Program Overview

Overview

The Master of Science in Applied Geographic Information Systems (MSc in Applied GIS) is a single-degree coursework Master's programme hosted in the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore (NUS). This innovative programme provides an exciting opportunity for prospective students to study at NUS, the top university in Asia, as a pathway to a PhD or further practical career in applied GIS or related disciplines.

Programme Structure

The curriculum of the MSc in Applied GIS programme consists of core compulsory courses and elective courses. Core courses will be offered every academic year. Elective courses may not necessarily be offered in the same academic year.

Core Courses

• GE5223: Introduction to Applied GIS
• GE5226: GIS Applications
• GE5219: Spatial Programming
• GE6211: Spatial Data Science
• GE5225: Thesis Planning and Implementation
• GE6225: GIS Research Thesis
• GE6226: GIS Research Project

Elective Courses

Geography

• GE4211: Advanced Hydrology and Water Resources Management
• GE4212: Environmental Modeling
• GE4214: Remote Sensing of Environment
• GE4240: Spatial Decision-Making
• GE4241: Spatial Health
• GE5211: Dynamic Environments
• GE5212: Cities and Global Connections
• GE5216: Geography and Social Theory
• GE5217: Research Methods in Environmental Sciences
• GE5218: Research Methods in Human Geography
• GE5227: Internet GIS
• GE5228: Spatial Big Data & Analytics
• GE5230: Geospatial Statistics and Visualization
• GE5231: Geospatial Machine Learning
• GE5880: Topics in Geography I
• GE6212: Mapping Global Economic Change
• GE6213: Tourism Geographies
• GE6221: Discussing Human-Environment Interactions
• GE6222: Transnationalism and Society: Comparative Spaces
• GE6223: Navigating the Boundaries between Science and Policy
• GE6224: Political Geography
• CCS5104: Methods and Practice in Sustainability
• CCS5201: Introduction to Climate Modelling

Non-Geography

• BL5233: Data Analysis for Conservation Biology with R
• BL5323: Spatial Modelling for Environmental Sustainability
• BT4015: Geospatial Analytics
• BPS5229: Data Science for the Built Environment
• CE5310: Hydroinformatics
• CS5346: Information Visualisation
• ECA5372: Big Data Analytics & Technologies
• DEP5105: Urban Infrastructure & Mobility Systems
• ST5201: Statistical Foundations of Data Science
• ST5226: Spatial Statistics
• TP5025: Intelligent Transportation Systems

Admission Requirements

The MSc in Applied GIS has one intake per year (August). Applicants seeking admission to the thesis or project tracks of the MSc must have obtained:

• a Honours degree (Merit/Second Class and above) or the international equivalent (e.g., a four-year Bachelors degree with at least an average grade of B or equivalent) in the subject or related fields; or
• a good Bachelors degree (at least an average grade of B or equivalent) in the subject or related field, and with a minimum of one year of relevant work experience; or
• such other qualifications and experience subject to approval by the Board of Graduate Studies.

Duration

Full-time students will study over three semesters, which start in Semester 1 (August–November), continue in Semester 2 (January–April), and end in Semester “3” (comprising the two Special Terms and running from May to July). Students will take courses during the first two semesters and produce a thesis (for Thesis Track) or a project report (for Project Track) during the third semester.

Assessment

The assessment for each course will be based on a combination of examination and continuous assessment, specified in each course. A candidate who fails a core course, defined as receiving a F for the course, must retake the same core course during the period of candidature. A candidate is allowed to retake the same core course once. Failure to pass the core course after the second attempt will result in termination of the candidature.

Graduation Requirements

The graduation requirements for both Thesis Track and Project Track are as follows:

• Thesis Track: students are required to complete 40 Units before graduation, including six core courses (GE5223, GE5219, GE6211, GE5226, GE5225, and GE6225, sub-total = 32 Units) and any two elective courses (sub-total = 8 Units). Students wishing to continue to the GE6225 GIS Research Thesis course (third semester) must have passed all courses with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0. In order to graduate, students must also pass the course GE6225 GIS Research Thesis with at least a grade B- to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 at the end of the course of study.
• Project track: students are required to complete 40 Units, including five core courses (GE5223, GE5219, GE6211, GE5226, and GE6226, sub-total = 24 Units) and any four elective courses (sub-total = 16 Units). Students wishing to continue to GE6226 GIS Research project (third semester) must have passed all courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In order to graduate, students must also pass the course GE6226 GIS Research Project with at least a grade B- to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 at the end of the course of study.

Fees and Payment

The tuition fee for AY2026/2027 intake is S$53,150 (including GST). Payment should be made in equal instalments over 2 regular semesters for full-time students and 4 regular semesters for part-time students. There will be a 40% tuition fee rebate if the student is a Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident. There will also be a 20% tuition fee rebate for international students if they are NUS alumni.

Scholarships

MSc in Applied GIS Scholarship

There are two merit-based MSc in Applied GIS Scholarship open to successful full-time applicants who demonstrate academic excellence. The scholarships will be awarded to two applicants from ASEAN countries (excluding Singapore Citizens and Singapore Permanent Residents, for whom fee rebates are available). Each scholarship includes a 50% tuition fees waiver.

NUS ASEAN Master’s Scholarship

The NUS ASEAN Master’s Scholarship is a continuation of the DiscoverNUS scheme. It is an exclusive bond-free scholarship that covers full tuition fees for the normal candidature period of a Master’s degree programme at NUS.

ISEAS-Yusof Ishak

The ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute will consider to award a scholarship to successful applicants of the MSc in Applied GIS Programme offered by NUS Geography.

Singapore Geospatial Scholarship

The Singapore Geospatial Scholarship is a collaboration among nine public service agencies to offer local and overseas undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships in geospatial-related courses.