Montana has five schools with verified geography or geographic information systems (GIS) credentials. Montana State University offers geography and GIS/planning options within its Earth Sciences bachelor’s degree. The University of Montana offers a master’s in geography and a GIS certificate. Three tribal colleges, Salish Kootenai, Fort Peck, and Stone Child, offer GIS certificates or an associate degree. None of these credentials is described by its school as fully online.
Montana Geography and GIS Programs at a Glance
Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State University | Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Earth Sciences, Geography Option B.S. in Earth Sciences, GIS/Planning Option | Campus (Bozeman) | 120 each | GIS capstone project in the GIS/Planning option |
| University of Montana | GIS Certificate (awarded with or after a bachelor’s degree) | Campus (Missoula); not available online | 18 | Requires a 3.0 GPA; open to post-baccalaureate students |
| Salish Kootenai College | Certification in Geospatial Science | Not stated (Pablo) | 15 quarter credits | Three-course GIS sequence plus remote sensing |
| Fort Peck Community College | GIS Technology Certificate of Applied Science | Not stated (Poplar) | 30 | Prepares GIS and cartographic technicians |
| Stone Child College | Associate of Science (A.S.) in Natural Resource/Geospatial Technology | Not stated (Box Elder) | 68 | GIS and GPS courses within a natural resources degree |
Graduate Degrees
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Montana | Master of Science (M.S.) in Geography M.S. in Geography, Cartography and GIS concentration M.S. in Geography, Community and Environmental Planning concentration | Campus (Missoula) | 30–36 34–40 33–39 | Thesis, professional paper, or portfolio track |
| Montana State University | M.S. in Earth Sciences Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Earth Sciences Geography is a research focus, not a named degree | Campus (Bozeman) | M.S.: 30 Ph.D.: 60 | Thesis-based M.S.; GRE not required |
Credentials were verified against 2026–27 catalogs, except Fort Peck (2025–27 catalog) and Stone Child (undated program sheet). Minors are not listed.
Online Geography and GIS Programs in Montana
An online course is not the same as an online degree. A program is listed as fully online here only when the school officially states that the full credential can be completed online. The second list covers programs that only offer some coursework online.
Verified fully online options
No Montana school states that a geography or GIS degree or certificate can be completed fully online. Montana State’s list of designated online undergraduate programs does not include Earth Sciences.
Online coursework, but not a verified fully online program
- University of Montana GIS Certificate: the university says the certificate cannot currently be completed online. Several electives are available remotely, but the required courses are seldom offered that way.
- Fort Peck Community College: the college says classes are held in several formats, including asynchronous and in-person, but it does not state a format for the GIS certificate.
- Flathead Valley Community College (related): its Surveying A.A.S. is delivered fully online with practical labs led by licensed surveyors. It is a surveying degree that includes GIS and aerial mapping courses.
For fully online programs based in other states, see online geography schools.
Montana School Summaries
Montana State University
Montana State’s Department of Earth Sciences in Bozeman offers geography as options within the B.S. in Earth Sciences, not as a stand-alone geography degree. The Geography Option requires a year of a modern language and courses such as Human Geography, Introduction to GIS Science and Cartography, Advanced GIS and Spatial Analysis, and Weather and Climate. It ends in a Geographic Thought capstone.
The GIS/Planning Option adds GPS Fundamentals and Applications in Mapping, Geographical Planning, remote sensing, and courses in computing and web design. All students complete a GIS capstone project. Internships are optional.
Graduate students focus on geography within the thesis-based M.S. in Earth Sciences (30 credits) or the Ph.D. in Earth Sciences (60 credits). Admission requires three letters and a prospective advisor, and the GRE is not required. The department has a limited number of competitive teaching assistantships.
Sources: Geography Option; GIS/Planning Option; M.S. Earth Sciences; graduate program.
University of Montana
The University of Montana in Missoula does not list an undergraduate geography major in its 2026–27 catalog. Geography sits in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, which offers a geography minor, a GIS certificate, and a master’s degree.
The M.S. in Geography can be completed through a thesis, a professional paper, or a portfolio with comprehensive exams. Students can add a Cartography and GIS concentration (Remote Sensing/Raster GIS, Applications of GIS, Advanced Cartographic Design, Internet GIS) or a Community and Environmental Planning concentration (Environmental Planning, Land Use Planning Law, Planning Design). Admission requires a 3.0 GPA, three references, and a faculty member who agrees to serve as major professor. The GRE is not required.
The 18-credit GIS Certificate requires a 3.0 GPA and is awarded only with or after a bachelor’s degree. Completing the Cartography and GIS concentration also satisfies the certificate.
Sources: Geography M.S. catalog; Geography M.S. program page; graduate admissions; GIS certificate; GIS certificate FAQ.
Salish Kootenai College
Salish Kootenai College in Pablo offers a 15-credit Certification in Geospatial Science through its workforce development division. Required courses are GIS I: Basic Cartography and Geoprocessing, GIS II and GIS III on digitizing and raster analysis, and Remote Sensing and Image Analysis. One elective, such as Fire and GIS or Geospatial Data Management, completes it. The college runs on quarters, and it also offers a geospatial minor.
Sources: Certification in Geospatial Science.
Fort Peck Community College
Fort Peck Community College in Poplar offers a 30-credit GIS Technology Certificate of Applied Science. Program courses include Introduction to ArcGIS, ArcGIS Pro, GPS Technologies: Data Collection, GIS Cartography, ArcGIS Online, and Project Management. The college lists data collection, GIS technician, and cartographic technician as career goals.
Sources: GIS certificate (2025–27 catalog).
Stone Child College
Stone Child College in Box Elder lists a 68-credit A.S. in Natural Resource/Geospatial Technology. The program sheet includes two GIS courses, GPS Principles and Practices, and a Natural Resource Capstone, alongside biology, chemistry, and physics. The sheet is undated, so confirm current requirements with the college.
Sources: degrees offered.
Schools not included
- MSU Billings has no geography or GIS credential. Its B.A. in Environmental Studies offers a GIS Skills track.
- Flathead Valley Community College does not list a geospatial certificate in its 2026–27 catalog; its Surveying A.A.S. includes GIS courses.
- Montana Tech offers land surveying and drone certificates, not GIS credentials.
- Rocky Mountain College and Carroll College do not list a geography degree or GIS certificate in their 2026–27 catalogs.
- Other campuses and tribal colleges, including Blackfeet, Chief Dull Knife, Aaniiih Nakoda, and Little Big Horn, offer GIS courses only.
Tuition Comparison
Estimated tuition is our arithmetic from each published rate and the stated basis. Each figure is labeled “per year” or “total.” None includes fees, housing, books, or other costs.
Undergraduate and certificate tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana State University B.S. Earth Sciences (Geography or GIS/Planning Option) | $3,581.40 per semester (resident) $5,372.40 per semester (Western Undergraduate Exchange) $15,823.80 per semester (nonresident) | Two full-time semesters | $7,162.80 resident per year $10,744.80 exchange per year $31,647.60 nonresident per year | $1,139.05 per semester, plus a $180 building fee for nonresident and exchange students |
| University of Montana GIS Certificate | $285 per credit (resident undergraduate rate) $1,308 per credit (nonresident) | 18 credits | $5,130 resident total $23,544 nonresident total | Up to $1,455 per semester for residents at 12+ credits |
| Salish Kootenai College Certification in Geospatial Science | $87 per quarter credit (enrolled tribal member) $148 (Montana resident) $299 (out-of-state) | 15 quarter credits | $1,305 tribal member total $2,220 Montana resident total $4,485 out-of-state total | $217.25–$451 per quarter, depending on credits |
| Fort Peck Community College GIS Technology Certificate | $70 per credit (2025–27 catalog; no residency tiers published) | 30 credits | $2,100 total | $285 per semester at 12+ credits |
| Stone Child College A.S. Natural Resource/Geospatial Technology | $90 per credit (schedule dated July 2023) | 68 credits | $6,120 total | About $545 per semester at 12 credits; $200 more for non-enrolled students |
Rates are 2026–27 unless the row notes otherwise.
Graduate tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Montana M.S. Geography | $4,152 per semester (resident) $17,652 per semester (nonresident) | Two full-time semesters | $8,304 resident per year $35,304 nonresident per year | $1,455 per semester (resident); $1,751 (nonresident) |
| Montana State University M.S. and Ph.D. Earth Sciences | $4,211.40 per semester (resident) $16,513.20 per semester (nonresident) | Two full-time semesters | $8,422.80 resident per year $33,026.40 nonresident per year | $1,139.05 per semester, plus a $180 building fee for nonresidents |
Rates are 2026–27 unless the row notes otherwise.
Why some rates do not compare directly
- Montana’s two universities charge a flat rate at 12 or more credits per semester, so per-year figures assume full-time study.
- The Western Undergraduate Exchange rate is available to eligible students from other western states and is far below nonresident tuition.
- Salish Kootenai College uses quarter credits and sets tuition by tribal enrollment and residency.
- Fort Peck’s rate comes from its 2025–27 catalog and Stone Child’s from a July 2023 schedule, so both may have changed.
How to Choose a Geography or GIS Program in Montana
Broad geography or technical GIS
Montana State is the in-state choice for an undergraduate geography education. Its Geography Option is broader, and its GIS/Planning Option is more technical. At the University of Montana, the M.S. concentrations split the same way between planning and cartography and GIS. Read more about GIScience degrees and geospatial technology.
Certificate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree
Short GIS credentials are available at the University of Montana (18 credits, for degree holders), Salish Kootenai College (15 quarter credits), and Fort Peck Community College (30 credits). Montana has no geography-named Ph.D.; doctoral students work on geography topics within Montana State’s Earth Sciences Ph.D. Compare bachelor’s and master’s programs nationally.
Online or campus
Montana’s geography and GIS credentials are campus programs. Students who need a fully online degree will need to look at programs in other states.
Thesis or applied graduate work
Montana State’s M.S. is thesis-based. The University of Montana’s M.S. offers a thesis, a professional paper, or a portfolio track. Students considering a Ph.D. should check research preparation and admissions requirements. A thesis can help demonstrate research experience.
Funding
Montana State describes a limited number of competitive teaching assistantships and encourages applicants to ask prospective advisors about research assistantships. The University of Montana does not publish a funding commitment for the Geography M.S., and it says financial aid is generally not available to certificate-only students.
Students open to nearby states can also compare programs in Idaho, Wyoming, and North Dakota, or browse all state guides.
Sources and Review Date
Reviewed October 1, 2026. Program details come from each school’s 2026–27 catalog or program pages unless noted. Tuition comes from each school’s 2026–27 tuition schedule unless a row notes otherwise.
- Montana State University: fall 2026 and spring 2027 tuition and fee schedules
- University of Montana: tuition and fees
- Salish Kootenai College: 2026–27 tuition and fees
- Fort Peck Community College: tuition and fees (2025–27 catalog)
- Flathead Valley Community College: Surveying A.A.S.
Program-level source links appear at the end of each school summary. Programs, rates, and requirements change, so confirm them with each school before applying.