Application Information
Apply to the MSGA program. On the form you will indicate if you are applying as an undergraduate junior to the 4+1 program, or as a new graduate student.
Undergraduate students should apply in the second semester of their junior year (upon successful completion of 70 credits). Applications will be due on the Monday of the 6th week of that semester. Applicants should
- have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher based on a minimum of 12 UMW credits
- have completed at least three GIS courses each with a grade of B or higher, or have completed two GIS courses with a B and have an approved GIS portfolio
- have completed at least one course in statistics.
The application requires
- a résumé
- a statement of purpose
- arrangement for two letters of recommendation to be emailed to graduate admissions. At least one letter should be from a UMW faculty member familiar with the student’s knowledge of GIS; both should be from people who know the applicant in either a professional or academic capacity, and can attest to the applicant’s graduate potential.
Graduate students should apply prior to the fall or spring deadlines:
- Fall Admission: June 1
- Spring Admission: October 1
Prospective students should
- have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
- typically have a GPA of 3.0 or higher from undergraduate course work
- should have successfully earned credits in at least one statistics class
- should have successfully earned credits in at least two college-level GIS classes
- in lieu of completed coursework, students can gain admission by providing documented evidence demonstrating they have worked with a GIS, such as ArcGIS, Grass, MapInfo, IDRISI, Intergraph – or the equivalent software – on a range of projects indicating competence in the topics typically covered in upper-level undergraduate GIS. This should be noted in application material and demonstrated in the GIS Portfolio.
- Students may be considered for provisional admission without having previous GIS coursework or related work experience under the agreement that if they are admitted they must take GISC 200 Introduction to GIS and GISC 351 Spatial Analysis or GEOG 351A Spatial Analysis prior to beginning their graduate-level courses.
The application requires
- official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work
- a statement of purpose outlining career goals
- a résumé, stating relevant work experience; applicants without completed coursework in GIS need to provide documented evidence demonstrating their proficiency with GIS
- a GIS portfolio
- two letters of recommendation
- demonstration of English competency if English is not your native language (please see catalog for details).