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PhD in Geography

Phd in geography, university of north carolina at charlotte.

Now accepting applications for Fall 2025

GRE requirement optional for 2025 Admissions

The priority deadline for funding consideration is February 15th, 2025

The PhD in Geography is our department’s core doctoral program reflecting the multi-disciplinary research and teaching expertise of our exceptional and award-winning faculty. Graduate students engage in coursework from within and across three areas of focus: Urban and Regional Analysis, Earth and Environmental Systems, and Geographic Information Science. A broad range of elective courses build upon shared training in the theoretical and methodological foundations of Geography, advanced research approaches (quantitative and/or qualitative) and spatial technologies and analysis. Independent research follows yielding a dissertation that advances knowledge in Geography and its related disciplines.

Doctoral students in Geography at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte are members of a student-centered, well-resourced and collegial department comprised of social, physical and applied scientists. As many as half of our PhD students are supported through competitive Graduate Assistantships or Fellowships and our students are frequent recipients of the university’s most prestigious scholarships and national awards. Currently, the program’s Graduate Assistantships include a 9-month stipend of $22,500 plus tuition and health care support through a Graduate School GASP Award.

Our commitment to professional development translates into student involvement in faculty-led research and outreach teams; summer field work grants; financial support to present at national and international conferences; and preparation for teaching and research excellence both pre and post-graduation. Doctoral students in the program have established a tradition of engagement and leadership in the department, across campus, and within national and international professional associations such as the American Association of Geographers and its regional and specialty groups.

The program is structured to be completed within 4 years and our graduates find professional success across the occupational spectrum – as tenure-track professors, international researchers, community planners, analysts with local to national scale governments, post-doctoral fellows, applied scientists, spatial entrepreneurs, private sector consultants and more.

We are now accepting applications for Fall 2024 Admission. Applications received before February 15, 2024 will be given priority consideration for available assistantship and fellowship funding.

Please note that our program will continue to waive the GRE requirement for applicants seeking admission for Spring and Fall 2024. If applicants wish to submit GRE scores they may still do so and those will be considered in the review process.

Admission and requirements? Please refer to UNC Charlotte Graduate Catalog

Ready to apply? Please refer to UNC Charlotte Graduate School Admissions

Questions? Please contact program director Dr. Colleen Hammelman [email protected]

Resources for PhD in Geography Program

• PhD GEOG Course Listing
• PhD GEOG Proposed Plan of Study Form
• PhD GEOG Milestone Checklist
• PhD GEOG and GURA Dissertations
• Typical Timeline for UNC Charlotte Doctoral Programs
• Fellowships, Awards and Competitions

Alumni Dr. Paul McDaniel and students Tonderai Mushipe and Jaeho Ko connect at Race, Ethnicity and Place (REP) conference in Austin, TX, Fall 2018.

Publications by our PhD Geography Students and Recent Alumni (and their faculty co-authors)

• J. Claire Schuch & Tonderai Mushipe . 2021. “Light Rail and Neighborhood Change: Comparative Perspectives of Residents, Local Media, and Other Stakeholders” Housing Policy Debate , https://doi.org/10.1080/10511482.2021.1949371
• Elizabeth Delmelle, Isabelle Nilsson & Providence Adu . 2021. “Poverty Suburbanization, Job Accessibility, and Employment Outcomes” Social Inclusion , DOI: 10.17645/si.v9i2.3735
• Brisa U. de Hernandez, J. Claire Schuch , Janni Sorensen & Heather A. Smith. 2021. “Sustaining CBPR Projects: Lessons Learned Developing Latina Community Groups.” Collaborations: A Journal of Community-based Research and Practice , DOI: http://doi.org/10.33596/coll.69
• Paul H. Jung & Jun Song. 2021. “Multivariate Neighborhood Trajectory Analysis: An Exploration of the Functional Data Analysis Approach” Geographical Analysis , https://doi.org/10.1111/gean.12298
• Yu Lan , Michael R. Desjardins , Alexander Hohl & Eric Delmell e. 2021. “Geovisualization of COVID-19: State of the Art and Opportunities” Cartographica: The International Journal for Geographic Information and Geovisualization , DOI: 10.3138/cart-2020-0027
• Maryam Khabazi & Isabelle Nilsson. 2021. “Connecting people with jobs: Light rail’s impact on Commuting patterns” Travel Behaviour and Society , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2021.03.003
• Claudio Owusu , G ary S.Silverman , David S.Vinson, Rajib Paul , Kathleen M. Baker & Eric M. Delmelle. 2021. “Predicting coliform presence in private wells as a function of well characteristics, parcel size and leachfield soil rating” Science of the Total Environment , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143701
• Daidai Shen , Jean-Claude Thill & Jiuwen Sun. 2021. “The determinants of city population in China” Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science . https://doi.org/10.1007/s41685-020-00170-8
• Minrui Zheng , Wenwu Tang, Akinwumi Ogundiran & Jianxin Yang. 2020. “Spatial Simulation Modeling of Settlement Distribution Driven by Random Forest: Consideration of Landscape Visibility” Sustainability , https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114748

Geography, PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD Geography

The specialized academic and professional training students receive in the PhD program in geography is sound graduate background for further specialization or for immediate employment. The program has sufficient flexibility to allow for individual needs and interests, allowing students to create a plan of study that fits their personal and professional goals.

In addition to innovative coursework, the state-of-the-art Spatial Analysis Research Center and Urban Climate Research Center offer students the opportunity to work with exceptional faculty on diverse research projects. Students have the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in geography, including four members of the National Academy of Sciences and rising talent in the fields of climate science, sustainability and environmental science, urban heat island research, GIS and more.

Students in the program have the ability to build a path of knowledge that reflects their personal interests within the realms of geography. Students benefit from a wide variety of coursework and research opportunities in four broad interdisciplinary themes that span the expertise of the faculty within the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning:

• computational spatial science
• earth systems and climate science
• place, identities and culture
• sustainability science and studies

Additional Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, an oral comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (3 credit hours) GCU 585 Geographic Research Design and Proposal Writing (3)

Electives or Research (43 credit hours)

Methods or Statistics Electives (6 credit hours)

Skills Electives (6 credit hours)

Specialization Electives (9 credit hours)

Other Requirement (5 credit hours) GCU 529 Contemporary Geographic Thought (3) GCU 591 or GPH 591 Seminar: Geography Colloquium (1) GCU 591 or GPH 591 Seminar: Geography Colloquium (1)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) GCU or GPH 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information Doctoral students entering with a bachelor's degree must complete 84 credit hours. These hours include 72 credit hours of coursework and research at ASU and 12 dissertation credit hours.

Doctoral students entering with a master's degree must complete 54 credit hours. These include 42 credit hours of combined coursework and research hours at ASU and 12 dissertation credit hours.

Coursework and research hours are selected by the student in consultation with an advisory committee. The program recognizes that other graduate-level courses are offered at ASU. Advanced courses are often taught in omnibus courses, courses that have rotating content and whose content is not reflected in their titles. Students may include these courses in their curriculum with approval of the program directors.

The other requirement course, Seminar: Geography Colloquium, is taken twice, once in each of the first two semesters of the program, for one credit hour each. Other courses may be used with approval of academic unit.

Up to six credit hours of 400-level coursework may be applied toward the plan of study.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree, in any field, from a regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• personal statement
• three letters of recommendation
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.

Incoming students must demonstrate or attain competence in cartography and quantitative methods and complete other basic coursework that will enable them to pursue graduate studies in their area of specialization.

The personal statement must address four items:

• What specialty in geography does the applicant wish to pursue, and why?
• What aspects of the applicant's education (a description is needed) will enable the student to pursue this specialty?
• What additional training does the applicant believe can be obtained at Arizona State University to realize the applicant's educational and career goals?
• Applicants should provide any other information they feel should be considered in their application for admission, e.g., research experience or information which might be drawn from the applicant's resume.

Letters of recommendation must be from three faculty members who can attest to the applicant's academic achievements.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, career opportunities.

Professionals with expertise in geographical sciences research, theory and practice are in high demand across sectors and industries, including institutions of higher education, consulting firms, government agencies, research facilities and community organizations. Skills in geographical data analysis, mapping and climate science are valuable to businesses and institutions relying on research-based approaches to solve complex real-world problems.

Career examples include:

• atmospheric, earth, marine or space sciences professor or instructor
• environmental scientist or specialist
• geographic information systems technician
• geophysical data technician
• geoscientist
• geospatial information scientist or technologist

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-7533

School of Earth, Society & Environment

Department of Geography & Geographic Information Science

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PhD in Geography

The PhD is a highly individualized degree that emphasizes advanced training and research. Students develop and demonstrate both depth and breadth in geographical inquiry. They gain an understanding of the major epistemological and methodological questions that have shaped the development of geography as a discipline and master a set of research methods that are appropriate to their area of specialization. Students acquire a detailed understanding of a particular sub-field of geography, conduct and disseminate independent research in that sub-field and broaden their backgrounds through study in one or more allied disciplines. The program is intended to lead students into innovative research as demonstrated in research seminars, independent investigations, and the completion of a dissertation. The student's academic performance must be marked by initiative, intellectual integrity, a sense of problem, and critical acumen.

Students can enter the PhD program through two routes:

• after earning a Bachelor’s degree   or
• after earning a Master’s degree

Admission to the PhD is limited to those who have achieved distinction in previous undergraduate and graduate work (a 3.2 GPA on a 4 point scale is a generally accepted criterion) and who have demonstrated the determination and initiative required for doctoral success.

Accelerated PhD Program for students entering with a Bachelor's Degree

Geography phd requirements - university of illinois academic catalog.

Geography PhD

Geography is an inquiry into the patterns and processes that make up the surface of the Earth. It is a broad field of inquiry that, in our department, includes glaciers and climate change, the origins of agriculture and the evolution of plant life, the culture of cities and the dynamics of the global economy.

Such a wide range of themes gives each student great freedom to choose a research topic, develop an intellectual style, and select approaches to gathering evidence and making persuasive arguments. That freedom also includes opportunities to go outside of the department and make use of the tremendous resources of the campus as a whole. Our goal is to help each student find his or her own combination of intellectual rigor, creativity, and independence.

Ph.D. Program in Geography

The program is divided into three major areas:

• Global Development and Political Economy
• Earth System Science
• Geospatial Representation and Analysis

Within these domains, a wide range of faculty interests are represented, such as political ecology, economic geography, cultural geography, post-colonial studies, urban studies, geography of race and gender, climatology, geomorphology, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS). Faculty members come with a broad spectrum of regional specialties as well, including Africa, South and East Asia, the Arctic, the Everglades and Mississippi Delta, Brazil, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

The faculty has been expanded in recent years to include a number of affiliates in other departments with expertise in such fields as GIS, gender and social movements, natural resources, fluvial geomorphology, environmental engineering, landscape ecology, and urban planning.

Berkeley students are expected to be independent, and we welcome those who have had professional experience and wish to return to deepen their education. Students are encouraged to range freely through the curriculum and to follow their inspiration where it leads, working in tandem with faculty advisors. Students choose their own mentors, often utilizing two or three faculty in equal measure; these may include faculty affiliates and members from other departments.

While faculty have their own research agendas and teaching specialties, and often collaborate with students, we believe students should march to their own drummer. We expect students to read extensively, develop the necessary research skills, and produce well-crafted thesis and dissertation. Many students publish their findings along the way, as well. Berkeley Geography offers the highest quality graduate training for future scholars and teachers at the collegiate level, as well as for those going into professional careers in government, NGOs and consulting.

Contact Info

507 McCone Hall

Berkeley, CA 94720

At a Glance

Department(s)

Admit Term(s)

Application Deadline

December 3, 2024

Degree Type(s)

Doctoral / PhD

Degree Awarded

GRE Requirements

PhD in Geography

The geography PhD program at Minnesota reflects the intellectual breadth of the discipline by maintaining strengths in the broad areas of human geography, physical geography, nature-society relationships, and geographic information science.

Our faculty and students are engaged in teaching and research both within and across these broad areas as evidenced by prominent research themes within the program: culture, place, and flow; environmental change; geographies of the information society; geovisualization; globalization and uneven development; governance, citizenship, and justice; metropolis and world; and nature and society.

To support you in gaining both depth and breadth within the discipline, the program is highly individualized with a limited number of requirements. You work with your advisers to design individual programs suited to your educational and professional goals.

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PHD, Geography

The department of Geography at UGA is a leading center of scholarship on the physical and social processes that shape our world. We offer a Ph.D. in Geography.

Degree Type: Doctoral

Degree Program Code: PHD_GEOG

Degree Program Summary:

Global patterns of resources, population, culture, and economic systems. Factors contributing to these patterns and distinctions between the technologically advanced and less advanced regions of the world. Geographic factors underlying multiculturalism and ethnic relationships in the United States. Spatial development and organization of culture; population growth, migration, and urbanization; and the spatial dimensions of political, economic, and social processes. Geography opens doors to a wide variety of careers such as international business representative, environmental manager, business location/allocation expert, market researcher, community development and planning specialist, surveyor, mapmaker, satellite image analyst, weather forecaster, natural resource manager, and cultural or environmental interpretive specialist. Our graduates find rewarding careers and are well compensated. Average starting salaries for geography graduates are in the top quarter of all programs in Arts and Sciences. Average starting salaries of our graduates are also greater than starting salaries for a majority of programs in business. A significant number of our majors continue their education with graduate studies in geography or related disciplines.

The Department of Geography offers graduate programs leading to the MA, MS, and PhD degrees with specialization in physical and human geography and in geographic information science (GIS). The department’s strengths are in biogeography, geomorphology, quaternary studies, geoarchaeology, and climatology; social theory, labor studies, political economy, and gender; population, urban, economic, social, and development geography; and cartography, photogrammetry, remote sensing, and GIS.

The department has strong ties with the College of Environment and Design; the Center for Archaeological Sciences; the Marine Sciences, Asian Studies, Women’s Studies, and African Studies programs; the Humanities Center; the Institute of Government; the Terry College of Business; and the Institute for Behavioral Research. As a member of the Inter University Consortium for Political and Social Research, the University supports a host of resources and services for social science research. Housed in the Department of Geography is the Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science (CRMS), which undertakes interdisciplinary research projects requiring the development of image and map data and their processing technologies, for applications in the physical, biological, and mapping sciences.

More than sixty graduate students from the USA and overseas are currently in residence. The MA and MS degrees require 7 core hours and a minimum of 18 elective hours, in addition to 6 hours of research and thesis writing. Programs of study tailored for either the MA or MS degree are designed in consultation with the student’s advisory committee. Normally, students with primary interests in physical geography or geographical techniques pursue the MS degree, whereas students with primary interests in human geography pursue the MA degree. For the PhD, the department requires a minimum of 30 credit hours (including 4 core hours if not already taken in the MA or MS degree) and either a reading knowledge of one foreign language or credit for two additional techniques courses.

Geography has excellent teaching and research facilities in a building shared with the Department of Geology. The faculty and graduate students have available to them a number of laboratory spaces. The Geomorphology Laboratory, primarily designed for standard wet chemical and mechanical analyses of soil, sediment, and plant materials, includes a separate work area with PCs, balances, and microscopes. The Plant Microfossil Laboratory is designed principally for the extraction of pollen grains from sediments and includes a separate microscope facility. The TL/OSL Dating Laboratory, a state of the art facility that can be used to date sediments and archaeological materials, has a RISØ TL/OSL DA 15 glow oven/sample changer equipped with a blue light OSL attachment. Other equipment includes a low level beta counter, three alpha counters, and alpha and beta irradiators. The Tree Ring Laboratory has a fully automated stage and computer-controlled microscope imaging system for measuring and analyzing tree cores. The Climatology Research Laboratory (CRL) includes multiple workstations with software packages for climatological analysis. CRL also maintains a NOAAport satellite receiver of real-time meteorological observations, radar imagery, and GOES imagery. Additionally, CRL operates an HPPT satellite receiving station ingesting AVHRR imagery. A variety of microclimatological instrumentation is also available for student use.

In addition to a word processing facility for graduate students, the department maintains separate laboratories for introductory GIS and cartography; advanced GIS, remote sensing and photogrammetry; and spatial analysis and economic geography. Each laboratory is equipped with state of the art computers, both PCs and workstations, on a local area network with digitizers, scanners, printers, and plotters with current software in all areas. CRMS also maintains a complex computer network and extensive software for remote sensing, GIS, and photogrammetric applications. The department owns three vehicles for regional travel and field trips.

Locations Offered:

Athens (Main Campus)

College / School:

Franklin College of Arts & Sciences

346 Brooks Hall Athens, GA 30602

706-542-8776

Department:

Graduate Coordinator(s):

Jennifer Rice

Phone Number:

706-543-0326

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Geography (Ph.D.)

Program director.

University of South Florida

School of Geosciences

College of Arts and Sciences

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Ph.d. in geography, environmental science & policy.

The Ph.D. degree in Geography and Environmental Science and Policy (GEP) is an interdisciplinary program, and its curriculum is designed around critical areas of geography and the environment. The GEP Program is designed to integrate fully the strengths of the Geography, Geographic Information Systems & Science (GIS), and the Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) Programs in the School of Geosciences (SGS) at the USF. Emphasis is placed on providing theoretical rigor and methodological skills, thereby enabling students to make significant and original research and policy contributions in an integrated interdisciplinary environment. In addition, the degree has a very strong applied component emphasizing working on solutions to real-world geographical and environmental problems. Through a commitment to quality interdisciplinary teaching, combined with research and hands-on learning opportunities, the GEP Doctoral Program in the SGS is dedicated to ensuring that students are well prepared for careers in academics, industry, government, NGOs, and the private sector.

• Program Requirements

• Department of Geography >
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Doctoral Program

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program provides in-depth research and technical training and is primarily intended for those interested in careers in research and academia. The University at Buffalo is the only institution in the State University of New York system awarding a doctoral degree in Geography.

PhD Concentrations

• Earth Systems Science
• Economic Geography / International Business & World Trade
• Geographic Information Science
• Health Geography
• Urban and Regional Analysis

Students should expect to devote at least four years to the doctoral program. Credits earned in fulfilling the MA requirements in this Department may be applied toward the PhD requirements. In most cases, graduate hours earned at other institutions may also be applied toward the PhD requirements, if appropriate. Approval of such transfer credits will be granted only after the student's preliminary program has been outlined and approved by the student's adviser.

Students work closely with their adviser, who serves as the chair of the supervisory committee, and two other members of their supervisory committee to design a program that meet their individual and career goals. Program design for the PhD is flexible and depends on the individual student's interest. In consultation with their advisor, students develop a program of study that matches their own research interests and satisfies the general requirements of the doctoral program in Geography. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact faculty and confirm the basis for a program of mutual interest.

For more information on this graduate program, please send an email with your request to  [email protected]

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Geography and Environmental Engineering

Offered By: Department of Environmental Health and Engineering (Whiting school of engineering)

Onsite | Full-Time | 5 years

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About the PhD in Geography and Environmental Engineering Program

A PhD student in the Geography and Environmental Engineering program will explore the current state of knowledge in his or her field. Information and ideas developed by others are critically examined and placed in proper context.

Subject areas are identified that are important to achieving the goals of the discipline, but which have not been explored or developed. The student will propose new research to improve understanding in this key area. A research proposal should then outline, in an orderly and logical manner, how key questions are addressed. While pursuing these research hypotheses, the student must take time to consider alternative explanations for experimental observations, and devise new experiments that critically test assumptions and theories.

The student will learn to state problems clearly and solve them in a reliable and efficient manner. Whatever lines of reasoning one uses, one must be as sure as possible that the conclusions are correct, particularly since there is always some uncertainty in science and engineering. The student must think through their research plans to avoid unproductive activities. Because research involves managing time and resources, the PhD student is receiving excellent preparation for future professional work.

Students have the option to focus their study: Track in Environmental Sustainability, Resilience, and Health (ESRH) .

Doctoral students in the Geography and Environmental Engineering doctoral program have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with faculty from a wide variety of disciplines, including:

• Air pollution and greenhouse gases
• Energy systems
• Public health
• Water quality
• Economic dimensions of environmental health
• Anthropological dimensions of environmental health

PhD in Geography and Environmental Engineering Program Highlights

Fully funded.

The minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000, with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Opportunities to work across departments in the Schools of Public Health, Engineering, and more

WRITE AND PUBLISH

Help with academic writing and grant proposals embedded into coursework, with opportunities to learn from published faculty and peers

TEACHING TRAINING

Teaching assistantships, training, and support for learning to teach, and opportunities for paid TA positions as well

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree in Geography and Environmental Engineering?

• Research or Teaching Faculty
• Research Scientist
• Environmental Engineer (water/wastewater engineer, hydrogeologist, ecologist)
• Data Scientist
• Postdoctoral Research

Curriculum for the PhD in Geography and Environmental Engineering

Browse an overview of the requirements for this PhD program in the JHU  Academic Catalogue and explore all course offerings in the Whiting School  Course Directory .

Admissions Requirements

For general admissions requirements, please visit the Graduate Admissions  page.

Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative

The  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI)  is an endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically Black college and university (HBCU) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply .  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative  applicants for the  PhD in Geography and Environmental Engineering  are automatically vetted for eligibility for the VTSI fee waiver during the application process.

Faculty Advisers

The following faculty may be willing to advise PhD students. If you identify a faculty member that you want to work with who is not on this list, we encourage you to ask them about their availability.

Peter DeCarlo

Peter studies the chemical composition of gas particles in the air to improve our understanding of climate, air quality, and health impacts of pollutants.

Paul Ferraro

Paul ­ is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor with joint appointments in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and the Carey Business School. He is known for his research on behavioral economics and the design and estimation of impacts of environmental programs.

Ciaran Harman

Ciaran, an associate professor of landscape hydrology and Russell Croft Faculty Scholar, studies how the structure of landscapes controls the movement of water from rainfall to streams, and how that structure evolves over time.

Thomas Hartung

Thomas Hartung, MD, PhD, steers the revolution in toxicology to move away from 50+ year-old animal tests to organoid cultures and the use of artificial intelligence.

Scot Miller

Scot Miller combines satellite data and statistics to understand greenhouse gas emissions across the globe.

Roni A. Neff

Roni Neff, PhD '06, ScM, researches ways to cut food waste and address climate change through more resilient, equitable, and healthy food systems.

Carsten Prasse

Carsten's research focuses on the occurrence and fate of organic contaminants in the urban water cycle and their impact on environmental and human health.

Tuition and Funding

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the JHU PhD Union, the minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000 for all PhD students with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided, including health insurance premiums for PhD student’s children and spouses of international students, depending on visa type. The minimum stipend and tuition coverage is guaranteed for at least the first four years of a BSPH PhD program; specific amounts and the number of years supported, as well as work expectations related to that stipend will vary across departments and funding source. Please refer to the  CBA to review specific benefits, compensation, and other terms.

Need-Based Relocation Grants Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help. [email protected]

Compare Programs

• Check out similar programs to find the best fit.
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Health
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Earth and Planetary Science

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Geography, ph.d..

The PhD in geography enables students to advance both the breadth and depth of their knowledge of geographic concepts and methodologies. PhD students choose one of three sub-fields in which to specialize: Urban Planning, Transportation and Regional Economic Development; Earth Science and Natural Resource Management; or Geographic Information Science.

• The degree culminates in one of two projects: the traditional dissertation or three papers of publishable quality. 

PROGRAM DISTINCTIONS

• PhD students are closely mentored by award-winning faculty who are world-renowned researchers in their fields. 
• Students have access to modern geographic technology, including an oversized cartographic plotter, GPS equipment, and computers with industry-standard software programs like Arc/Info, ArcView, ERDAS Imagine, ArcGIS, Surfer, AtlasGIS, MapInfo, and ER Mapper.
• State-of-the-art laboratories – like the Geomorphology and Weather and Climate Lab and the Regolith Analysis Laboratory – offer in-depth geographic analysis using the latest precision instruments.  
• UNC Greensboro is ranked as one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to the Princeton Review (2020).

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

• Students work directly with a faculty advisor to undertake their research project(s) and plan major due dates. 
• Competitive funding packages are available including teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and graduate school fellowships. 
• Graduate students attend professional conferences and colloquiums and are encouraged to present and/or publish their theses and dissertations. 

AFTER GRADUATION

• Recent graduates of the Geography PhD program boast a high placement rate in tenure-stream faculty positions across the country. 

APPLY TO Geography, Ph.D. 

Minimum requirements to be considered for admission include:

• 36 hours of undergraduate work in geography or an allied discipline.
• Acceptable scores on the GRE exam. 
• Three strong letters of recommendation.
• A personal statement that summarizes your background and interests in pursuing an advanced degree in geography.

Applicants are also encouraged to submit a writing sample (i.e., publication, research paper written for class, report relevant to your professional activities) that demonstrates their writing ability.

Get more information

Want more information let’s get started, program details.

Degree Type: Doctoral

College/School: College of Arts and Sciences

Program Type: Majors & Concentrations

Class Type: In Person

Learn More About the Department of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability

Dr. Rick Bunch Director of Graduate Studies Department of Geography, Environment, and Sustainability Studies [email protected]

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PhD in Geography

Course of study.

Minimum degree requirement is 54 graduate credits beyond the bachelor’s degree, at least 27 of which must be earned in residence at UWM with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Under the guidance of the advisory committee, the chair of which serves as the student’s major professor, the student plans a program of study leading to the development of a special interest. All programs of study contain the following four elements: core concepts and methods, thematic focus, elective courses (as needed to meet the total credit requirement), and dissertation.

Core Concepts And Methods (four courses)

All students must take the following foundation courses:

• Geog 726 – Geographic Information Systems
• Geog 870 – Contemporary Geographic Approaches
• Any Geography graduate seminar

One of the following three courses:

• Geog 704 – Remote Sensing: Environmental and Land Use Analysis
• Geog 747 – Spatial Analysis
• Geog 827 – Qualitative Research

Thematic Focus (at least three courses)

Students, in consultation with their advisor, must select a minimum of three courses that together confer specialized expert knowledge in one thematic area. The courses selected do not have to come from a single list, and they may include other courses not listed. Local Places: Problems and Issues (relevant courses include):

• Geog 441 – Geography of Cities and Metropolitan Areas
• Geog 455 – Applied Climatology
• Geog 464 – Environmental Problems
• Geog 564 – Urban Environmental Change and Social Justice
• Geog 834 – GIS and Society
• Geog 945 – The Internal Structure of the City
• Geo Sci 465 – Advanced Environmental Geology
• Urb Std 981 – Perspectives Toward Change in Urban Social Institutions
• Urb Plan 720 – Urban Development Theory and Planning

Global and Regional Perspectives (relevant courses include):

• Geog 440 – City Systems and Metropolitan Development
• Geog 443 – Cities of the World: Comparative Urban Geography
• Geog 540 – Globalization and the City
• Geog 730 – Geography of Transportation
• Geog 742 – Urban and Regional Dimensions of Globalization
• Geog 744 – Cities, Regions, and Globalization
• Geo Sci 470 – Engineering Geology
• Urb Std 701 – Comparative Urban Development
• Urb Plan 780 – Seminar in Environmental Planning Issues

Monitoring and Modeling Urban Dynamics (relevant courses include):

• Geog 411 – Physical Climatology
• Geog 420 – Methods and Principles in Land Form Geography
• Geog 520 – Physical Geography of the City
• Geog 650 – Geography Field Work
• Geog 704 – Remote Sensing:Environmental and Land Use Analyses (if not taken in core)
• Geog 747 – Spatial Analysis (if not taken in core)
• Geog 804 – Advanced Remote Sensing
• Geog 826 – Intermediate Geographic Information Science
• Geog 827 – Qualitative Research (if not taken in core)
• Geog 904 – Remote Sensing and Urban Analysis
• Geog 926 – Advanced Geographic Information Science: Geographic Modeling
• Geo Sci 730 – Modeling Techniques for Hydrogeology
• Urb Std 725 – Methods of Urban Community Development
• Urb Plan 721 – Applied Planning Methods

Research Techniques (elective course)

Students who have not taken a research techniques course in their prior graduate program should consult with their faculty advisor regarding their enrollment in Geog 910 – Techniques of Research and Presentation, an introduction to theoretical and practical aspects of geographic research, funding, presentation, and publication. Ideally, students should enroll in this course after their first full year of courses, but no later than their fourth semester, after they have completed the majority of CORE requirements. The course is designed to assist students with the initiation of their Ph.D. dissertation research.

Foreign Language Requirement

If appropriate to the proposed area of study, the student’s committee will require that s/he acquire the necessary competence in a foreign language. The major professor will supervise the completion of this requirement with input from the committee as necessary.

Elective Courses

Courses taken from geography or cognate fields to achieve the total of 54 credits required for the PhD degree. Students must have the approval of their advisors for the elective courses.

Graduate Grievance Procedures

Federal law and UWM policy require programs and departments to have procedures for graduate students to appeal academic decisions such as grades or scholastic standing. These procedures ensure the protection of students’ rights. These pages serve as a reference on procedures for graduate student academic appeals.

• UWM Graduate School Academic Appeal Procedures

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Graduate Programs

Greetings, prospective graduate student  .

Welcome to the UW Department of Geography! We are excited that you are considering the University of Washington for your graduate work. As the director of the graduate program, I look forward to working with you. The pages listed below should answer many of your questions about our graduate programs, but if you have additional questions please do not hesitate to get in touch :

• M.A. Requirements
• Ph.D. Requirements
• Living & Learning in Seattle
• Resources for Graduate Students

We offer both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Geography and these programs are fashioned at the intersection of several broad research specialties. Following the work of the faculty, graduate students are encouraged to think outside the box of any particular "adjectival" sub-field of human geography. Our programs draw on expertise in the following key areas: critical development and poverty studies; racial capitalism; economic geographies; labor geographies; political ecologies; feminist and queer geographies; carceral and abolition geographies; urban, social, and political geographies; geographic information systems; remote sensing; spatial data science, and critical and humanistic approaches to these technologies and fields. We encourage you to visit faculty members' websites and explore their recent publications to learn more about how each of us engages these themes.

We have an outstanding record of successful graduates. You can read more about their work in their   profiles   and find details about our  diverse fields of interest . You can also find  recent publications by both faculty and graduate students . 

Please read about   how to apply to our graduate programs , as well as the requirements for our   M.A.   and   Ph.D.   programs. Our deadline each year is the weekday closest to December 15, to be considered for autumn quarter admission in the following year. I look forward to speaking with you further about your research interests: please feel free to contact myself or Nell Gross, Director of Academic Services ( [email protected] ).

Sincerely,  Prof. Bo Zhao , Graduate Program Director ( [email protected] )

Why choose the UW Department of Geography?

• A leader in the discipline:   For over 80 years the Department of Geography has consistently ranked among the top ten departments in the US. The University of Washington is currently ranked No. 3 among U.S. public universities on the most recent Academic Ranking of World Universities .

Financial support:   The department is committed to providing funding for new and continuing students throughout their graduate studies with teaching and research assistantships.

• Interdisciplinary opportunities:   Strengthen your research and networks through UW's many possibilities for cross-campus collaboration, including with the   Simpson Center for the Humanities   and the   College of Arts & Sciences Social Science Research Centers .
• Awards and grants:  Our outstanding graduate program attracts a diversity of national and international students who engage in original field research and are regularly awarded prestigious grants and fellowships to fund their research and writing.   
• Career options:  Our graduate students take up teaching and research positions in the academy as well as in the public and private sectors at the international, national, and regional levels.  

For information about our graduate programs, or for questions related to your application, please contact:

Prof. Bo Zhao, Graduate Program Director  ( [email protected] ) Nell Gross, Director of Academic Services  ( [email protected] )

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Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Course requirements.

• GEOG 201: Seminar in Geography (Required every quarter until doctoral candidacy; S/U grading only)
• GEOG 200A, B, and C: Introduction to Geographic Research
• GEOG 210A, B, and C: Analytical Methods in Geography
• GEOG 500: T.A. Training (Required for all Teaching Assistants. Ph.D. students must enroll in GEOG 500 if they haven’t already taken it as a M.A. student)

  Students must earn a grade of B or higher in GEOG 200B, 200C, 210A, 210B, and 210C.

Teaching Requirement

All doctoral candidates must teach (usually in the capacity of a Teaching Assistant) a minimum of one quarter at some time before being granted the Ph.D. degree.

Graduate Council Regulations Regarding Committees

• The Doctoral committee must consist of at least three UC Academic Senate members, with a tenure-track faculty member from Geography serving as chair or co-chair.
• At least two members of every Doctoral committee must be tenure-track faculty.
• The majority of the three members shall be from Geography. Recommendation of additional members to the Doctoral committee is at the discretion of the Geography department.

Residency Requirement for the Ph.D. Degree

Students in doctoral programs must enroll for at least 6 regular academic quarters. Three consecutive quarters of residence must be completed prior to advancement to candidacy. If you were enrolled in the M.A./Ph.D. program and you were registered for 6 quarters as a Master’s student (including 3 consecutive quarters), you do not have to enroll for another 6 quarters to satisfy the residency requirement. Continuous registration is expected of all graduate students. Under special circumstances, students may request a leave of absence from the Dean. Students who are neither registered nor on an approved leave of absence lose all status and privileges as students, cannot hold fellowships or other forms of financial support, and must apply for reinstatement (and, when applicable, re-advancement to candidacy).

Normative Time-to-Degree Standards for the Ph.D. Degree

This is the length that the Department believes is a reasonable amount of time for a student to complete a Ph.D. In the Geography Department, students have a time limit of 4 years to advance to candidacy and 6 years to complete the Ph.D. degree. It is important to understand that the time-to-degree standards for the Ph.D. are measured from the time a student first begins graduate study at any level in any program at UCSB. This means that, if you did your Master’s degree at UCSB, the entire time used to complete the M.A. degree counts toward the time limits for the Ph.D.

If you exceed the Time-to-Degree limits for the Ph.D. program, you will enter the Graduate Division Time-to-Degree monitoring or probation process as described at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu. The Department will deliver written notification to students if the time standard for completing a master’s degree has been exceeded. The departmental Graduate Advisor and the student’s faculty advisor will consult with the student to develop an Academic Progress Plan (signed by the faculty advisor and the student). After Graduate Division receives a copy of the written notification and Academic Progress Plan, the student will be on departmental progress monitoring status for the remainder of the academic year or until the degree milestone is completed. For a student who has not advanced to doctoral candidacy or completed the degree after the period of probation, the Graduate Dean will ask the department to recommend and justify (a) continued academic probation, which must involve extenuating circumstances, or (b) academic disqualification. Students who are beyond the Time-to-Degree limits for advancement to doctoral candidacy or degree complete in are not eligible for central fellowship support.

PhD Emphasis

• Climate Sciences and Climate Change

Joint Degree Program

• SDSU Joint Degree Program
• Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Marine Science (IGPMS)

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Requirements of the Ph.D. Program

Prior to advancement to candidacy, the Geography Department requires:

• A diagnostic interview
• A written comprehensive examination
• An approved dissertation proposal
• An oral qualifying examination

All incoming Ph.D. students will be required to take a diagnostic interview to assist in the preparation for undertaking a doctoral program in Geography. Graduate students who have completed the M.A. in our Department and are continuing to the Ph.D. are exempt from the Diagnostic Interview requirement. The interview will normally be oral and last about an hour. Two professors, appointed by the departmental Graduate Committee, will be responsible for administering it; however, any department faculty member may also participate, should he or she so elect. Although the student’s primary area of interest will be emphasized, students should anticipate questions which will probe their general knowledge of the entire field of geography; thus, a systematic review of geography coursework may be helpful in preparing for the interview. Within ten days of completion of the diagnostic interview, the student will receive an analysis of the results of the interview from the chair of the examining committee, assessing strengths and weaknesses, and suggesting coursework or independent study by which such weaknesses may be strengthened. A copy will also be lodged in the department files. The interview will normally be administered during the first year of the student’s residence.

Students must be registered during the quarter in which they take qualifying exams. Registration as a graduate student in the Spring Quarter maintains graduate status until the beginning of the next Fall Quarter. A student who registered in Spring Quarter may, therefore, take examinations or file a dissertation during Summer without additional fees. A student who did NOT register Spring Quarter, however, will have to use filing fee status to file a dissertation and may NOT take Ph.D. qualifying examinations in the summer unless he/she registers in summer session.

The student’s Ph.D. Committee will administer the written comprehensive examination. Ph.D. written exams conform to the following standards:

• The exam will span three days, with questions from at least three examiners. There will be 2-3 questions per day. Student will be given 24 hours to answer each day’s questions.
• The questions should be coordinated and reviewed by the Chair of the committee before being given to the student.
• The exam is open book, enabling the student to access internet resources as well as the Library/Melvyl.
• Questions will not be given in advance.

The exam should be structured to test the student’s knowledge, research skills, problem solving skills, and the student’s ability to do academic work. The content of the questions is a matter of suggestion, but, ideally, it should include general geography, techniques, and the student’s systematic area of study.

Past examination questions are maintained in a department file so that you may see the types (and relative difficulty) of questions asked. To aid in preparation for the examination, the Department will provide a reading list. The reading list is simply a guide for study and should not be interpreted as a catalogue of required knowledge. Consult with the chair of your committee for additional suggested reading. The written qualifying examination will normally be administered in the student’s fourth, fifth, or sixth quarters of his/her residence. Following administration of the examination, the faculty will evaluate the student’s performance in each section. Except in unusual circumstances, the chair of the student’s dissertation committee will provide the student with a written evaluation of the examination within 2 weeks and, in all cases, no longer than 6 weeks of finishing the exam. It is expected that all committee members will grade all questions, although a member may skip questions well outside his/her expertise. Each member will assign one of the following grades to each question: Excellent; Satisfactory; Unsatisfactory.

  If one or more committee members grades a question as Unsatisfactory, it must be rewritten according to feedback from the committee. An Unsatisfactory section may be rewritten once, in the same quarter or the quarter immediately following the receipt of the written evaluation.

Prior to the student’s oral qualifying examination, the student will prepare a dissertation proposal which describes the dissertation topic, summarizes the relevant background literature, and presents a comprehensive research plan for the student’s doctoral dissertation, including a timetable and budget which identifies any financial support essential to preparation of the dissertation. All members of the student’s Doctoral Committee must approve this proposal. Students should be aware that the first draft of the proposal is unlikely to be accepted as is. Several drafts are usually necessary. Proper and correct use of the English language is required for the proposal. A list of theses and dissertations is posted at the department’s website at http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/graduates/. Copies of most theses and dissertations are available for checkout in the department - those that are not available in the department can be found in the Special Collections Department of the main Library. Theses and dissertations are cataloged and searchable in Pegasus, the Library’s online catalog.

Having successfully completed the diagnostic interview and written comprehensive examination, the student’s doctoral committee will conduct an oral qualifying examination, based on a draft proposal for doctoral research. It is expected that the oral exam will take place soon after the written exam, normally within four months following the successful completion of the written exam. Graduate Division regulations require that three consecutive quarters of residence must be completed prior to taking the oral qualifying exam. Thus, the oral exam will normally be taken in the fourth, fifth, or sixth quarters of residence. The general objective of this examination is to ensure that the student has a satisfactory proposal for dissertation research, and that the student possesses the full knowledge and competence required to carry out his or her dissertation research. Upon successful completion of the oral exam, a student who carries out the program of research agreed upon by the committee will be entitled to the Ph.D. degree, assuming the research is carried out with demonstrated quality, is written up satisfactorily for the dissertation, and is defended satisfactorily at the doctoral defense. Thus, the examination will emphasize (but not necessarily be limited to) the systematic and technical areas relevant to the student’s proposed dissertation research and the viability and relevance of the specific elements of that research. Following the examination, the committee members shall vote “Pass” or “Fail” on the student’s level of preparation. A unanimous passing vote is required for advancement to candidacy. This examination is usually open only to voting committee members.

A student is advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. after completing all course requirements and residence requirements, passing the written comprehensive and oral qualifying exams, filing Ph.D. Form II, and paying the $50.00 advancement to candidacy fee. Students with Incompletes, NG, or NR grades on their record are ineligible to advance to candidacy until such grades have been removed. Following advancement, the student will normally devote a full-time effort during the academic year to carrying out the research for, and writing of, the doctoral dissertation. Graduate Division regulations require that the student be registered and enrolled continuously during this time.

Students are reminded that they have until the last working day before the next quarter officially begins (as indicated in the Graduate Division calendar) to officially advance to candidacy, including paying the $50.00 advancement fee. After advancing to doctoral candidacy, a student’s class level changes to P2 the next registered quarter, non-resident supplemental tuition is waived for three years (9 academic quarters), if applicable, and additional borrowing privileges are granted at the Davidson Library.

International Students: The non-resident supplemental tuition is reduced by 100% for graduate doctoral students who have advanced to doctoral candidacy, subject to the understanding that (a) a graduate student may receive the reduced nonresident fee rate for a maximum of three continuous years (9 academic quarters), and (b) any such student who continues to be enrolled or who re-enrolls after receiving the reduced fee for three continuous years will be charged the full nonresident tuition that is in effect at that time.

Graduate Council has set a four-year time limit for advancement to Ph.D. candidacy for all graduate students. Any exception to the policy must be requested by the home department on behalf of each graduate student.

Following the completion of doctoral research, each candidate for the Ph.D. degree must present a dissertation demonstrating the ability to contribute significantly and independently to the major field. The candidate’s Doctoral Committee guides the student in this work and judges the merit of the completed dissertation. Approval of this dissertation by each member of the Doctoral Committee is required for the degree (Academic Senate Reg. 355B). After receipt of the final draft of the dissertation, a formal oral defense will be scheduled and announced to the department as a whole. The purpose of the defense will be to clarify segments of the dissertation and/or acquaint the candidate with the nature of any further work that needs to be undertaken prior to approval of the dissertation. The Graduate Division cannot award a degree until a Doctoral Form III is received from the department indicating that the student has successfully defended the dissertation. All approved committee members must sign Form III. These signatures must be the same as the signatures appearing on the approval pages of the dissertation (it’s a good idea to circulate Form III at the same time that the approval pages are circulated for signatures). A public lecture (colloquium) is encouraged to present the results of the doctoral research to the entire University community. The defense may be waived only in unusual circumstances, with the unanimous consent of the candidate’s Doctoral Committee and the Department Chair, using Doctoral Form III-A (Senate Regulation 355C).

In the quarter when you plan to file your Ph.D. dissertation, you should meet with the Staff Graduate Program Advisor to get advice on the process of completing your degree and to obtain a copy of the current Ph.D. Dissertation Filing Checklist.

Optional Interdisciplinary Emphases

Students pursuing a doctoral degree in Geography may petition to add the following Optional Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Emphases: Climate Sciences and Climate Change, Cognitive Science, Demography, Environment and Society, Global Studies, Information Technology and Society, Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences.

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Home » Prospective Students » PhD in Geography

PhD in Geography

PhD in Geography is an internationally-respected program designed to provide students with the methodological skills and theoretical perspectives necessary for undertaking independent, analytical research. Faculty and students collaborate to investigate critical issues dealing with society, geospatial inquiry, and the physical environment.

Admissions Deadlines

IMPORTANT NOTICE: FSU now requires a course-by-course credential evaluation for Fall 2024 applicants and beyond that have degrees from a non-U.S. institution. International and domestic applicants with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through a NACES approved evaluator for transcripts from a non-U.S. institution. SpanTran has created a custom application for FSU that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate.

See the “ Transcript Requirement” section on The Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions , for detailed information on University transcript requirements. Fall 2024 – Opens August 1. For priority consideration submit your application by  January 19.   Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the deadline of  March 1 . Spring 2025 – Deadline to apply is  October 1 .

*International applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications earlier due to the extended time for visa processing

Deadline to Submit a GRE Waiver

Fall 2024: December 11 – for students applying prior to the January 19 priority deadline. February 12 – for students applying prior to the March 1 deadline. 

Spring 2025: September 8

Program Requirements

Please click  here for program requirements. 

International Admissions

We welcome students from all over the world to join our program!  Please check out the  International Admissions page  to learn more about applying to FSU as an International student.  

Connecting with Faculty

Students are strongly encouraged to identify and make contact with 3-4 prospective faculty members that would serve as supervisors for the duration of their graduate program. A good research fit between advisor and advisee is the cornerstone of a successful graduate experience, so communications between prospective students and advisors should be initiated before the application deadline. Ph.D. students are unlikely to be admitted if a faculty member does not agree to serve as their advisor. Faculty members are approached by many prospective students and as such must be selective about whom they can admit.  – For an overview of Faculty expertise  click here . – For research interest and contact information please  click here .     *Click on each Faculty member’s name for more information.

Full financial support is available for qualified students. Funding is approximately $21,000 per year (fall and spring) plus a 9 hours tuition waiver (with a possibility of summer teaching for an additional $2,500). Funding for students with a master’s degree is for 4 years, and 5 years for students without a master’s degree. Funding is conditional on good scholastic standing and available Departmental resources. students are liable for FSU fees not covered by the scholarship below.

Qualified students with a Graduate Assistantship/Appointment will receive up to $250 in scholarship funding per semester. To qualify for the scholarship, graduate assistants must be enrolled full-time, as determined by the Graduate School, in a degree seeking program and must be employed from at least the first day of classes through the last day of finals. Graduate Assistants working 20 hrs.+ (.50 FTE) shall be awarded $250. Graduate Assistants working 10-19 hrs. (0.25 FTE – 0.49 FTE), shall be awarded $125 per semester .

Additional funding and awards offered by the University can be found here: Funding & Awards

Transcripts

Unofficial Transcripts:

• Unofficial Transcripts are required for your application to be reviewed. Please submit ALL unofficial transcripts from each College and/or University attended. Unofficial Transcripts must be translated into English for review. *Applications will show as incomplete until official transcripts have been submitted. Applications with incomplete status due to missing official transcripts will still be reviewed. 

Official Transcripts :

• Official Transcripts are required for Admitted students and must be submitted prior to beginning classes. See the “ Transcript Requirement” section on The Graduate School website, https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/graduate-admissions , for detailed information on University transcript requirements.

International Transcript Requirements : 

FSU now requires a course-by-course credential evaluation for Fall 2024 applicants and beyond that have degrees from a non-U.S. institution. International and domestic applicants with degrees earned from international institutions must submit their official transcripts through a NACES approved evaluator for transcripts from a non-U.S. institution. SpanTran has created a custom application for FSU that will make sure you select the right kind of evaluation at a discounted rate. https://gradschool.fsu.edu/admissions/international-admissions

• All transcripts/academic records that are not in English must be accompanied by certified English translations. 
• To be considered “certified,” documents should be true copies that are signed and dated by an educational official familiar with academic records. Any translated record should be literal and not an interpretive translation. Documents signed by a notary or other public official with no educational affiliation will not be accepted. 
• If the transcript/academic record does not indicate the degree earned and date the degree was awarded, separate proof of degree is required.

GPA & GRE Scores

It is recommended to have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher and GRE scores of at least 144 (Quant) and 153 (Verbal).  Applications from students with lower GPA and GRE scores may also be accepted to the program. GRE Waivers are available for students meeting the criteria (See section below). 

GRE Waivers

Applicants can submit a GRE waiver if they meet at least one of the academic preparation criteria and at least one of the research aptitude criteria.  I.  Academic Preparation

• Upper-division undergraduate GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) from a nationally or internationally accredited college or university.
• Graduate GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) from a nationally or internationally accredited college or university.

II .  Research Aptitude

• Undergraduate research-based thesis or independent research project conducted for at least one semester (e.g., FSU UROP program).
• Completed research-based graduate degree (i.e., resulting in a thesis or dissertation).
• Extensive (at least 4 months) relevant professional research experience related to the applicant’s graduate training goals.
• Co-authored research paper published in a peer-reviewed ISI journal.

Documentation: GPAs and Degrees must be documented by students providing unofficial transcripts. To document professional experience, students must provide a resume or CV and the name of at least one professional reference. Theses and publications can be documented with a copy of the manuscript or article. If an applicant does not meet these criteria but has extenuating circumstances limiting their ability to take the GRE test (e.g., test not readily accessible where they live; medical issues or disability), particularly related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they should contact the Geography Graduate Program Director ( [email protected] ).  All applicants have the option to submit their GRE scores even if they meet these criteria. GRE Waiver Request Form

Writing Sample

Please upload  one  sample of academic writing. Appropriate writing samples include:

• a chapter from a master’s thesis or undergraduate honor’s thesis,
• a first-author journal article (published, in review, or submitted),
• or a course paper, ideally from a relevant subject area.

Statement of Purpose

Format: 1-2 pages, single-spaced

Please describe the following: 1.) What research topic(s) would you be interested in exploring through graduate studies? What motivates your interest in exploring this topic and doing a graduate degree in Geography at FSU? Why is this topic important and deserving of scholarly attention? How does this program of study advance your career interests? 2.) What previous experiences have prepared you to succeed as a graduate student and conduct research in this area? You may reference relevant academic, professional, and personal experiences. If relevant, feel free to discuss obstacles or hardships that you had to overcome in order to succeed, and how you surmounted these obstacles. 3) How would the Geography graduate program at FSU support you to conduct this research? Which faculty members could supervise your research? What other faculty in the department have complementary expertise that could support the development of your thinking?

Letters of Recommendation

Three letters of recommendation. The letters should be from faculty and/or employers familiar with your academic, research, or professional experience.  This may include but is not limited to education, work, volunteer, and/or internship experiences.

English Language Proficiency

Official English Language Proficiency results are required of all international applicants whose native language is not English. Minimum scores required for admission and additional information can be found  here .     Applications are unable to be reviewed and will be canceled if the minimum requirements are not met .

• Exemptions : This requirement can be waived for students who have completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree from a U.S. Institution or other Institution where English is the required language of Instruction. Exempt students who receive a teaching assistantship will still be required to take the Speak Exam, unless the citizenship is to a Native English Speaking country. 
• SPEAK EXAM : The Geography Department requires ALL International students receiving appointments as Teaching Assistants to pass the SPEAK Exam. The Speak Exam  evaluates the English-speaking ability of non-native speakers of English and is administered free of charge (First time) at Florida State University. 

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• Ph.D. in Geography

Geography and the Environment

PhD in Geography

The doctoral program in geography provides an opportunity to develop expertise in a range of topics across human geography, nature-society geography, community geography, physical geography and geospatial methods. Our faculty members work closely with the small group of doctoral students admitted each year to mentor them in publishing, grant writing, fieldwork and teaching.

We take the training of doctoral students as both scholars and educators very seriously. Students in our doctoral program are fully funded. Our graduate courses are small and provide students a grounding in both foundational and cutting-edge aspects of the discipline. We work with our doctoral students to create innovative and robust research projects designed to prepare them for careers in academia and beyond. We also provide opportunities for our students to gain teaching experience, both as teaching assistants and as instructors of record.

Graduates from our doctoral program become faculty in geography and cognate disciplines, or enter other fields in the nonprofit, public and private sectors. Our department has an excellent track record of placing graduates in academic positions.

Program Requirements

Students entering the Ph.D. program with master's degrees from other universities are expected to have or to acquire qualifications equivalent to those normally achieved by a Syracuse University M.A. in geography. The student must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. Please see the Course Catalog for a complete list of requirements.

Degree Requirements

The Ph.D. degree requires a total of 72 credits of approved graduate work in geography and related fields, which includes the following:

• Up to 30 credits accepted for the master's degree
• 12 credits in dissertation research
• At least 24 credits of coursework must be taken in residence at Syracuse
• At least two-thirds of the coursework (not including the dissertation) must be at the 600 level or above

This program usually takes four-six years to complete.

Dissertation

Students must submit a dissertation proposal to their advisory committee for approval. Students must also take qualifying exams, designed to demonstrate competence in three topical fields. The exam has a written and an oral portion, designed to cover the specific subfields identified by the student in consultation with the advisor and advisory committee. Once a student completes all required coursework, defends their dissertation proposal and passes their qualifying exams, they advance to candidacy (i.e. ABD, or “all but dissertation").

The dissertation, which must be defended in a formal dissertation defense, should be an original scholarly contribution to the field and may be highly varied in methodology, topic and style of presentation.

Meet Our Ph.D. Students

View All Doctoral Students

Nicole Moeller Gonzalez

Mirella Pretell

Jihyuk Park

Sohrob Aslamy

Looking for ph.d. dissertations.

I’ve really found an intellectual home in geography. It is a small field in the U.S., yet one I think is important and well-positioned to tackle some of the major issues we’re facing, from climate change to mass incarceration.”

Madeleine Hamlin ’17 M.A./M.P.A. 2021 Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Emerging Scholar; doctoral student, geography

Public housing violence research earns top honor for PhD candidate

Future Professoriate Program

The Future Professoriate Program (FPP) aims to foster a sense of community among graduate students while allowing them to hone skills related to teaching, research and professional identity development. The purpose of the FPP is to help graduate students develop professionally by means of workshops, annual in-house conferences and a mentored independent teaching experience. Students who complete these activities and produce a teaching portfolio can receive the University’s Certificate in University Teaching. These endeavors are seen as complements to the training in scholarship and teaching that are regular parts of graduate education.

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Department of Geography & Anthropology

Ph.D. in Geography

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is the highest degree offered at LSU. It recognizes and demands mastery of one or more subfields of the discipline. Doctoral students go far beyond the level required for lesser degrees, and their work is expected to be of such quality that it could grace the pages of scholarly books and journals. Although doctoral students are expected to exhibit the intellectual breadth required of an academic position, the Ph.D. is primarily a research degree, and doctoral students should expect to spend little time sitting in undergraduate lecture courses in geography, save those needed to remedy deficiencies.

The Ph.D. Program in Geography involves a total of 31 hours beyond the master’s degree (at least half at 7000-level+) including:

• GEOG 7901 Introduction to Graduate Study (1 hour)
• GEOG 7902 Introduction to Research Methods in Geography (3 hours)
• 9 hours of 7000-level courses (excluding 7901 and 7902)
• 9 hours in approved cognate fields (including one 7000-level course)
• 9 hours dissertation research (GEOG 9000)

Graduate seminars in geography include:

• GEOG7902 Introduction to Research Methods in Geography
• GEOG7906 Settlement Geography
• GEOG7910 Form-Process Relationships in Coastal Environments
• GEOG7911 Selected Topics in Geography
• GEOG7917 Advanced Physical Geography
• GEOG7921, 7922, 7923 Research and Fieldwork in Geography
• GEOG7926 Advanced Geomorphology
• GEOG7935 Quantitative Methods in Geographical Analysis
• GEOG7936 Advanced Qualitative Research in Geography and Anthropology
• GEOG7937 Geographic Literature
• GEOG7938 Culture History
• GEOG7939 Seminar in Cultural Geography
• GEOG7942 Coastal Climatology
• GEOG7945 Socioeconomic Applications of GIS
• GEOG7946 Coastal and Estuarine Resources
• GEOG7950 Problems in the Geography of Latin America
• GEOG7960 Hydroclimatology
• GEOG7973 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
• GEOG7975 Advanced Remote Sensing Seminar

Contact the graduate coordinator in the Department of Geography & Anthropology:

Camille W. Dupuis 227 Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803 225-578-6792 [email protected]

Both current and prospective students can start their enrollment by applying to the LSU Graduate School.

Financial Aid

The Department of Geography strives to support every student admitted to the program, within the constraints of available resources. Support typically includes some work as a teaching assistant or research assistant and some fellowship stipend to allow students time for their own work.

Students with the most successful academic records are nominated for, and generally receive,  multi-year university fellowships  of stipends plus tuition for two years. Combined with department support in the form of teaching or research assistantships and stipends for two more years, these provide four years of support, with a fifth year of stipend for advancing to candidacy within normative time. You can read more about other type’s of fellowships and support on the  Graduate Division Fellowships page .

Other students are typically offered at least one semester of teaching assistantship and one semester of full or partial stipend for the first three years, with a fourth year of stipend for advancing to candidacy within normative time.

In later years, the department and dissertation advisors support students in applying for any national grants for which they are eligible. Over the last ten years, our students have been awarded an average of around $100,000 a year in extramural funding. In addition, we have enough teaching assistantships for advanced students to bridge gaps in fellowship support.

STUDENT PARENTS

If you have children, you are eligible for various forms of aid from the Graduate Division – above and beyond any Department support.

One of the most important is a “Parent Grant” which provides up to $8,000 of additional stipend per academic year for child support. There is also subsidized Family Student Housing and Day Care. For more information and deadlines see the  Financial Support for Student Parents page.

Other Graduate Division resources, including Childbirth Accommodation Funding, are found in the  Families Matter’s Resource Guide .

(DS421) NSF RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM

DS421 is an two-year interdisciplinary graduate training program with the mission to prepare a new generation of researchers and policy makers to address challenges at the intersection of natural, social and data sciences by translating data into evidence-based analysis of impacts and solutions.  The DS421 program is open to incoming and first year PhD students from all departments and schools at UC Berkeley. 

The program seeks a diverse cohort of students with a desire to pursue interdisciplinary research addressing coupled human-natural systems with a strong quantitative, data science component.  Applicants should have a background in one or more of the following areas: natural or environmental science, social science, public policy, landscape architecture, environmental planning, statistics, computer science, or related fields.