.