North Dakota has 4 schools with verified geography or geographic information systems (GIS) credentials: 3 public universities and Bismarck State College, a public polytechnic college. The University of North Dakota (UND) is the only school with geography degrees, a B.S. and an M.S., and it also offers the state’s only fully online GIS degree, a Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in Geographic Information Science. No North Dakota school offers a geography or GIS doctorate. North Dakota State University, Minot State University, and Bismarck State offer GIS certificates, and NDSU’s two certificates and one of Bismarck State’s are offered fully online.
North Dakota Geography and GIS Programs at a Glance
Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Dakota | Bachelor of Science (B.S.) with a Major in Geography, Global Human Environment or Geospatial Science sub-plan | Campus (Grand Forks) | 120 | Geospatial Science sub-plan adds remote sensing and digital image processing |
| North Dakota State University | Geographic Information Systems Certificate (undergraduate) | Online or campus (Fargo) | 9 | Open to students in any major; offered by the Department of Disaster Resilience and Emergency Management |
| Minot State University | Certificate in Geographic Information System | Campus (Minot) | 14 | Electives include data visualization and Python programming for data science |
Graduate Degrees and Certificates
| School | Credentials | Format | Credits | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Dakota | Master of Science (M.S.) in Geography, thesis or non-thesis Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in Geographic Information Science Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science | M.S.: campus (Grand Forks) PSM: fully online Certificate: campus; online availability not confirmed | M.S.: 30 PSM: 30 Certificate: 9 | PSM ends in an internship and requires no GRE; certificate credits can apply to the geography master’s |
| North Dakota State University | Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing | Online or campus (Fargo) | 9 (catalog; the program page says 13) | Elective in remote sensing or GIS pattern analysis and modeling |
Credentials were verified against each school’s 2026–27 catalog and program pages. Minors and concentrations are not listed.
Two-Year and Technical College Certificates
| College | Credential | Units | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck State College | Geographic Information Systems Technician, Certificate of Completion | 12 | Online and on campus (Bismarck) |
| Bismarck State College | Geospatial Technology, Program Certificate | 18 | Fully online, or on campus |
No other North Dakota two-year college lists a GIS credential in its 2026–27 catalog. Lake Region State College offers a Precision Agriculture certificate, the North Dakota State College of Science offers precision agriculture, land surveying, and unmanned aircraft systems programs, and Dakota College at Bottineau offers a Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems certificate. None of these is a GIS credential.
Related Urban Planning Programs
North Dakota State University offers a 29-credit M.S. in Community Planning and Resilience that requires Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS 655), with remote sensing and other geography courses as electives. NDSU lists it in campus and online formats. It is a planning degree, not a GIS degree, so it is not counted above. See our urban planning guide.
Online Geography and GIS Programs in North Dakota
An online course is not the same as an online degree. The programs below have an official statement that the full credential can be completed online. The next list covers programs that only offer some coursework online.
Verified fully online options
- University of North Dakota PSM in Geographic Information Science: UND describes the 30-credit degree as 100% online and says students never need to come to campus for class. The catalog lists it as the online option of the geography master’s program.
- North Dakota State University Geographic Information Systems Certificate (undergraduate): NDSU lists the 9-credit certificate among its online programs, which its tuition schedule describes as administered strictly via online delivery.
- North Dakota State University Graduate Certificate in GIS and Remote Sensing: listed among NDSU’s online master’s programs and graduate certificates, with the same online-program billing.
- Bismarck State College Geospatial Technology Program Certificate: listed on Bismarck State’s online programs page. The 18-credit certificate includes two unmanned aerial systems courses.
Online coursework, but not a verified fully online program
- UND Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science: the program page lists the format as on campus or online, but it also says working professionals take all or some courses on the Grand Forks campus.
- Bismarck State GIS Technician Certificate of Completion: the program page lists online and on-campus delivery, but the certificate is not on Bismarck State’s online programs list.
- UND geography B.S. and M.S.: both are listed as on-campus programs. The M.S. catalog page labels its thesis and non-thesis routes “on-campus.”
- Minot State GIS certificate: listed as offered on campus.
For programs based in other states, see online geography schools.
North Dakota School Summaries
University of North Dakota
UND’s Department of Geography and Geographic Information Science offers the state’s only geography degrees. The 120-credit B.S. with a Major in Geography has a core of physical, human, and world regional geography, Introduction to Geospatial Technologies, Cartography and Visualization, Introduction to GIS, a statistics course, and a capstone in conservation and natural resources. Students then choose a sub-plan. The Global Human Environment sub-plan requires Economic Geography and Urban Geography and Planning. The Geospatial Science sub-plan requires Environmental Remote Sensing and either Digital Image Processing or a selected topics course in GIS.
The 30-credit M.S. in Geography is offered on campus with thesis and non-thesis routes. Both require Graduate Studies in Geography, Field Methods and Analysis in Geography, Geographic Research and Writing, and 9 credits in a minor or cognate area from at least two other departments. The thesis route requires at least 6 thesis credits and a defense. The non-thesis route requires 12 credits in geospatial techniques, an independent study, and a comprehensive exam. Applicants need a 3.00 GPA and at least 9 undergraduate credits in geography or a related field. UND says students can earn a stipend through a graduate assistantship.
The 30-credit Professional Science Master’s (PSM) in Geographic Information Science is the online, non-thesis option. It combines 18 credits in geography and GIS, including Advanced Techniques in GIS and a graduate internship, with 6 credits of quantitative and analytic courses and 6 credits of professional skills courses. UND does not require the GRE or GMAT and accepts applicants with a bachelor’s degree in any field. Students working in a GIS job may be able to use their current position for the internship. The 9-credit Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science requires Introduction to GIS, Advanced Techniques in GIS, and one elective. It requires a 2.75 undergraduate GPA for admission and a 3.00 GPA to complete, and its courses can be applied to a geography master’s. The department also offers the B.A. and B.S. in Environmental Studies.
Sources: B.S. catalog; M.S. and PSM catalog; certificate catalog; M.S. program page; PSM program page; certificate program page.
North Dakota State University
NDSU does not offer a geography degree. Its GIS certificates are offered by the Department of Disaster Resilience and Emergency Management and are open to students in any field. The 9-credit undergraduate Geographic Information Systems Certificate requires Introduction to GIS and Advanced GIS, plus one course from Remote Sensing of the Environment, GIS Pattern Analysis and Modeling, or a special topics course. The Graduate Certificate in GIS and Remote Sensing follows the same structure at the graduate level. The 2026–27 catalog lists it at 9 credits, while the NDSU program page describes a 13-credit certificate. Graduate certificate applicants apply through NDSU’s Graduate College.
Both certificates are listed in campus and online formats. NDSU’s tuition schedule bills its approved online programs at one rate regardless of residency.
Sources: undergraduate certificate catalog; graduate certificate catalog; undergraduate program page; graduate program page; online learning; Community Planning and Resilience M.S..
Minot State University
Minot State’s Certificate in Geographic Information System covers spatial analysis, spatial data management, and cartographic design, with an introduction to spatial statistics and Python programming. It requires Introduction to GIS and Applied GIS, plus two electives from Applied Statistics and Data Visualization, Programming for Data Science, or an approved GIS elective. The university’s program page lists 14 credits and on-campus delivery, and the catalog says the certificate typically takes two to four semesters. Minot State also offers a geography minor and concentration, but no geography degree.
Sources: certificate catalog; program page; geography minor page.
Bismarck State College
Bismarck State offers two stackable GIS credentials. The 12-credit Geographic Information Systems Technician Certificate of Completion requires Introduction to Geospatial Technologies, Fundamentals of GIS, GIS Applications, and Cartographic Design and Analysis. It starts in the fall, and the college says it is not eligible for federal Title IV financial aid. The 18-credit Geospatial Technology Program Certificate adds Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Systems and Image Analysis and Visualization. Its content is based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Geospatial Technology Competency Model for entry-level geospatial occupations.
Sources: GIS Technician catalog; Geospatial Technology catalog; GIS Technician program page; Geospatial Technology program page; online programs.
Schools not included
- Minor only: Dickinson State University (Geographical Information Systems minor and geography minors) and Mayville State University (geography minor).
- Valley City State University: no geography or GIS credential. Introduction to GIS is taught as a biology course, and the university’s Unmanned Aerial Systems certificate of completion is a drone credential, not a GIS one.
- Two-year colleges without a GIS credential: Lake Region State College, North Dakota State College of Science, Dakota College at Bottineau, and Williston State College. Bismarck State’s Land Surveying Technology and Unmanned Aerial Systems programs are not counted as GIS credentials.
- Tribal colleges: United Tribes Technical College, Sitting Bull College, Turtle Mountain Community College, Cankdeska Cikana Community College, and Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College list no geography or GIS credential in their current program lists.
- Private colleges: the University of Mary, the University of Jamestown, and Trinity Bible College list no geography or GIS program.
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 tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Dakota B.S. with a Major in Geography | $432.45 per credit (North Dakota resident) $484.35 per credit (Minnesota reciprocity) $648.69 per credit (nonresident) Charged up to 12 credits per semester | 12 credits per semester, two semesters | $10,378.80 resident per year $11,624.40 Minnesota reciprocity per year $15,568.56 nonresident per year | Up to $955.08 per semester; $185 one-time new student fee |
| North Dakota State University (online or campus) Geographic Information Systems Certificate | $430.47 per credit (North Dakota resident; also the online program rate for any residency) $645.70 per credit (U.S. nonresident, on campus) | 9 credits | $3,874.23 total at the resident or online rate $5,811.30 nonresident total on campus | $71.70 per credit, up to $860.40 per semester |
| Minot State University Certificate in Geographic Information System | $332.39 per credit, all residencies | 14 credits | $4,653.46 total | $66.90 per credit |
| Bismarck State College GIS Technician Certificate of Completion | $195.09 per credit (North Dakota and listed nearby states and provinces) $292.64 per credit (other U.S. residents) | 12 credits | $2,341.08 resident total $3,511.68 other U.S. total | $69.81 per credit; the ConnectND and NDSA portions are capped at 12 credits per term |
| Bismarck State College (online) Geospatial Technology Program Certificate | Geography and GIS courses: $195.09 per credit (resident), $292.64 (other U.S.) Unmanned aerial systems courses: $239.43 per credit (resident), $359.15 (other U.S.) | 12 geography and GIS credits plus 6 unmanned aerial systems credits | $3,777.66 resident total $5,666.58 other U.S. total | $69.81 per credit; the ConnectND and NDSA portions are capped at 12 credits per term |
All rates are 2026–27.
Graduate tuition
| School and credential | Published rate | Calculation basis | Estimated tuition | Required fees (not included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Dakota M.S. in Geography | $560.06 per credit (North Dakota resident) $711.27 per credit (Minnesota reciprocity) $840.09 per credit (nonresident) Charged up to 12 credits per semester | 30 credits | $16,801.80 resident total $21,338.10 Minnesota reciprocity total $25,202.70 nonresident total | $79.59 per credit, up to $955.08 per semester; $185 one-time graduate enrollment fee |
| University of North Dakota (online) PSM in Geographic Information Science | $661.41 per credit, any residency (UND’s online graduate rate for arts and sciences programs) | 30 credits | $19,842.30 total | $79.59 per credit, capped at 12 credits per semester; $185 one-time graduate enrollment fee |
| University of North Dakota Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science | $560.06 per credit (North Dakota resident, campus) $840.09 per credit (nonresident, campus) | 9 credits | $5,040.54 resident total $7,560.81 nonresident total | $79.59 per credit; $185 one-time graduate enrollment fee |
| North Dakota State University (online or campus) Graduate Certificate in GIS and Remote Sensing | $473.44 per credit, the graduate certificate rate for any residency | 9 credits (catalog) | $4,260.96 total | $71.70 per credit, up to $860.40 per semester |
All rates are 2026–27. The PSM program page does not display its own rate. The figure shown is the online arts and sciences graduate rate in UND’s 2026–27 tuition data, so confirm it with UND.
Why some rates do not compare directly
- UND charges on-campus tuition per credit up to 12 credits per semester. NDSU’s undergraduate cap starts at 13 credits.
- UND and NDSU bill approved online programs at one per-credit rate regardless of residency. UND’s online tuition is not capped.
- Minot State charges all undergraduates the same rate, with one flat charge for 12 to 18 credits.
- Bismarck State sets tuition by course subject, so its unmanned aerial systems courses cost more than its GIS courses. Its resident rate also covers students from Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
- Minnesota residents approved for tuition reciprocity pay a separate rate at UND and NDSU.
How to Choose a Geography or GIS Program in North Dakota
Broad geography or technical GIS
UND is the only North Dakota school with a geography degree. Its Global Human Environment sub-plan is the broader option, and its Geospatial Science sub-plan adds remote sensing. The certificates at NDSU, Minot State, and Bismarck State focus on GIS software, cartography, and spatial analysis. Read more about GIScience degrees and geospatial technology.
Certificate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree
Certificates range from 9 credits at NDSU and UND to 18 credits at Bismarck State. UND’s B.S. is the only bachelor’s option, and its M.S. and PSM are the only master’s degrees. Compare bachelor’s and master’s programs nationally.
Online or campus
UND’s PSM is the only fully online GIS degree in the state. NDSU’s undergraduate and graduate GIS certificates and Bismarck State’s Geospatial Technology certificate are also listed as online programs. UND’s B.S. and M.S. and Minot State’s certificate are campus programs.
Research or professional master’s
UND’s on-campus M.S. offers a thesis route for students who want research experience, and a non-thesis route built on geospatial skills. The online PSM is a professional degree that replaces the thesis with an internship and adds statistics and professional skills courses. Students considering a Ph.D. elsewhere should check research preparation and admissions requirements. A thesis can help demonstrate research experience.
Funding
- UND: students in the on-campus M.S. can earn a stipend through a graduate assistantship.
- NDSU: graduate assistants with a tuition waiver are billed at the North Dakota resident rate.
- Bismarck State: the GIS Technician Certificate of Completion is not eligible for federal Title IV financial aid.
Students open to nearby states can also compare programs in Minnesota, South Dakota, and Montana, or browse all state guides.
Sources and Review Date
Reviewed October 14, 2026. Program details come from each school’s 2026–27 catalog or program pages unless noted above. Tuition comes from each school’s 2026–27 tuition schedule.
- University of North Dakota: tuition and fee details, Geography B.S. costs, Geography M.S. costs
- North Dakota State University: undergraduate tuition, graduate tuition, 2026–27 rate chart
- Minot State University: 2026–27 tuition and fee schedule
- Bismarck State College: 2026–27 tuition and fees, 2026–27 mandatory fees
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.