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MBA: Geographic Information Sciences

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

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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 students at EIU

Why Study MBA: Geographic Information Sciences at EIU?

  • Core business coursework is blended directly with real GIS and spatial analysis training
  • Get direct experience with ArcGIS and QGIS, not just theoretical exposure to GIS concepts
  • Offered in-person or online, letting you fit the program around yout current work and life
  • Built to prepare students for roles in GIS management, consulting, and research, with a foundation for further advancement
  • Perfect for working GIS and urban planning professionals, business analysts, recent geography or business grads, and government agency professionals
See it for yourself Schedule a Visit
"From the moment I stepped onto campus, every professor, staff member, and student I encountered treated me with such genuine warmth and respect, as if I were already a valued member of their community. Despite not having officially joined the EIU family, I immediately felt a deep sense of belonging. The atmosphere was one of comfort and inclusivity, where everyone seemed genuinely invested in my success and well-being."
Abbey McCord
MBA: Geographic Information Sciences | Class of 2025
Abbey McCord, MBA: Geographic Information Sciences at EIU

Hands-On Experience

  • Work directly in ArcGIS and QGIS, building real technical tool proficiency rather than just conceptual understanding
  • Apply spatial analysis to genuine business applications
  • Use core business strategy and decision-making skills in a simulated business environment.
  • Options like Advanced Lidar Mapping, GIS Programming, and GIS Building Geodatabases let you build specialized, hands-on technical depth
  • Work alongside peers from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, mirroring cross-functional teams you'll join in the workplace
Hands-On Experience, MBA: Geographic Information Sciences students at EIU

What You'll Learn

The Geographic Information Sciences option in the MBA supports careers that use computer systems to capture, store, analyze, manage and present spatial data in fields such as management, logistics, insurance and telecommunications.

View in Catalog
$103,300
Median Salary for These CareersMedian salaryThe median is the middle value: half of the people counted earn more and half earn less. It is an estimate for a typical graduate, not a promise of what you will earn. Pay varies by employer, location, experience and the specific job.

Career OutcomesCareer outcomesThese are example careers that graduates of this program often pursue, taken from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET occupation list. They are examples, not job guarantees, and many graduates work in other fields.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

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

Career Insights

Job Outlook ★ Bright Outlook Bright OutlookBright Outlook careers are ones with a promising future. They're expected to grow quickly, to have lots of job openings, or to be brand new and emerging. A career earns the label if it meets any one of these: projected growth of 5% or more, at least 75,000 projected openings, or New & Emerging status.
Grow Rapidly: Jobs in this career are expected to grow 5% or more over the next several years, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics projections.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor Grow Rapidly
Preparation Needed Extensive (5/5)Job Zone 5: Extensive preparationMost of these careers require graduate school, and many also call for more than five years of experience.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor
Personality Fit InvestigativeInvestigative interest typeYou like digging into how things work. This type of work involves researching and analyzing natural phenomena, living things, health problems or human behavior.Source: O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor

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. Annual limits are reduced in proportion for part-time enrollment.
  • ✓ Working? If your employer offers it, they can provide up to $5,250 per year tax-free toward your education.

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. Students who borrowed for the same program before July 1, 2026 may have different limits.

Talk to EIU Financial Aid → Read about the 2026 federal aid changes
15% of lifetime limit

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

Connect With Us

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

Message Nichole

or email nhugo@eiu.edu directly
Candra Chahyadi
Professor of Finance
cchahyadi@eiu.edu
3016 Lumpkin Hall
217-581-6367
Candra Chahyadi Message Candra

Message Candra

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

Message Billy

or email billy@eiu.edu directly

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