Global Top 50 Universities for Master’s in GIS
Postgraduate education is an opportunity pursued by an increasing number of people in today’s society and is also a topic of growing concern in modern society. With the acceleration of globalization and technological progress, higher education is no longer just a means of acquiring academic resources and professional knowledge, but also an opportunity to enrich personal experiences, broaden horizons, and understand different cultures.
In the field of Geographic Information Science (GIS), with the continuous development and application of technology, the demand for professional talent is also increasing. Pursuing a master’s degree has become an important way to improve one’s professional skills and explore future development. If you are interested in furthering your studies in the GIS field and considering pursuing a GIS master’s degree, the universities mentioned below will be very worthwhile for you to refer to. These top 50 universities in the world have the best education and research teams, the most advanced equipment and research resources, as well as rich academic and practical experience, providing you with the best learning environment and growth opportunities.
The following list of universities is classified by continent (Asia, America, Oceania, Europe) and ranked according to the 2024 QS World University Rankings. The latest (2024) tuition fee information given on each university’s official website is also provided. Hope this article is helpful to you!
By the way, I assume you share my love for maps. To make it easier for you, I’ve pinned the universities on Google My Maps. Now you can quickly locate each one. Happy reading!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- National University of Singapore
- Peking University
- The University of Hong Kong
- Seoul National University
- Kyoto University
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Global Top 50 Universities for Master’s in GIS (ASIA)
National University of Singapore
- Location: Singapore 🇸🇬
- World Rank: 8
- Course Title: MSc in Applied GIS
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): SG$20,000 (approx. US$15,000)
- Website: https://fass.nus.edu.sg/geog/msc-in-applied-gis/
Peking University
- Location: Beijing, China 🇨🇳
- World Rank: 17
- Course Title: Master of Cartography and GIS
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): ¥8,000 (approx. US$1,150)
- Website: https://sess.pku.edu.cn/jyjx1/bkspy/zyjs/dlxxkx1.htm
The University of Hong Kong
- Location: Hong Kong 🇭🇰
- World Rank: 26
- Course Title:
MSc (Urban Analytics)
MSc (Urban Design and Transport)
MSc (Urban Planning)
Master of Urban Design
Master of Urban Studies and Housing Management
MA (Transport Policy and Planning) - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Local: HK$42,100 (approx. US$5,400)
Non-local: HK$182,000 (approx. US$23,000) - Website: https://www.arch.hku.hk/programmes_/upad/
Seoul National University
- Location: Seoul, South Korea 🇰🇷
- World Rank: 41
- Course Title: Master of Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Website: https://cee.snu.ac.kr/english/index.php
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): ₩7,710,000 (approx. US$5,800)
- Remarks: One of the research areas is Spatial Informatics Engineering, which has two research labs: the Remote Sensing Lab and the GIS/LBS Lab. The Remote Sensing Lab focuses on remote sensing detection, while the GIS/LBS Lab focuses on geographic information systems and location-based services.
Kyoto University
- Location: Kyoto, Japan 🇯🇵
- World Rank: 46
- Course Title: Master of Civil and Earth Resources Engineering
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): ¥535,800 (approx. US$4,000)
- Website: https://www.ce.t.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/information/laboratory/geoinfo?set_language=en
- Remarks: One of the labs is Geoinformatics Lab.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Location: Hong Kong 🇭🇰
- World Rank: 47
- Course Title: MSc (Geoinformation Science and Smart Cities)
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): HK$150,000 (approx. US$19,000)
- Website: http://mscgis.grm.cuhk.edu.hk/en/
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Global Top 50 Universities for Master’s in GIS (AMERICA)
University of California, Berkeley
- Location: Berkeley, California, USA 🇺🇸
- World Rank: 10
- Course Title: Master of City Planning
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): US$11,700
- Website: https://ced.berkeley.edu/city/degrees-admissions/master-of-city-planning
University of Pennsylvania
- Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 🇺🇸
- World Rank: 12
- Course Title: Master of Urban Spatial Analytics
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): US$58,678
- Website: https://www.design.upenn.edu/musa/about
University of Toronto
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦
- World Rank: 21
- Course Title:
MSc in Geography
MA in Geography - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: CA$27,055 (approx. US$20,000)
International: CA$49,121 (approx. US$36,000) - Website: https://www.geography.utoronto.ca/graduate-geography/prospective/masters-programs
Johns Hopkins University
- Location: Baltimore, Maryland, USA 🇺🇸
- World Rank: 28
- Course Title: MS in Geographic Information Systems
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): US$45,800
- Website: https://advanced.jhu.edu/academics/graduate/ms-geographic-information-systems/
McGill University
- Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦
- World Rank: 30
- Course Title:
MSc in Geography
MA in Geography - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Quebec Residents: CA$1,398 (approx. US$1,000)
Non-Quebec Canadian:CA$4,365 (approx. US$3,200)
International Students: CA$9,577 (approx. US$7,000) - Website: https://www.mcgill.ca/geography/graduate
University of Michigan
- Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA 🇺🇸
- World Rank: 33
- Course Title: MS in Geographic Information Systems
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Michigan Residents: US$25,884
Out-of-state / International Students: US$50,800 - Website: https://seas.umich.edu/academics/master-science/geospatial-data-sciences
University of British Columbia
- Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦
- World Rank: 34
- Course Title:
MSc in Geography
MA in Geography - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: CA$5,301 (approx. US$3,900)
International: CA$9,312 (approx. US$6,900) - Website: https://geog.ubc.ca/graduate/masters-programs/
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Global Top 50 Universities for Master’s in GIS (OCEANIA)
The University of Melbourne
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺
- World Rank: 14
- Course Title: Master of Spatial Engineering
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: AU$38,688 (approx. US$26,000)
International: AU$50,272 (approx. US$34,000) - Website: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/graduate/master-of-spatial-engineering/
The University of Queensland
- Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia 🇦🇺
- World Rank: 43
- Course Title: Master of Geographic Information Science
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: AU$8,380 (approx. US$5,600)
International: AU$42,992 (approx. US$29,000) - Website: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/programs/master-geographic-information-science-5610
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Global Top 50 Universities for Master’s in GIS (EUROPE)
Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
- Location: Zurich, Switzerland 🇨🇭
- World Rank: 7
- Course Title:
Master of Geomatics
Master of Spatial Development and Infrastructure Systems - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): CHF 1,460 (approx. US$1,600)
- Website: https://baug.ethz.ch/en/studies/rauming/master.html
University College London
- Location: London, UK 🇬🇧
- World Rank: 9
- Course Title:
MSc Geospatial Analysis
Msc Geospatial Sciences
MSc Geospatial Sciences (GIS and Computing)
MSc Geospatial Sciences (Building Information Modeling) - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: £18,000 (approx. US$22,000)
International: £35,000 (approx. US$44,000) - Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/geography/gis/
The University of Edinburgh
- Location: Edinburgh, UK 🇬🇧
- World Rank: 22
- Course Title:
MSc in Geographical Information Science
Msc in Earth Observation and Geoinformation Management - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: £16,100 (approx. US$20,000)
International: £32,000 (approx. US$40,000) - Websites:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/index.php?r=site/view&edition=2020&id=74
https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/index.php?r=site/view&id=874
The University of Manchester
- Location: Manchester, UK 🇬🇧
- World Rank: 32
- Course Title: MSc Data Science (Applied Urban Analytics)
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: £15,500 (approx. US$19,000)
International: £31,000 (approx. US$39,000) - Website: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/masters/courses/list/11425/msc-data-science-applied-urban-analytics/all-content/#course-profile
Technical University of Munich
- Location: Munich, Germany 🇩🇪
- World Rank: 37
- Course Title:
Cartography M. Sc.
Geodesy and Geoinformation M. Sc. - Indicative Annual Tuition (2023): €304 (approx. US$335)
- Websites:
https://www.ed.tum.de/en/ed/studies/degree-program/cartography-m-sc/
https://www.ed.tum.de/en/ed/studies/degree-program/geodesy-and-geoinformation-m-sc/
King’s College London
- Location: London, UK 🇬🇧
- World Rank: 40
- Course Title: Urban Informatics MSc
- Indicative Annual Tuition (2023):
Domestic: £11,760 (approx. US$14,700)
International: £31,080 (approx. US$38,700) - Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/urban-informatics-msc.aspx
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Among the top 50 universities in the world mentioned above, each one has its unique strengths and characteristics, providing students with diverse learning and research opportunities. Regardless of your profession and interests, these schools can provide you with suitable educational resources and development opportunities to gain deeper professional knowledge and practical experience in the GIS field.
Pursuing a master’s degree is not a simple decision, and careful consideration is required from choosing the target country and school in order to select the most suitable learning and research environment for yourself. Hopefully, this article can provide you with useful references when choosing a school, and we wish every one of you who is reading this article to achieve more success in your academic and career pursuits in the future! (Last Updated on Sep 23, 2023)
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My name is Glenn Kong. You can find me on Medium or LinkedIn.
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