The faculty in the Department of Geography offer graduate programs leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Geography. Students interested in human geography may choose areas of study in cultural, economic, land use systems, population, or urban geography; students interested in physical geography may choose areas of study in climatology or geomorphology.
Students admitted to the Master of Education degree program with a major in Secondary Education may also elect geography as the subject matter field. See “Master of Education” for information on the M.Ed. degree.
MASTER OF ARTS
The M.A. program is designed to offer a specialized program of academic and professional training in geography so that the student may secure a sound graduate background for further specialization or for immediate service. The program has sufficient flexibility to allow for individual needs and interests of the student. A minimum of 30 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree is required. At least 24 hours must be in geography.
Admission. Applications for the M.A. program must be accompanied by the applicant’s scores on the Graduate Record Examination (verbal and quantitative) and three letters of recommendation from professors. All applications are reviewed by the Graduate Committee and the chair of the Department of Geography. In order to be considered for financial assistance for the next academic year, students must be admitted by February 15.
It is presumed that all students entering the master’s program have an adequate background in geography, including course work that is the equivalent of GPH 371 Cartography and GCU 495 Quantitative Methods in Geography. Additional prerequisite course work is required of students insufficiently prepared in geography. The program of study consists of the following elements:
| GCU 529 | Contemporary Geographic Thought (3) | |
| or GCU 596 | History of Geographic Thought (3) | |
| GCU 585 | Advanced Research Methods in Geography (3) | |
| GCU/GPH 591 | Seminar (3) | |
| GCU/GPH 599 | Thesis (6) | |
| Total: 15 | ||
The remaining 15 hours are composed of a suitable combination of course work and/or research.
A student in the M.A. program is required to pass an oral and a written examination administered by the student’s supervisory committee. The written examination consists of questions from the area of interest. The oral examination serves as a defense of the thesis.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Admission to the Ph.D. program requires a completed master’s degree in Geography or equivalent preparation. At a minimum this preparation should include competence in cartography and quantitative methods and basic course work in human and physical geography. Students who have not already acquired these basic skills or taken these basic courses must do so during the first year of their graduate program. These courses are considered prerequisites.
To be considered for financial assistance for the next academic year, students must be admitted by February 15.
The specific academic program is carefully planned by the student in consultation with a supervisory committee. Special efforts are taken to plan a course of study compatible with the student’s career objectives.
See “Doctor of Philosophy” for general requirements.
Program of Study. A minimum of 30 semester hours of course work at ASU beyond the master’s degree is required, plus a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit in research and dissertation. All Ph.D. students are required to take GCU 585 and GCU 529 or 596.
Foreign Language Requirements. At the discretion of the student’s supervisory committee, a reading proficiency in a foreign language may be required.
Field Examination. The Department of Geography requires the student to pass a two-week field problem examination before taking the comprehensive examination.
Comprehensive Examinations. Written and oral comprehensive examinations are required. These are taken at the completion of all course work. After students have passed the comprehensive examinations and satisfied the other requirements, they are eligible to apply for candidacy.
Dissertation Requirements. A dissertation based on original work demonstrating creativity in research and scholarly proficiency in the subject area is required.
Final Examinations. A final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required.
RESEARCH ACTIVITY
The university’s location in the arid Southwest provides an ideal laboratory for research into arid land processes and fluvial geomorphology. In conjunction with the department’s Office of Climatology, activities pursued include past climate reconstruction, climate monitoring, climate theories and models, and environmental studies from local to global scales. The Phoenix metropolitan area, populated by 2.5 million people, is an excellent setting for the investigation of land use and transportation conflicts, diverse communities, migration patterns, immigration tourism, and other issues associated with urban development in rapidly growing sunbelt cities. The region also offers the opportunity to study historical and cultural geography associated with, for example, Hispanic populations and Native American communities. Northern Mexico is within easy reach for those interested in field studies in Latin America.
Omnibus Graduate Courses: See omnibus graduate courses that may be offered.
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