ABOUT PMPGIS

Offered by the University of Washington Department of Geography, the Professional Master's Program in Geographic Information Systems (PMPGIS), with a concentration in sustainability mangement, helps working professionals enter or advance their careers in the field of geospatial systems and technology industries. Take an advanced approach to designing sustainable solutions for complex problems by incorporating GIS.

Through this program, you'll build advanced spatial thinking skills using GIS techniques and learn to use decision support workflows for sustainability management. Specifically, you'll learn to combine geovisualization, data management and geospatial analysis to develop, examine and portray data in two- and three-dimensional maps. Specialized courses explore sustainability workflows and investigate the interconnection of social, environmental and economic issues on a regional to global scale.

PMPGIS prepares students to model and solve complex land, resource and transportation problems in a wide range of disciplines. Apply what you learn to a variety of contexts, including:

• Ground and surface water resources
• Land resources
• Highway, rail and transit transportation
• Environmental management
• Marine and coastal resources
• Alternative energy
• Climate adaptation
• Utilities management
• Forest resources
• Public and environmental health
• Historic preservation and archaeology; and more

GIS Professionals in Demand
Individuals with advanced GIS skills are in great demand in both the public and private sectors. The Department of Labor indicates that the desire for current geospatial information and technologies has created enormous job opportunities for people with many different talents and educational backgrounds.

First-Rate Instructors and the Convenience of Online Learning
Most PMPGIS courses are taught by Department of Geography instructors who have doctoral degrees. The program offers students the convenience of learning online combined with three days of intensive classroom experiences in the Puget Sound region each summer. Students complete their degree with a capstone final project that demonstrates the depth of their skills and creativity.

Program Benefits
Through the program you can:

• Study online at a world-class university without paying out-of-state tuition
• Enjoy summers in Seattle for three days of intensive study
• Earn your master's degree while employed
• Communicate instantly with instructors and classmates in a diverse virtual community
• Learn core competencies that you can use to earn certification as a GIS professional from the GIS Certification Institute