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Program Details

Next Start Date: January 7

Credit Hours: 36

Course Length: 8 weeks

Estimated Program Length: 36 months

UWF's GIS Administration M.S. is an interdisciplinary degree that develops leadership skills in students through a combination of business and GIS courses.

Why Study GIS Administration at UWF?

In the University of West Florida's GIS Administration M.S. program, you will join the growing field of geographic information science by developing skills in geospatial science and business management. GIS Administration is the management of geospatial programs, data, technology and people to support organizational goals. It combines technical expertise with leadership in budgeting, staffing, system architecture and strategic planning. UWF’s online M.S. in GIS Administration incorporates core coursework in both GIS and business — plus a capstone course focused on GIS leadership. Upon graduation, you will be a well-rounded GIS professional ready to pursue career advancement in virtually any industry.

Led by experienced educators dedicated to your success, you’ll explore the latest technologies in geographic information science. All of our faculty members hold advanced degrees, have extensive GIS experience, and some even continue to work in the field while teaching the online GIS master’s program.

Students pursuing our online GIS administration degree benefit from our program’s competitive tuition and convenience. Our online GIS program offers remote desktop technology, allowing you to access state-of-the-art GIS software at any time and from any computer through a pre-configured virtual machine. You’ll have access to the latest versions of Esri ArcGIS Pro, PostgreSQL/PostGIS, Leaflet and Erdas Imagine. Collaboration with fellow students and faculty in the online program provides opportunities to gain in-demand skills required for successful remote work positions.

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What You Will Learn

Designed for individuals currently in the geoscience field looking for advancement or those seeking careers in GIS in industries including government, public health, political science, forensic science, agriculture and more, the online GIS administration degree program covers key topics, such as:

Advanced business management skills in human resources, economics, finance and organizational behavior
Programming tools used to develop software applications for spatial analysis and automation tasks
GIS theories and practices used to visualize, measure, transform and optimize spatial data
The fundamental theory of cartography and map production and distribution, graphic design and how to communicate the data through various mediums
Database design and how to extract and use spatial data for GIS case studies
Web-based geographic information systems and their methods and processes, along with design considerations for web-based GIS in different browsers
Developing, implementing and managing GIS applications

Our online GIS degree program culminates with an experience-focused capstone course. You will work with a real client to research an issue and use GIS data to develop a solution. Then, you will create a video project to showcase your work to your professors, peers, and potential employers. Capstone topics for previous GIS degree online students include:

Web Mapping Water Quality
Human Impact Assessment on Northwest Florida Seagrass Ecosystems Using Remotely Sensed Data
Improving Searchability of Intranet with GIS

In addition, our program is affiliated with Professional Science Master’s. Created in partnership with the industry, PSM guarantees that students in the online GIS master’s degree gain real-world experiences and skills.

Courses

GIS professionals can apply their skills to roles in: App development, Business, Computer programming, Conservation, Cybersecurity, Emergency services, Engineering, Forestry, Government, Public health, Public safety and Technology.

UWF’s online GIS master’s degree gives you the business and leadership skills you need to advance your GIS career or transition into geospatial science. Depending on how much experience you have, you could qualify for a leadership position as a GIS Manager, Director, Coordinator, Analyst or Specialist. Graduates from UWF’s GIS degree online program have worked at notable employers in the Florida area, such as:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)
Avineon
Axim Geospatial
England-Thims & Miller, Inc. (ETM)

GIS Certificate Options

We also offer online undergraduate and graduate certificate programs that can be completed in 12 months. A total of seven courses, including a required internship, have been carefully combined to reflect real-world workforce requirements. With this knowledge, expect to better understand what’s happening behind the scenes in the software and become more efficient at work.

The GIS graduate certificate program is a pathway to the online GIS master’s program because it fulfills the foundation requirements plus 6 hours of GIS core courses.

Courses & Requirements

UWF’s online Geographic Information Science (GIS) Administration degree includes a total of 36 semester hours (sh). Students will explore 12 sh of business management skills and 24 sh of advanced geographic information science topics. For students who do not have a GIS background, 15 sh of foundational proficiency courses are required and can be taken alongside the business classes. Foundational proficiencies do not count towards the degree. Many students enter with no previous GIS coursework. Alternatively, students may wish to pursue the Graduate GIS Certificate, a pathway program, before applying for the full master's degree.

In order to participate in our online GIS courses, students must have access to their own laptop or personal computer, speakers, microphone or headset, and consistent broadband internet access (high-speed). A mouse is highly recommended for those using a laptop.
Access to required software is provided through Argo Apps for GIS virtual machines.
Consistent access to the internet is required to participate in online courses.
Optionally, students may install ArcGIS Pro software locally which is used in all GIS certificate courses. Students’ computers should meet the minimal hardware requirements for Esri ArcGIS Pro software (see the most current version of the software). Please note: ArcGIS Pro runs natively on Windows OS. Mac users can use ArcGIS Pro on Argo Apps or run ArcGIS Pro via Bootcamp.
Previous knowledge or experience in GIS is not required but it’s important to possess both Minimal Technology Skills and Requirements and Basic Computer Skills for GIS. This is a very technical program and we will not have time to teach basic skills.
Certain aspects of GIS software require students to have sight and hand-eye coordination (certain abilities) to practice GIS and use the software (any GIS software). If you have a disability that impacts full participation in a course please contact Student Accessibility Resources at 850.474.2387 or by email at [email protected] for additional support.
All materials and communication will be conducted in the English language. A guide for GIS students on how to Get Help Faster is provided as part of the GIS User Training to demonstrate good communication in our online courses. Instructors may request a specific communication protocol for their courses which will be provided on the course syllabus or course site. Adhering to basic computer ethics and professionalism is expected.

Students who do not have a GIS background are required to complete 15 credit hours in the following foundational proficiency courses. These courses do not count towards the degree.

Foundational Proficiencies (15 credit hours)

GIS 5050 - Geographic Information Systems
GIS 5050L - Geographic Information Systems Lab
GIS 5007 - Computer Cartography
GIS 5007L - Computer Cartography Lab
GIS 5027 - Aerial Photography and Remote Sensing
GIS 5027L - Aerial Photography and Remote Sensing Lab
GIS 5100 - Applications in Geographic Information Systems

Management Core (12 credit hours)

GEB 5816 - MBA Foundations: Principles of Human Resources Management
GEB 5871 - MBA Foundations: Managerial Economics
GEB 5872 - MBA Foundations: Financial Management I
GEB 5875 - MBA Foundations: Management Skills and Applications
MAN 6156 - Management and Organizational Behavior
GEB 5870 - MBA Foundations: e-Business Systems
GEB 5876 - MBA Foundations: Marketing Management

Geographic Information Science (24 credit hours)

GIS 5103 - GIS Programming
GIS 5935 - Special Topics in Geographic Science
GIS 6005 - Communicating GIS
GIS 6105 - Spatial Data Management
GIS 6110 - Advanced Topics in Geographic Information Science
GIS 6555 - Geographic Information Systems Management
GIS 6955 - GIS Capstone

In addition to the University graduate admission requirements described in the Admissions section of the catalog, the department bases decisions for regular admission on a holistic review of credentials in which the following criteria are used to assess the potential success of each applicant:

GIS academic preparation*
Submission of a letter of intent demonstrating graduate-level motivation and writing abilities
Submission of a resume, including appropriate employment at increasing levels of responsibility
List two names of professional and/or academic references, including title, organization, email, and phone number

*Transcripts are reviewed to determine if GIS foundational proficiencies have been met.

How to Apply

To apply for admission to this program, you first need to submit an application for graduate admission (plus a $30 application fee) and be accepted for admission into the University of West Florida. Review application deadlines. In addition, you must:

Submit official transcripts confirming a bachelor’s degree from an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies

Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact our graduate admissions team at [email protected].

Full Course Descriptions Registration Requirements

I reached out to Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit organization in Navarre, to partner because when I was delivering rescued wildlife to them, I noticed their intake form had a lot of raw data,” Barnes said. “I realized there was an opportunity to use GIS. GIS is taking large volumes of raw data and organizing it into a map form to understand it better. I said, ‘I’m going to show you the breadth of GIS and how it can be used.

– James “Brian” Barnes, Geographic Information Science Administration, M.S., Class of 2024

Because of the rigorous GIS curriculum that I completed at UWF, I have been applauded for being qualified and competent in completing high-level assignments and offering geospatial solutions.

– Daniela McDougall, Graduate, online M.S. in GIS Administration

I was relatively new to GIS when I began the program, and it has benefited my career tremendously by giving me experience in aspects of GIS that are normally encountered in higher-level GIS positions.

– Ashlee Malone, Graduate, online M.S. in GIS Administration

Careers & Outcomes

With our online GIS degree, you can pursue growing careers in nearly any field that aligns with your interests. According to Esri, a leading GIS software company, “careers in GIS are in demand more than ever” as employers across industries seek those with data visualization and spatial analysis skills.

Job Titles

Geographic Information Systems Managers
Geographic Information Systems Coordinator
Application Developers

Career Outlook

The average annual wage for a GIS Manager in the United States is $98,572.
GIS Managers can seek careers across various sectors, such as computer science or public health.

Source: ZipRecruiter, 2025

Cost & Financial Aid

Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour

Online GIS Administration M.S. Tuition
Component	Cost	Total*
Tuition	$425.00 per credit hour	$15,300.00
Tuition (with Foundational Proficiencies)**	$425.00 per credit hour (program) $630.00 per credit hour (foundational courses)	$24,750.00
Tuition with Maximum Transfer Credits (Up to 6)	$425.00 per credit hour	$12,750.00

**If necessary for degree completion, foundational proficiency courses are $630 per credit hour.

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted. This program takes up to 11 semesters to complete, depending on transfer credits.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Military & Financial Aid

Military & Veterans

The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the campus advocate for military, dependents and veteran students. Contact the MVRC to learn more about the various military and veteran education assistance or tuition waiver opportunities and eligibility requirements.

UWF Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida offers various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students. We provide eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan. See more about Financial Aid and Education Funding Opportunities.