Geography, MA

30 credit hours including the required capstone course (GPH 597)

Required Core (3 credit hours)
GCU 585 Geographic Research Design and Proposal Writing (3) or
GCU 596 Geographic Research Methods (3)

Other Requirement (8 credit hours)
GCU 528 Geographic Problems and Context (3) or GCU 529 Contemporary Geographic Thought (3)
GCU 591 or GPH 591 Seminar: Geography Colloquium (1)
GCU 591 or GPH 591 Seminar: Geography Colloquium (1)
methods and statistics course (3)

Electives (13 or 16 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (3 or 6 credit hours)
GCU 599 Thesis (6) or GPH 599 Thesis (6)
GPH 597 Geography Capstone (3)

Additional Curriculum Information
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 topics are often taught in omnibus courses, which have rotating content that 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 time. Other courses may be used with approval of academic unit. For the methods and statistics course requirement, students should consult with the academic unit for eligible courses.

Students take 13 credit hours of electives for the thesis culminating experience option and take 16 credit hours of electives for the non-thesis option.

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

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:

1. graduate admission application and application fee
2. official transcripts
3. personal statement
4. resume
5. three letters of recommendation
6. 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.

The personal statement must address three items:*

1. What specialty in geography does the applicant wish to pursue, and why?
2. What aspects of the applicant's education (a description is needed) will enable the student to pursue this specialty?
3. What additional training does the applicant believe can be obtained at Arizona State University to realize the applicant's educational and career goals?

*Applicants also 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.

Professionals with expertise in geographical sciences research, theory and practice are in high demand across sectors and industries, including consulting firms, government agencies, community organizations and public and private research facilities. 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.

Some graduates of the program continue on to pursue doctoral degrees.

Career examples include:

• environmental scientist or specialist
• geographic information systems technician
• geological materials technician
• geophysical data technician
• geoscientist
• geospatial information scientist or technologist