can you get a phd in geography

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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

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Ph.D. Degree Requirements

The Doctoral Degree Program enables students to complete a research project of notable scope and originality that will make a significant contribution to the discipline of geography and related fields. Advanced coursework provides an opportunity to gain familiarity with current knowledge in the student’s areas of specialization. Student expertise in their chosen sub-fields is ensured through the Preliminary Review and General Examination. Students may choose to write either a dissertation or three papers of publishable quality. All such research efforts are expected to meet high standards of research design and data analysis.

Students in this program are supervised by a committee throughout the course of their graduate work. At different points in the program, the committee has different roles. There are a  preliminary committee, a doctoral supervisory committee, and a reading committee . 

Current graduate students can find doctoral degree procedures and policies detailed on the  Department of Geography Graduate Student Resources Canvas page.

Find information about the transition from M.A. to Ph.D. for students who initially enter the M.A. program and intend to continue to the Ph.D.

Ph.D. Requirements

Completion of all work for the doctoral degree must occur within 10 years. This includes quarters spent On-Leave or Out of Status as well as applicable work from the master’s degree from the UW or a master’s degree from another institution, if applied toward one year of resident study.  A student must satisfy the requirements that are in force at the time the degree is to be awarded.

Current students may assess their progress towards these requirements by  conducting a degree audit in MyPlan .

1. Required Courses

• GEOG 500: Contemporary Geographic Thought.
• GEOG 511: Contemporary Research Design in Geography, or another approved social science research design course from another department–for more information, please consult the Graduate Program Coordinator.
• Satisfactory completion of one graduate level methods course in or outside the department. This course should be approved in advance, before enrollment, by the student’s faculty supervisor and communicated to the Graduate Program Coordinator. The course satisfaction will be entered in the student's record by Director of Academic Services. If methods is the Supporting Field of Concentration Outside Geography for Ph.D. students, this course can count as one of that concentration’s required number of courses.
• Satisfactory completion of at least three quarters of GEOG 598: Geography Colloquium.
• Submission of a publication to a scholarly journal or other outlet that requires professional review (in consultation with the doctoral committee). The publication may be jointly-authored with a faculty member or with another graduate student but the graduate student asking for the waiver must be the first author.
• Application for funding to an external agency, such as the National Science Foundation.
• Two departmental research seminars number 500 or above. These should be designated as “seminars” or “research seminars." GEOG 500, 502, 511 and 513 and the graduate level methods course do not count toward this requirement. In some cases, a “directed readings” course (GEOG 600) may count in lieu of this requirement. To petition for this substitution, the GEOG 600 faculty member should write an appeal to the Graduate Program Director.

2. Credit Requirements

• Completion of 90 credits.
• At least 60 of these credits should be at the University of Washington (including 27 GEOG 800 credits).
• With the approval of the degree-granting unit, an appropriate master’s degree from an accredited institution may substitute for 30 credits of enrollment. Contact your faculty adviser to request this approval.
• Student must achieve a grade of at least 3.0 in all departmental courses, and a grade of 2.7 in all related courses used to satisfy degree requirements. An overall grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained to remain in the program and is required for a graduate degree at the university.

3. Supporting Field of Concentration Outside Geography

This requires that PhD students should demonstrate a sound level of competence in a Supporting Field of Concentration Outside Geography, evidenced by successful completion of a minimum of two courses outside the department. The Supporting Field of Concentration Outside Geography and the specific courses shall be determined by the student in consultation with their Supervisory Committee. Students should consider that the Supporting Field of Concentration Outside Geography may be helpful in selecting additional Supervisory Committee members who are not Geography Graduate Faculty.

4. Successful Completion of the   Preliminary Review

5. creditable passage of the   general examination.

• Registration as a graduate student is required the quarter the exam is taken and candidacy is conferred.
• Numerical grades must be received in at least 18 quarter credits of course work taken at the UW prior to scheduling the General Examination. The Graduate School accepts numerical grades in approved 400-level courses accepted as part of the major, and in all 500-level courses. 

6. Dissertation Proposal 

• Outline a clear research question;
• Situate that question within relevant literature
• Outline a methodological strategy for collecting the necessary data
• Describe a process for analyzing that data; and
• Include a timeline for completion of the work.  
• The proposal is reviewed during a meeting, commonly termed the "proposal defense," with the student and their Supervisory Committee. The GSR is not required to attend the proposal defense.
• Failure of the student to obtain approval for the Ph.D. dissertation proposal within two years of advancement to candidacy will normally result in a recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School that the student be terminated from the Ph.D. program in Geography.

7. Dissertation

• Each paper must be a meaningful original contribution to knowledge as determined by the student's Doctoral Supervisory Committee.
• The intended journals and audiences for each of the three papers must be included as a point of discussion during the dissertation proposal defense.
• So as to disseminate research broadly, each paper should be intended for a unique journal or other publication.
• Satisfaction of all other requirements and guidelines as established by the UW Graduate School . Some committees may further require an introduction and conclusion in addition to these requirements and guidelines.
• Credit for the dissertation ordinarily should be at least one-third of the total credit.
• At least one of these quarters must come after the student passes the General Examination.
• With the exception of summer quarter, students are limited to a maximum of 10 credits per quarter of GEOG 800 Doctoral Dissertation.

8. Creditable Passage of the   Final Examination

• This is also known as the Dissertation Defense. 
• The final examination is typically devoted to the defense of the dissertation and the field with which it is concerned.
• The General and Final Examinations cannot be scheduled during the same quarter.
• Registration as a graduate student, for at least 2 credits, is required the quarter the exam is taken and the degree is conferred.

Optional Social Statistics Concentration

The Social Statistics concentration in the Geography Ph.D. program enables students to develop expertise in applied statistical skills and tools for carrying out quantitative research. The concentration is largely built around a curriculum developed by the Center for Statistics and the Social Sciences (CSSS; course code: CS&SS). Students who complete the Social Statistics Concentration will have advanced training in statistics for social science research relevant to their own research needs. A Letter of Recognition is awarded by the CSSS to students who complete the concentration.

To complete this concentration, Ph.D. students should choose four courses from the following approved list:

• CS&SS 526 (SOC 529) Structural Equation Models for Social Sciences
• CS&SS 529 (BIOST 529/STAT 529) Sample Survey Techniques
• CS&SS 536 (SOC 536/STAT 536) Analysis of Categorical and Count Data
• CS&SS 544 Event History Analysis for the Social Sciences
• CS&SS 560 (STAT 560) Hierarchical Modeling for the Social Sciences
• CS&SS 564 (STAT 564) Bayesian Statistics for the Social Sciences
• CS&SS 566 (STAT 566) Causal Modeling
• CS&SS 567 (STAT 567) Statistical Analysis of Social Networks
• CS&SS 568 Statistical Analysis of Game-Theoretic Data
• CS&SS 569 Visualizing Data
• CS&SS 589 (SOC WL 589) Multivariate Data Analysis for the Social Sciences

After completing the course requirements, the student submits grades received in those courses to the Department of Geography Graduate Program Coordinator. A grade point average of 3.3 or above for the four approved courses is sufficient for a formal completion of the concentration.

Expected Ph.D. Timetable

• Determine appropriate class(es) to take in addition to GEOG 500 (5 credits) and 598 (1 credit).
• Consult with relevant faculty about possible research interests.
• At the end of the quarter, discuss first-term progress and next-term plans, including choosing a faculty advisor, with Graduate Program Coordinator.
• Determine faculty advisor, and confirm this with Graduate Program Coordinator.
• Begin discussions about areas of sub-disciplinary interest, possible dissertation topics, and format of   Preliminary Review   with faculty advisor and relevant other faculty.
• Discuss future coursework with faculty advisor, including appropriate methods courses.
• Continue coursework in consultation with faculty advisor.
• Schedule and complete   Preliminary Review .
• Research possible opportunities for acquiring   funding   for dissertation research.
• Formalize composition of the   Doctoral Supervisory Committee .
• Begin planning and preparation for   General Examination , including securing a GSR .
• Consider applying for   funding   for dissertation research.

Winter and Spring

• Schedule and complete General Examination .
• Begin preparation for dissertation proposal defense and IRB requirements.
• Continue coursework, as necessary. Enroll in GEOG 800 Doctoral Dissertation credits if advisable.

Years 3 and 4

• Schedule and complete dissertation proposal defense by end of winter quarter in year 3.
• Enroll in GEOG 800 Doctoral Dissertation credits, as necessary.
• As possible, submit paper(s) to academic journals for publication.
• Research and write dissertation and, if possible, defend dissertation .
• Finish research and writing and defend dissertation .
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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.

Geographical and Sustainability Sciences

Doctor of philosophy in geography, get your phd in geography.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a 4 to 5 year graduate program that prepares students in geographic research and teaching. Our program is research-focused, and designed for students seeking a career in academia, and for public, private, and non-profit sector positions that require advanced research skills. Students can enter the program with advanced standing from their previous graduate education (e.g., MA or MS), and in limited cases directly from the BA or BS. The PhD program of study leads to:

• Knowledge of the discipline of geography
• Broad knowledge of a subfield of geography and its literature; and
• Specific expertise in the subfield

The first provides a basis for communication with professional colleagues across the discipline. The second represents the general area in which the PhD holder seeks employment, and the third represents the area of most active research involvement. Typical areas of concentration for students in our department include spatiotemporal data modeling, environmental modeling and simulation, geovisualization, spatial decision support systems, health-environment interactions and disease outcomes, ecosystem services, ecological diversity and function, environmental remote sensing, and environmental hazards.

Program requirements

Admission to candidacy occurs after two years of coursework and successful completion of a comprehensive examination (written and oral components). Prior to the comprehensive examination, each doctoral student submits an Area of Concentration Bibliography to their PhD committee. The bibliography is a critical synthesis of research in the student's subfield. Following completion of the comprehensive exam, the student submits a dissertation proposal to the dissertation committee for critical feedback and approval. After proposal approval, the student then completes and defends the dissertation.

Degree timeline

The PhD is a four- to five-year, post-baccalaureate program. Progression toward degree completion occurs through a set of sequential program milestones. These include coursework, an Area of Concentration bibliography, written qualifying examination, dissertation proposal and oral defense (comprehensive), dissertation research and writing, and the dissertation defense.

Course requirements

To fulfill program course requirements, students must take:

• GEOG:5010 Fundamentals of Geography
• GEOG:5070 Research and Writing in Geography
• GEOG:7000 Geography Colloquium taken each semester
• 2 additional courses numbered above 5001
• 2 research seminars in Geography from among GEOG:6100 – GEOG:6500 

Each 5000+-level class is meant to provide breadth for students and provide insight into how research is done at a deep level on a specific topic. Each should provide opportunity for students who specialize in 6 that area to do more in depth work while simultaneously providing an opportunity for students who are new to the topic to discover the nature of its questions and methodology and contribute from their perspectives. Research seminars are intended to engage students in cutting edge research either individually or in a team setting. Students who are not specialists in a particular area are encouraged to participate in research seminars in which they can contribute outside perspectives to team projects or develop new avenues of research on the topic themselves. Additionally, each semester they are in residence, students must register for the department’s colloquium series, GEOG:7000 Geography Colloquium. 

Before receiving the PhD degree, students are expected to serve as both teaching assistants (possibly serve as a classroom instructor) and research assistants. 

Students can enter the program with advanced standing if they have had previous graduate training equivalent to that in the department’s MA program. Students entering the program directly from the BS or BA must complete a minimum of 72 semester hours of graduate work, of which 9 can be thesis hours. Students entering with an MA degree may be able to transfer credits that meet GSS requirements.

Area of Concentration

The PhD degree is the highest degree the University offers and is awarded only to those who demonstrate a high level of scholarship. This means that students must specialize in a fairly specific area of the discipline and demonstrate a high level of competence in that area. The department therefore requires that its PhD students declare an Area of Concentration, give serious thought to the scope and current state of development in that area, demonstrate knowledge of the relevant literature, and be examined on their knowledge of the area of concentration. 

See Chapter 4, Section 1 of the Graduate Student Handbook for more information on selecting an Area of Concentration and creating an Area of Concentration Bibliography

Written qualifying examination

A written qualifying examination ensures that a student is fully prepared to undertake a dissertation in their field of interest and complete their plan of study for a doctoral degree. This examination focuses on, but is not necessarily limited to, the student’s area of concentration. A student must pass this qualifying exam to progress to the dissertation proposal and oral comprehensive examination. 

See Chapter 4, Section 2 of the Graduate Student Handbook to learn more about the written qualifying examination. 

Doctoral dissertation proposal & oral comprehensive examination

The research problem that forms the basis for a student’s doctoral dissertation should evolve out of discussions with their departmental advisor. This topic should be based on knowledge of the area gained through a thorough search of the literature, in courses within the department and in related areas of study, seminars, independent research, and supervised reading in the area.

After passing the written qualifying examination, the student should develop a proposal for their dissertation in close cooperation with their advisor. Commonly such a proposal includes: 

• A clear statement of the purpose of the research and research questions to be investigated
• A brief review of the literature the research area that links to the literature presented in the Area of Concentration Bibliography
• The hypotheses to be tested, sources of data, and proposed procedures for analyzing the data, or
• The general nature of the theoretical or technical work to be undertaken
• A statement on how the student’s research will contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the selected area of study and the novel contribution of the work 

The expected format and length for a dissertation proposal should follow the National Science Foundation’s Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement (DDRI) grant guidelines. With the full committee’s approval, a student’s proposal may vary from these models as appropriate to the problem or topic to be researched.

See Chapter 4, Sections 3 and 4 of the Graduate Student Handbook for more details on the doctoral dissertation proposal & oral comprehensive examination. 

Dissertation Calendar

Candidates for the PhD degree must adhere to certain deadlines with respect to submission of dissertations if they expect to receive their degree at a particular commencement.

Students should work with their advisor to prepare a draft of their dissertation and to prepare a timeline for dissertation preparation that ensures adequate time for revisions based on Graduate College deadlines. Dissertations will be given to the committee when the advisor determines them to be in a satisfactory form.

The Final Examination must be held prior to a date established and published each semester by the Graduate College. Members of the Examining Committee must each receive a copy of the dissertation in revised or final form at least three weeks prior to the date of the Final Examination. Students who submit their work outside of the academic year schedule may be required to wait until the academic year commences for faculty written reaction to their work. Notice of the final exam will be made and all faculty and students will be invited to attend all but the committee deliberation section of the exam.

A digital copy of the complete, finished dissertation must be deposited to the Graduate College by the College’s deadline, which is normally two to three weeks prior to the end of classes; see the official schedule published by the Graduate College for dates.

The above deadlines apply to the academic year only and cannot be guaranteed for the Commencement at the end of the summer session. Faculty members are often off-campus during the summer session and may have obligations that result in an inability to adhere to the above deadlines. 

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Geographical Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

For those entering with a Master's degree in Geography, the PhD should be completed withing 4 years; For those entering with a Bachelor's or without a Geography background, the PhD should be completed within 5 years. Part-time study takes longer, but at least 1 year full-time attendance is required. Students entering with a B.A. or without a Geography background will take one course each in the following areas: Human, Physical, and Methods. See the PhD Handbook for further details.

Students without a Geography background should complete an additional 9 credits in the following areas:

• Environmental and Biological Aspects of Earth Systems Science,
• Human Dimensions of Global Change, and
• Geospatial Information Sciences.

Advance to Candidacy:  In addition to course requirements, students must successfully pass an annual faculty review, a portfolio assessment, and successfully defend a dissertation prospectus.

Post-Candidacy: In addition to annual faculty reviews, students complete at least 12 credits of GEOG899 Doctoral Dissertation Research as well as successfully defend and submit an original dissertation. 

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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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Geography, Ph.D.

The doctoral program in geography will give you a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of your professional field (physical, human or human-environment). You'll also train in methods of research that will give you the necessary intellectual and technical foundation to solve geographical problems across multiple spatial scales.

Through this program, you will gain the skills to:

• Obtain geographic data from multiple sources
• Use geospatial methods and technologies to analyze data
• Synthesize information from multiple sources in geographic domain
• Communicate information effectively
• Apply critical thinking
• Demonstrate proficiency in using appropriate geographic geospatial methods and technologies
• Use appropriate technologies to communicate and collaborate
• Conduct research and solve problems
• Choose ethical courses of action in research and practice

Ph.D. in Geography Program Requirements

Earning a Doctoral Degree

The doctoral program gives you a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of your professional field and training in methods of research.

The final basis for granting the degree will be your grasp of the subject matter of a broad field of study and a demonstrated ability to do independent research. You also must have acquired the ability to express thoughts clearly and forcefully in both oral and written form.

The degree is not granted solely for the completion of coursework, residence and technical requirements, although these must be met.

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Geography (Ph.D.)

Program director.

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

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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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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.

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]

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• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Health
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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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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

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Nicole Moeller Gonzalez

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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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Geography Ph.D.

• Major:  Geography
• Degree:  Doctor of Philosophy
• School/College:  Arts and Sciences

Program Website

See the program curriculum and learn about admission. 

Ready to apply? Take note of any deadlines and documents required for this degree program.

Fall Application Deadline:  January  15

Spring Applications:  Only considered under exceptional circumstances. Contact the Graduate Director at  [email protected]  by October 1 for Spring admission. 

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Official Transcripts
• Personal Statement
• 2 Letters of Recommendation

Optional Documents

• Writing Sample (no more than 15 pages)
• 3rd Letter of Recommendation

*Please do not submit GRE scores; they will not be reviewed by the admissions committee.

Applications Accepted for These Semesters...

• Fall Semester
• Spring Semester (under limited circumstances - contact Graduate Director at   [email protected]   by October 1 for queries)

A Note from the Program

The Department of Geography offers training in fundamental geographic skills and the opportunity for advanced study and research in a variety of fields within the discipline. Areas of faculty expertise include the following: cartography and visualization, GIScience, and remote sensing; political and urban geography; environmental science and climatology; and environment-society relationships and political ecology. Programs of study lead to the M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees. The department has a strong record of success in graduate placement in private- and public-sector careers as well as in the academic sphere. To assist in its educational role, the department administers the GISciences Research Laboratory, the Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute, the Climate Research Laboratory, the Biogeomorphic Research Laboratory, the Center for Excellence in Geographic Education and the South Carolina Geographic Alliance.

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• Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD)

The basic purpose of the graduate program in the Department of Geography is to train scholars and professionals to produce and disseminate knowledge and to make outstanding contributions in the public and private sectors.

Students wishing to pursue graduate work in geography leading to candidacy for advanced degrees should read the  Doctoral Degree Requirements  section carefully. Also see university catalog course requirements .

Prerequisites 

The minimum requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is the successful completion of a Master's (MA or MS) degree program.

Requirements

The Ph.D. degree is not conferred merely upon the satisfactory completion of a course of study. The candidate must also demonstrate proficiency in three broad areas of concentration within your chosen subfield, be able to critically evaluate work in the field, show the ability to work independently in his/her chosen field, and make an original contribution of significance to the advancement of knowledge.

The minimum requirements include  30 credit hours of coursework numbered 5000 or above and 30 dissertation credit hours . Ordinarily the number of coursework hours and dissertation hours will be greater than 30 each. At least 20 hours of coursework must be taken at the University of Colorado; up to 10 credit hours from another institution may be transferred upon approval (after one semester of residency).  A 3.00 (B) average or higher must be maintained in all course work.

Six semesters of residence are required beyond the bachelor’s degree, of which four must be at the University of Colorado; this may include 2 semesters for the Master’s degree.  Students with a University of Colorado MA Degree in Geography may, with Departmental approval, apply all credit hours from 5000 or above courses (except thesis credits) to the Ph.D. requirements.

Ph.D. Language Requirement 

The Department’s minimum language requirement is a demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language. Ways in which this requirement may be satisfied are determined by the student’s Advisor and PhD Committee, and may include timed translation, publication in the language, and/or course work. If more than the minimum proficiency is needed for library and/or field research, the choice and number of languages, as well as the required level of skill and methods of testing these skills, are determined and approved by the student’s Advisory Committee. The language requirement must be satisfied before the Comprehensive Exam is taken.

Preliminary Exam

The Graduate School requires that all students in the doctoral program successfully pass a Preliminary Exam. In Geography, this requirement is met by obtaining a grade of B or better in each of the three required courses: GEOG 5152, History and Theory of Geography; GEOG 5161, Research Design in Geography; and GEOG 5023, Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Geography or GEOG 5722, Field Methods in Human Geography. Following completion of the Preliminary Exam requirement, students undertake preparation for Comprehensive Exams. 

Comprehensive Exams

Following successful completion of the Preliminary Exam, doctoral students must pass a Comprehensive Exam for advancement to candidacy for the doctoral degree. The Comprehensive Exam consists of two parts: an exam on three subfields of geography with written and oral components, and completion of a written dissertation proposal and oral defense. Working together, the student and an Advisory Committee of five faculty set the subfield topics. The student creates a reading list for each subfield, and usually spends a semester reading and preparing for the subfields exam. The Advisory Committee sets the subfields exam questions, and evaluates the written and oral responses, as well as the proposal defense. Upon successful completion of the Comprehensive Exam, a student can turn full attention to dissertation research and writing. 

Dissertation

In addition to the minimum of 30 hours of coursework required for the doctorate, a student must register for a total of at least 30 hours of dissertation credit, with a maximum of 10 hours in any one semester. Not more than 10 of these hours may be obtained before the student has been approved as a candidate for the doctorate (i.e. before the Comprehensive exam has been passed). Coursework and work on the dissertation may proceed concurrently throughout the Ph.D. program, but at no time shall a doctoral student register for more than 15 hours of 5000 level and above courses. 

Following successful completion of comprehensives and “admission to candidacy,” students must register continuously. Students admitted to “candidacy for degree” will register for and be charged for a minimum of 5 dissertation hours each semester. Students may also register for classes in addition to the 5 dissertation hours. After “admission to candidacy,” those not making use of campus facilities may register for 3 dissertation hours (part-time status). Continuous registration during the academic year will be required until completion of the dissertation defense. It is expected that the student and advisor will consult each semester as to the number of hours for which the student will register, consistent with the classifications described above.

See Theses & Dissertations  for a list of past work.

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Course type

Qualification, university name, phd degrees in geography.

70 degrees at 44 universities in the UK.

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Select the start date, qualification, and how you want to study

Related subjects:

• PhD Geography
• PhD Applied Geology
• PhD Climatology
• PhD Economic Geography
• PhD Geography and Earth Sciences
• PhD Geology
• PhD Geophysics
• PhD Human Geography
• PhD Meteorology
• PhD Oceanography
• PhD Paleontology
• PhD Petroleum Geology
• PhD Physical Geography
• PhD Soil Science

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• Price: low - high

Geography PhD

Newcastle university.

Join us for a PhD in Geography. Our research engages with applied issues and public policy concerns. It also covers more abstract cultural Read more...

• 36 months Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 72 months Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Royal Holloway, University of London

About us The Department of Geography is in the top tier of UK departments and has consistently been identified as one of the highest Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)

University of Gloucestershire

What is Geography We offer a range of postgraduate research opportunities for Geography at the University of Gloucestershire, these include Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £3,400 per year (UK)

University of Hertfordshire

A University of Hertfordshire research degree is an internationally recognised degree signifying high levels of achievement in research. Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £5,925 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,960 per year (UK)

Geography, Environment and Development Studies MPhil/PhD

Birkbeck, university of london.

Our PhD programmes aim to train you to conduct research of the highest academic standard and to make an original contribution to the Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 7 years Online degree: £2,500 per year (UK)

Human Geography PhD

University of glasgow.

Our Human Geographers are ranked 1st in the UK for research publications and 1st in the UK overall for internationally excellent and Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

University of Hull

Geography and Earth Science research at the University of Hull is renowned for its international scope and relevance across human and Read more...

• 5 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

University of Nottingham

A leading centre of postgraduate teaching and research, the School of Geography has internationally recognised strengths across the Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree

University of Plymouth

Physical Geography involves the study of environmental processes and change, and pressures on the environment arising from human activity. Read more...

• 4 years Part time degree: £3,180 per year (UK)

Bangor University

Geography research at Bangor covers both human and physically aligned work, with a strong interdisciplinarity and applied focus, Read more...

Migration Studies - PhD

University of kent.

We offer high-quality supervision across a wide range of social and public policy areas seeking to research and examine causes and effects Read more...

Geography MPhil/PhD

Ucl (university college london).

UCL Geography is an established international leader in geographical research. We are committed to theoretically informed empirical Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £6,035 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £3,015 per year (UK)

Queen Mary University of London

The breadth of the School's research expertise offers a wide range of opportunities for those wishing to embark on a programme of doctoral Read more...

PhD Geography (Arts)

Aberystwyth university.

The core scientific objective that underpins our research in the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences is to develop understanding of Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)

MPhil/PhD in Geography and Environment

Manchester metropolitan university.

Discover your research degree study options, including areas of expertise for our academic supervisors. Our research degrees will help you Read more...

Physical Geography PhD

University of brighton.

For over 25 years, the University of Brighton has taken a leading role in physical geography research and its application. From Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,796 per year (UK)
• 7 years Part time degree: £2,398 per year (UK)

University of Southampton

Join the University of Southampton, a global top 100 research-intensive university, where geography and environmental science ranks 5th in Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree
• 5 years Part time degree

Physical Geography MPhil/PhD

University of worcester.

We welcome applications to undertake research towards MPhil and PhD degrees in Physical Geography. Research at Worcester has grown Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,950 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,475 per year (UK)

Geography and Environmental Sciences PhD/MSc (Research)

University of birmingham.

Our Geography and Environmental Sciences PhD offers postgraduate research opportunities across the whole range of the School’s research Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,778 per year (UK)

Human Geography, PhD

Swansea university.

You will undertake an individual human geography research project over two years (MPhil) or three years (PhD), supported by our globally Read more...

• 6 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

1-20 of 70 courses

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Universities:.

• Durham University
• Cardiff University
• King's College London, University of London
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Sussex
• The University of Edinburgh
• University of Reading
• Ulster University
• London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
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Why Apply to Clark Geography’s Doctoral Program?

Please note: GREs are no longer required.

Established in 1921, the Graduate School of Geography at Clark is internationally renowned for innovative scholarship and is an acknowledged leader in the field. Consistently ranked as one of the Top 10 graduate programs by the National Research Council , Clark Geography enables graduate students to train with top professionals and participate in a world-class research community. Students are guaranteed tuition remission and graduate assistantships for eight semesters, paid at a nationally competitive rate ($29,719 for the 2024/2025 academic year) with fully funded health insurance, in order to foster a tight-knit, supportive intellectual community. Having awarded more Ph.D.s than any other geography program in the U.S., Clark Geography has a reputation for training future leaders in the field.

Our Close-Knit Community

The Graduate School seeks talented students with diverse backgrounds who can contribute to the atmosphere of innovation and collaboration that defines Clark Geography. The intimate atmosphere of a small urban university fosters close faculty-student relationships that are a key component of graduate study at Clark. The program offers a strong emphasis in both qualitative and quantitative analysis and the option to combine both in a research project.

Our objective is to produce scholars and other professionals whose research and pedagogy are path-breaking. We intend our students to contribute significantly to research and application in one of four main geography areas of focus:

• Human-Environment/Nature-Society Geography
• Urban-Economic Geography
• Geographic Information Science and Remote Sensing
• Earth System Science

Within these areas of focus, we encourage an education of excellence and innovation across a number of areas of specialization:

• Climate change
• Economy and culture of cities
• Ecosystem ecology
• Environment and development
• Feminist geography
• Forest ecology
• Geographies of energy and extractive industries
• Geographies of social movements
• GIS and spatial analysis
• Global economic change
• Land change and sustainability science
• Land surface hydrology
• Political/cultural ecology
• Political economy
• Resource geography
• Social and spatial theory
• Urban geography
• Urban political
• Urban development

Program Timeline and Requirements

How long will it take to complete the Ph.D. in geography at Clark University? Can students who already hold master’s degrees enter the program? What are the requirements?

View University Overview: Doctoral Program in Geography Program Timeline Geography Ph.D. Program Handbook

Please note that the GRE exam is no longer required for this program.

Recent Dissertations

Our Ph.D. students conduct research across the world on issues ranging from the impact of mining on communities in South America to the decline of ice in the Arctic and Antarctica. For dissertation titles before 2012, visit the Burnham Index .

Prospective Doctoral Program Applicants

All prospective applicants for Clark University’s Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Geography should contact the department with any questions pertaining to the program or the application process, or to schedule a campus visit. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to contact faculty with whom they have aligning research interests.

Prospective applicants are welcomed and encouraged to visit the Graduate School of Geography, if possible. To learn more about the Clark University campus or about the Admissions process, visit the Graduate Admissions website. To request a visit to the Graduate School of Geography, please email [email protected] .

Graduate Admissions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Doctoral Program in Geography

Explore Courses in the Geography Ph.D. Program

Graduate School of Geography

Jefferson Academic Center, Room 220 950 Main Street Worcester, MA 01610

• 1-508-793-7336
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• geography[at]clarku[dot]edu
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