Application Requirements:
• Minimum undergraduate or graduate GPA of 3.0
• One introductory course in statistical methods. Students may be admitted with a stats deficiency but will have to take an intro statistics course prior to taking some courses. Equivalent work experience will also be considered
• Two undergraduate level courses in introductory GIS and Cartography

Eight courses. Two tracks.

FULL-TIME TRACK

Full-time enrollment equates to 12 credits both fall and spring. These are followed by the Practicum and Capstone courses in the summer. Though by attending full-time you can graduate in one year, if you’re working full-time, this honestly may not be the track for you. (Mental health and a personal life are not to be trifled with!)

Here is an example of a full-time course load (35-40 hours per week):

PART-TIME TRACK

Part-time enrollment consists of 4 or 8 credits a semester. The Program Director will help you design a course plan right for your needs. Part-time students graduate in two-to-three years. Worried about Federal Financial Aid? No worries! One-course qualifies you as a half-time student.

Here is an example of a part-time course load (12-20 hours per week):

Courses:

• Intro to Geocomputing (378)
• Graphic Design in Cartography (572)
• Spatial Databases (574)
• Interactive Cartography & Geovisualization (575)
• Spatial Web & Mobile Programming (576)
• GIS & Spatial Analysis (579)
• Capstone in GIS Development (777)
• Practicum in GIS Development (778)

Visit our Curriculum page for course descriptions.

Please visit our Financial Information page to learn more about tuition and financial aid for this program.

The Online Master’s Program permits the following credit transfers:
• UW-Madison Undergraduate – Up to 7 credits
• Graduate credits from other institutions or UW-Madison – Up to 7 credits
• UW-Madison University Specials Students – Up to 15 credits
*University special student credits taken as part of the GIS Fundamentals Capstone Certificate and/or the Advanced GIS Capstone Certificate are transferable to this program under this policy.

Per Graduate School policy, any prior coursework must have been rigorous and meet the expectations of a graduate work for the program. Coursework earned five or more years prior to admission to a master’s degree is not allowed to satisfy requirements.

Visit the Graduate Guide for more detail regarding credit transfers and program requirements.

Deadlines:

*Letters of Recommendation should be received by the final deadline.

FALL:
• First Consideration: May 1
• International Students: May 1
• Final Deadline: July 15

SPRING:
• First Consideration: September 1
• International Students: September 1
• Final Deadline: November 1

SUMMER:
• First Consideration: February 1
• International Students: February 1
• Final Deadline: April 1

Required Documents:

• Resume – Include relevant work experience, education, professional training in GIS, cartography, or programming skills, and other pertinent information. International students: please provide the breakdown of your TOEFL score so we can determine your reading and writing scores separately from the overall score.

• Unofficial Transcripts – From any previously completed undergraduate and graduate degrees. Unofficial (e.g., scanned, downloaded) transcripts are fine at this point. Only after you’re accepted into the program will the Grad School require official copies. (Note: official copies will only needed from your final, degree-granting institution.)

• Contact Information for Two Professional or Academic References – You need the following info for each contact: Name, Mailing Address, Email, and Phone. Your contact will automatically be sent an email from the Grad School website when you complete your application.

• Download our Statement of Interest template and answer four simple questions – Statement of Interest Template Download:Word Doc || PDF Form

• Application Fee – Please have a Visa/Mastercard Credit or Debit Card ready to pay the $75 application fee. International students are assessed an additional small fee, so the cost is closer to $85USD.

• International Students – If you are a non-native English speaker, you must take the TOEFL exam and submit your scores during the application process. Minimum acceptable TOEFL scores by the UW Graduate School are 92 for internet based test (IBT) and 580 for paper test. More information can be found here.

Online Application:

• Online Graduate School Application.
• Please make sure you select the following program: Cartography & Geographic Information Systems MS – GIS Development.(There are two Cartography & Geographic Information Systems MS Programs. GIS Development is the Online Master’s.)

Application Fee Grants/Waivers:

We are excited that you are considering GIS Professional Programs at UW-Madison! We offer two different application fee grant opportunities for prospective students from underrepresented communities.