Degree Programs

Two graduate degrees are offered:

1. Master of Geospatial Information Science and Technology
2. Master of Natural Resources - Geographic Information Systems Technical Option

Master of Geospatial Information Science and Technology

This degree prepares high end professionals to lead North Carolina and the nation both in the development of new technology used to understand and manage spatial phenomena (economic development, disease, emergency planning and response, environmental resources, etc.) and in the management and application of this technology in corporate and service organizations.  The degree is centered on NC State’s strengths in management of technology, computer engineering, and statistical analytics and builds on our successful Graduate Certificate in GIS and our Master’s of Natural Resources/Spatial Information Systems Option degree.  The program focuses on advanced skill development in computational modeling and management decision support, as opposed to geography, and will address the growing need for GIS developers, managers, and analysts.

To earn a Master's degree in GIST, you must complete 18 credit hours of required courses and 12 credit hours of electives.

The MGIST curriculum has been recognized as a Professional Science Masters program. In addition to receiving your master's degree, all MGIST students will receive a Professional Science Masters designation on their transcripts. The PSM program is a nationally recognized graduate degree. To learn more about the Professional Science Master's program, please review the website. Information can also be found through NC State's graduate school.

Required Courses (18 hours)
       DE denotes Distance Education courses
       

1. GIS 510 - Introduction to Geographic Information ScienceDE
2. MEA 582 - Geospatial Modeling and AnalysisDE
3. GIS 530 - Principles of Geospatial Information ScienceDE
4. GIS 540 - Geospatial Programming FundamentalsDE
5. GIS 550 - Geospatial Data Structures and Web ServicesDE
6. GIS 590 - Geospatial Information Science Master's ProjectDE

Elective Courses (12 hours)
       DE denotes Distance Education courses
       PSM denotes Professional Science Masters courses

If you wish to take a course as an elective that is not listed below, you must obtain approval from your Academic Advisor.

Geographic Information Systems
       Any GIS course not taken as a required course (including applications-oriented (APP)
       courses specifically recommended for GIS Certificate and Minor students)

Business Management

• BUS 590 Strategic Management FoundationsDE
• MBA 551 Service Management and MarketingDE
• MBA 552 Management Issues in Organizational CultureDE
• MBA 553 Business Process Design and AnalysisDE

Computer Science

• CSC 540 Database Management Concepts and Systems DE

Communication

• COM 521 Communication and GlobalizationDE

Engineering, Biological & Agricultural

• BAE 535 (SSC 535) Precision Agriculture TechnologyDE
• BAE 590 AutoCAD Civil 3D-GIS IntegrationDE
• BAE 590 GIS Apps in Precision AgricultureDE

Engineering, Civil

• CE 538 Information Technology and Modeling
• CE 705 Intelligent Transportation Systems

Engineering, Electrical

• ECE 759 Pattern Recognition
• ECE 763 Computer Vision
• ECE 764 Digital Image Processing

Engineering, Industrial and Systems

• ISE 754 Logistics EngineeringDE

Forestry and Environmental Resources

• FOR 510 Introduction to GPS
• FOR 554 Principles of Spatial Analysis DE
• FOR 753 Environmental Remote Sensing

Landscape Architecture

• LAR 500 Landscape Design Studio

Marine, Earth, & Atmospheric Sciences

• MEA 511 Introduction to Meterological Remote Sensing
• MEA 582/GIS 582 Geospatial Modeling and AnalysisDE
• MEA 592 Applied Data Analysis in the Earth Sciences using Matlab
• MEA 592 Tectonic Geomorphology
• MEA 592 Advanced Earth Surface Processes - Landscape Evolution
  
• MEA 792 Advanced Geospatial Modeling with Open Source GIS (Offered in Fall only)

Public Administration

• PA 541 GIS for Public Administration

Soil Science

• SSC/CS/BAE 440 GIS in Production AgricultureDE
• SSC/BAE 535 Precision Agriculture TechnologyDE
• SSC 545 Remote Sensing Applications in Soil Science & AgricultureDE

Statistics

ANY 500-level or above Statistics course, including:

• ST 507 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences IDE
• ST 508 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences IIDE
• ST 511 Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences I DE
• ST 512 Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences II
• ST 733 Applied Spatial Statistics

Master of Natural Resources - Geographic Information Systems Technical Option

Administered by:
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management

Management, analysis, and communication of natural resource phenomena require an understanding of spatial relationships. Spatial modeling, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and spatial databases have become an entire sub-discipline in resource management. This option provides students with a thorough background in the spatial sciences including GIS, GPS and remote sensing. Students completing this option will be prepared for positions in a variety of federal agencies such as the USDA Forest Service, EPA, NOAA, or Corps of Engineers; with state agencies; with regional or local planning organizations; and with private consulting firms.

For details see: Master of Natural Resources - Geographic Information Systems Technical Option