George Mason Online Geography and GEOINT Programs: Cost, Courses

George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, offers three online programs through its Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science: a fully online, asynchronous B.A. or B.S. in Geography, an online M.S. in Geoinformatics and Geospatial Intelligence and a mostly online Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) Graduate Certificate.

Mason’s geospatial intelligence programs are accredited by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF) through January 2029, and Mason was in USGIF’s first accredited group in 2008 (Mason Science). The department is a few miles from Washington, D.C., and lists recent graduates at NGA, CIA, USGS, Esri and Maxar (GEOINT at Mason).

Program at a Glance

Online programs	B.A./B.S. in Geography; M.S. in Geoinformatics and Geospatial Intelligence; GEOINT Graduate Certificate
Bachelor’s	120 credits, 100% online, asynchronous
M.S.	30 credits (catalog); Mason Online lists 33
GEOINT certificate	18 credits, about 83% online
USGIF accreditation	M.S. and certificate, through January 2029
Graduate tuition (2026–27)	$610/credit in-state, $1,571 out-of-state (M.S.); certificate $810/$1,771
GRE	Optional
Starts	Fall or spring
Accreditation	SACSCOC

Online Bachelor’s in Geography

Mason Online lists the B.A. and B.S. in Geography as 100% online and fully asynchronous, with at least 120 credits. Both share a core of geoinformation technologies, cartographic design, GIS and quantitative methods. The B.S. offers concentrations such as Geoinformatics, Geospatial Intelligence and Urban Science; the B.A. offers Environmental Geography, Health Geography, Geoanthropology and Urban Planning. Mason does not state whether every concentration is available online.

M.S. in Geoinformatics and Geospatial Intelligence

The M.S. requires six core courses: Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Spatial Data Structures, Geospatial Intelligence Process and Information, a geoinformatics capstone and Scientific Data Mining for Geoinformatics. Students add one elective each in image analysis, GIScience and computational geoinformatics, and choose a thesis or a comprehensive exam plus research project.

Note: the 2026–27 catalog lists 30 credits while Mason Online lists 33, and Mason’s graduate deadlines tool lists the M.S. as on-campus or hybrid even though Mason Online calls it 100% online. Confirm credits and delivery with the department.

GEOINT Graduate Certificate

Course	Type
GGS 553 Geographic Information Systems	Core
GGS 680 Earth Image Processing	Core
GGS 684 Geospatial Intelligence Process and Information	Core
GGS 685 Capstone Course in Geoinformatics	Core
GGS 650, 664 or 692 (programming, spatial data structures or web GIS)	Core choice
One elective, e.g., Advanced GIS, Remote Sensing, Terrain Mapping, Deep Learning for Geoinformation	Elective

The 18-credit certificate requires calculus and working knowledge of a programming language. Mason Online calls it “83% online” and lists it as hybrid in its program directory, and the catalog says the majority of courses are available online, so plan for some coursework that may not be online. The department says certificate credits can be applied to one of its master’s degrees (department).

Admission Requirements

Graduate programs: bachelor’s in a related field with calculus; programming knowledge required for the certificate and recommended for the M.S.
GPA: Mason Online lists a 3.0 minimum for the certificate
GRE: optional (encouraged for M.S. applicants seeking funding)
Materials: transcripts, resume and goals statement; the M.S. also requires two letters of recommendation
Deadlines: November 1 for spring and April 15 for fall

Tuition and Fees

Program	In-State	Out-of-State
GEOINT certificate (18 credits)	$810/credit; ~$17,600 with fees	$1,771/credit; ~$34,900 with fees
M.S. (30 credits)	$610/credit; ~$23,400 with fees	$1,571/credit; ~$52,200 with fees
Bachelor’s (full-time, per term)	$5,376 flat (12–15 credits)	$17,874 flat (12–15 credits)

Rates are from Mason’s 2026–27 tuition schedule. Graduate estimates include the $169 per credit mandatory student fee; Mason does not say whether online-only students pay it. Mason has no separate online rate for geography programs, so out-of-state online students pay out-of-state tuition. The GEOINT certificate qualifies for federal financial aid.

Faculty and Department

The Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science reports $6 million in annual research expenditure supported by NSF, NASA and the Department of Defense, and four computer labs with ArcGIS and ENVI. Its Washington, D.C.-area location connects students with federal agencies and geospatial companies.

Careers

Mason lists GIS analyst, GIS programmer or developer, GIS database manager, geospatial technician and project manager roles, with M.S. graduates heading to the federal workforce and intelligence community. BLS reports a May 2025 median salary of $81,390 for cartographers and photogrammetrists.

Pros and Considerations

Strengths

Online options at bachelor’s, certificate and master’s levels
USGIF-accredited GEOINT programs
Strong ties to the D.C.-area intelligence and geospatial community
Fully asynchronous online bachelor’s

Things to Consider

No online tuition rate; out-of-state costs are high
GEOINT certificate is not fully online
M.S. credits and delivery differ across Mason pages
Calculus and programming prerequisites for graduate programs

Frequently Asked Questions

Does George Mason offer an online geography degree?

Yes. Mason Online offers a B.A. and B.S. in Geography that are 100% online and fully asynchronous.

Is Mason’s GEOINT certificate fully online?

Not entirely. Mason Online describes it as 83% online, and the catalog says the majority of its courses are available online.

Is Mason’s geospatial intelligence program accredited?

Yes. USGIF reaccredited Mason’s GEOINT certificate and M.S. in Geoinformatics and Geospatial Intelligence through January 31, 2029.

How much does Mason’s online GEOINT certificate cost?

For 2026–27, tuition is $810 per credit in-state and $1,771 out-of-state. With the mandatory fee, the 18 credits total about $17,600 in-state or $34,900 out-of-state.

Compare George Mason with other programs in our online geography and GIS degree guide, or see our geospatial technology degrees guide and Virginia geography programs.

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.