James E. Young, Chair and Associate Professor
YoungJE@appstate.edu

Kathleen Schroeder, Program Director and Associate Professor
SchroederK@appstate.edu

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http://www.geo.appstate.edu/

The Department of Geography and Planning offers the following graduate programs:

• Master of Arts degree in Geography, Thesis Option (237A/45.0701)
• Master of Arts degree in Geography, Non-Thesis Option (237*/45.0701) with concentrations:
  • General Geography (237B)
  • Geographic Information Science (237D)
  • Planning (237C).
• Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science (114A/45.0701)
• Graduate Certificate in Planning (109A/45.0701)
• Graduate Minor in Geography (241/45.0701).

The graduate degree programs in Geography are designed to provide students with a broad range of academic and professional options. Foundations of the programs include preparing students for: 1) Ph.D. work in geography or planning, and 2) professional opportunities in applied geography and planning.

Past graduates have found jobs working in fields such as: geographic information science, environmental analysis and policy development, transportation planning, urban planning, satellite image analysis, cartography, regional planning and sustainable development, economic development, and land resource management.

Faculty and students are actively engaged in research investigating: climate change, biome change, GIS applications (viticulture; flood modeling; property valuation; visualization), globalization processes, economic development, community development, transportation and land use, precipitation climatology, mountain environments, and natural hazards.

The Department also offers graduate certificates in Planning and in GIScience for students interested in gaining proficiency in those areas without completing an entire degree. Completion of the certificate does not guarantee admission into the MA degree program.

 

GRADUATE MINOR IN GEOGRAPHY (241/45.0701)

A graduate minor is geography consists of 9 semester hours of graduate courses, including GHY 5000: Research Themes and Methods (3) plus 6 s.h. of electives (3-6 s.h. chosen from GHY courses, excluding GHY 5989, and/or 0-3 s.h. chosen from PLN courses).

 

PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR THE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SCIENCE (Certificate Code: 114A/45.0701)

Admission Requirements: Admission and enrollment in a graduate degree program at Appalachian OR
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; complete application to the graduate school; official GRE general exam scores, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and cover letter (not to exceed two pages) stating reasons why applicant wishes to enter the program.

Minimum Criteria for Unconditional Admission: (Undergraduate GPA X 400) + GRE Verbal + GRE Quantitative = 2000

Location: On Campus

 

PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR THE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN PLANNING (Certificate Code: 109A/45.0701)

Admission Requirements: Admission and enrollment in a graduate degree program at Appalachian OR
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; complete application to the graduate school; official GRE general exam scores, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and cover letter (not to exceed two pages) stating reasons why applicant wishes to enter the program.

Minimum Criteria for Unconditional Admission: (Undergraduate GPA X 400) + GRE Verbal + GRE Quantitative = 2000

Location: On and Off Campus; please contact the Office of Extension and Distance Education for information on off-campus cohort starting dates and locations (http://www.ext-dl.appstate.edu).

 

PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS IN GEOGRAPHY (Thesis Option) (Major Code: 237A/45.0701)

Admission Requirements: Baccalaureate degree* from an accredited college or university; complete application to the graduate school; official GRE general exam scores, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and cover letter (not to exceed two pages) stating reasons why applicant wishes to enter the program.

*Students entering the graduate program without a baccalaureate degree in geography are required to make up deficiencies in the areas of physical geography, human geography, and geographic techniques in consultation with the graduate committee.

Minimum Criteria for Unconditional Admission: (Undergraduate GPA X 400) + GRE Verbal + GRE Quantitative = 2000

Location: On Campus

*A maximum of 3 s.h. of 5989 and 3 s.h. of 5999 can be included in the minimum 30 hours required.

Other Requirements for the MA in Geography (Thesis Option):

• Thesis: Required
• Proficiency: None required
• Comprehensive: Required
• Product of Learning: None required

PROGRAM OF STUDY FOR THE MASTER OF ARTS IN GEOGRAPHY (Non-Thesis Option) (Major Code: 237*/45.0701)

Admission Requirements: Baccalaureate degree* from an accredited college or university; complete application to the graduate school; official GRE general exam scores, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and cover letter (not to exceed two pages) stating reasons why applicant wishes to enter the program.

*Students entering the graduate program without a baccalaureate degree in geography are required to make up deficiencies in the areas of physical geography, human geography, and geographic techniques in consultation with the graduate committee.

Minimum Criteria for Unconditional Admission: (Undergraduate GPA X 400) + GRE Verbal + GRE Quantitative = 2000

Location: On Campus and Off Campus

Other Requirements for the MA in Geography (Non-thesis):

• Thesis: None required
• Proficiency: None required
• Comprehensive: Required
• Product of Learning: None required

*The Internship will not be initiated until the student has been admitted to candidacy for the graduate degree. The student will complete a research project dealing with the internship experience and an oral defense of the project in lieu of a thesis.

Related Course Listings

• Geography (GHY) and City and Regional Planning (PLN)