How to Apply - Master of Geographic Information Systems
Deadlines and Important Dates
Your degree application, including receipt of all materials, must be received by the following deadlines to be considered complete:
- January 15 to begin the summer term
- May 15 to begin the fall term
- September 15 to begin the spring term
The Admissions Committee reviews applications during the months of February, June, and October. Admissions decisions are announced March 1, July 1, and November 1.
Classes may be taken in nondegree-seeking status prior to admission into the Master’s Degree in GIS program. For many students, completing one or more classes prior to applying for the MGIS degree helps ensure that online learning is the right option, and your academic record from those courses provides an additional source of information that can be taken into account when the MGIS admissions board considers your application.
Admissions Help
Before applying, carefully review the Department of Geography's application instructions for the master of GIS degree.
Prerequisites
For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates.
All applicants are expected to have earned a junior/senior grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Application Materials
Statement of professional experience and goals
Three letters of recommendation
Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score
English Proficiency — The language of instruction at Penn State is English. All international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with some exceptions. Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Proficiency section on the Graduate School "How to Apply" page.
Official transcripts from all institutions attended, mailed to:
MGIS Program Admissions
ATTN: Jan Moyer
Dutton e-Education Institute
The Pennsylvania State University
2217 Earth-Engineering Sciences Building
University Park PA 16802
How to Apply
- Read the admissions requirements.
- Begin the graduate school application.
- On the "Admissions and Program Information Portal" page, choose "Apply Now."
- On the next page, choose "A Master's or Doctoral Degree."
- When you get to the "Campus, Major, Degree & Semester" page:
- Choose "WORLD CAMPUS" as the campus.
- Choose "GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS" as the major.
- Choose "M GIS" as the degree.
- Choose "NONE" as the option.
Technical Requirements
Review the technical requirements for this program.