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MBA Geographic Information Sciences Option

Also offered as: Business Administration (Graduate)

EIU's MBA with GIS Option combines business acumen with spatial analysis and mapping skills, preparing students to use GIS technology in business decision-making and data-driven strategy. Students gain hands-on training with industry-leading software like ArcGIS and QGIS, working real-world projects that blend business, geography, and remote sensing — building career-ready skills in GIS management, consulting, and research.

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MBA Geographic Information Sciences Option

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Degree Level
Master of Business Administration
Delivery
Fully Online / In Person
Time to Degree
3 Semesters
Credit Hours
33 Total, 33 in Major
Careers
Statisticians, Biostatisticians, Scientists
MBA Geographic Information Sciences Option students at EIU

Why Study MBA Geographic Information Sciences Option at EIU?

  • Core business coursework is blended directly with real GIS and spatial analysis training — this isn't an isolated add-on to a standard MBA.
  • Students get direct experience with ArcGIS and QGIS, not just theoretical exposure to GIS concepts.
  • The three-semester tentative plan is offered in-person or online, letting students fit the program around their current work and life.
  • The program is explicitly built to prepare students for roles in GIS management, consulting, and research, with a foundation for further advancement.
  • Working GIS and urban planning professionals, business analysts, recent geography or business grads, and government agency professionals are all part of the program's intended audience.
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"I didn't expect to get real experience this early, but by my sophomore year I was already working on projects that felt like actual marketing work. It made me feel confident that I'm ready for what comes next."
Alex Wilcoxon
Marketing | Junior
Alex Wilcoxon, Marketing at EIU

Hands-On Experience

  • Students work directly in ArcGIS and QGIS, building real technical tool proficiency rather than just conceptual understanding.
  • Coursework applies spatial analysis to genuine business applications, not hypothetical scenarios alone.
  • Students apply core business strategy and decision-making skills in a simulated business environment.
  • Options like Advanced Lidar Mapping, GIS Programming, and GIS Building Geodatabases let students build specialized, hands-on technical depth.
  • Students work alongside peers from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, mirroring the cross-functional teams they'll join in the workplace.
Hands-On Experience, MBA Geographic Information Sciences Option students at EIU

What You'll Learn

The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Option is designed to support careers using computer systems to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage and present spatial or geographical data in a variety of fields including management, logistics, insurance, and telecommunications.

View in Catalog
$103,300
Median Salary 4 Years After Graduation

Career Outcomes

  • Statisticians
  • Biostatisticians
  • Data Scientists
  • Business Intelligence Analysts
  • Clinical Data Managers
  • Survey Researchers
  • Business Teachers, Postsecondary
  • Mathematical Science Teachers,…

Career Insights

Job Outlook ★ Bright Outlook Grow Rapidly
Preparation Needed Extensive (5/5)
Personality Fit Investigative

Financing Your Degree Under the 2026 Rules

Federal graduate lending changed on July 1, 2026 - Grad PLUS loans ended for new borrowers and new federal borrowing caps now apply to graduate students. Here's why the math still works at EIU:

Estimated total for this degree: ~$15,147 (tuition and fees)

  • ✓ That's only about 15% of the new $100,000 lifetime graduate borrowing limit - leaving room for whatever comes next in your career.
  • ✓ A typical full-time year here runs about $8,262 - well under the new $20,500 annual federal loan limit, so federal loans alone can cover tuition and fees.
  • ✓ Working? If your employer offers it, they can provide up to $5,250 per year tax-free toward your education - at EIU's rates, that can cover a good share of a part-time master's.

Estimates use 2026-2027 Illinois-resident tuition and fees and typical full-time enrollment. Your actual costs and aid depend on your program, enrollment, FAFSA, and prior borrowing.

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15% of lifetime limit

$15,147 total, just 15% of your $100,000 federal graduate borrowing limit

Connect With Us

Nichole Hugo, Graduate Coordinator
Professor Hospitality and Tourism, Graduate Coordinator of Sustainability, MBA Graduate Coordinator
nhugo@eiu.edu
3625 Lumpkin Hall
217-581-8595
Nichole Hugo, Graduate Coordinator Message Nichole

Message Nichole

or email nhugo@eiu.edu directly
David Boggs
Professor of Management
djboggs@eiu.edu
3014
217-581-2627
David Boggs Message David

Message David

or email djboggs@eiu.edu directly
Billy Panther
Head of Panther Pride
Old Main
217-581-2223
Billy the Panther Message Billy

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or email billy@eiu.edu directly

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