Geography, Ph.D.
For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/.
Applicants for the Ph.D. program in Geography may be admitted with either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Geography or related field (Planning, Environment and Sustainability, Urban Studies, Sociology, Geology, Ecology, History, Information Science, and others may qualify). Applicants without a master’s degree must demonstrate exceptional academic strength, preferably with undergraduate research experience.
In addition to the materials required by the Graduate School, applicants must submit:
- A one to three-page professional statement summarizing their academic background and training, reasons for pursuing a Ph.D. in Geography, professional goals, primary areas of research interest, and faculty members with whom they are most interested in working.
- An academic writing sample (e.g., research paper written for class, honor’s thesis, master’s thesis, internship report, academic portfolio, manuscript published or accepted/submitted for publication, or report relevant to their professional activities).
- Name of three references who can write strong letters of recommendation for the applicant. Two of the references must be someone with whom the applicant has taken classes or worked closely during their college career.
Degree Program Requirements
Required: 48-57 credit hours (students entering with a master's degree); 51-60 credit hours (students entering with a bachelor's degree)
Students entering into the Ph.D. in Geography program must complete a total of 48-57 or 51-60 credit hours of graduate-level course work depending on their previously-earned degree(s). Students must complete either 12 or 15 credits of core course requirements, 18 credits of courses from three cluster areas, and another 6 credits from dissertation-related courses. After advancing to Ph.D. candidacy, students are required to complete a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation research while conducting research and writing their dissertation. No more than 9 credits of courses may be taken outside the Geography, Environment, and Sustainability Department.
Students who decide not to continue in the Ph.D. program or who do not meet academic standards after the completion of their first year, may elect to transfer to one of the post-baccalaureate certificate programs as an alternative to continuing in the Ph.D. program.
Students Entering with a M.A. or M.S. Degree
Students entering the Ph.D. in Geography with a M.A. or M.S. degree in Geography or a related field are required to complete 48-57 credit hours of graduate-level course work.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses (12 credits) | ||
| GES 601 | Research Trends in Geography 1 | 3 |
| GES 701 | History of Geographic Thought | 3 |
| GES 702 | Research Design | 3 |
| GES 720 | Advanced Spatial Analysis | 3 |
| Required Cluster Courses (18 credits) | ||
| Geographic Information Science (6 credits) | ||
| Select two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Spatial Analysis | ||
| Understanding Geographic Information Systems | ||
| GIS Programming and Design Application | ||
| Seminar in Geographic Information Science | ||
| GIS Applications in Urban Planning | ||
| Advanced Cartography | ||
| Advanced Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced Remote Sensing-Imaging | ||
| Doctoral Seminar in Geographic Information Science | ||
| Human Geography (6 credits) | ||
| Select two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Qualitative Methods in Human Geography | ||
| Sustainable Urban Planning in an Entrepreneurial Environment | ||
| Political Geography | ||
| Regional Planning | ||
| National Parks and Protected Areas | ||
| Transportation Planning | ||
| Geography of Livable Cities | ||
| Regional Economic Development | ||
| Advanced Topics in European Geography | ||
| Seminar in Urban Planning/Economic Development | ||
| Seminar in Regional Economic Development | ||
| Seminar in Regional Geography | ||
| Physical Geography (6 credits) | ||
| Select two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Environmental Planning | ||
| Natural Resource Geography | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Advanced Weather and Climate-Synoptic Climatology | ||
| Seminar in Earth Science/Natural Resources | ||
| Earth Surface Processes and Landforms | ||
| Applied Physical Geography | ||
| Required Dissertation-Related Courses (6 credits) | ||
| Select 6 credits from courses in GES or other subjects related to the dissertation 2 | 6 | |
| Dissertation Research (12-21 credits) | ||
| GES 799 | Doctoral Dissertation Research 3 | 12-21 |
| Total Credit Hours | 48-57 | |
- 1
Must be taken three times for a total of 3 credits over three semesters during the first two years of study.
- 2
With guidance from the student's advisory/dissertation committee. Students may select courses in any discipline, including GES, that are relevant to their dissertation that enhance the quality of their dissertation research.
- 3
Students must complete a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation research while researching and writing their dissertation.
Student's Entering without a M.A. or M.S. Degree
Students entering the Ph.D. in Geography without a M.A. or M.S. degree in Geography or a related field are required to complete a total of 51-60 credits of graduate-level course work, including GES 690 Research Problems in Applied Geography during their first year in the program. This course functions as an apprenticeship with the student's selected advisor. Students engage in supervised work with an individual faculty member gaining the professional knowledge, experience, and confidence necessary to develop their original research project, which they refine into a dissertation proposal in subsequent semesters. This requirement only applies to students entering the program without an appropriate master's degree.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses (15 credits) | ||
| GES 601 | Research Trends in Geography 1 | 3 |
| GES 690 | Research Problems in Applied Geography 2 | 3 |
| GES 701 | History of Geographic Thought | 3 |
| GES 702 | Research Design | 3 |
| GES 720 | Advanced Spatial Analysis | 3 |
| Required Cluster Courses (18 credits) | ||
| Geographic Information Science (6 credits) | ||
| Select two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Spatial Analysis | ||
| Understanding Geographic Information Systems | ||
| GIS Programming and Design Application | ||
| Seminar in Geographic Information Science | ||
| GIS Applications in Urban Planning | ||
| Advanced Cartography | ||
| Advanced Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Advanced Remote Sensing-Imaging | ||
| Doctoral Seminar in Geographic Information Science | ||
| Human Geography (6 credits) | ||
| Select two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Qualitative Methods in Human Geography | ||
| Sustainable Urban Planning in an Entrepreneurial Environment | ||
| Political Geography | ||
| Regional Planning | ||
| National Parks and Protected Areas | ||
| Transportation Planning | ||
| Geography of Livable Cities | ||
| Regional Economic Development | ||
| Advanced Topics in European Geography | ||
| Seminar in Urban Planning/Economic Development | ||
| Seminar in Regional Economic Development | ||
| Seminar in Regional Geography | ||
| Physical Geography (6 credits) | ||
| Select two courses (6 credits) from the following: | 6 | |
| Environmental Planning | ||
| Natural Resource Geography | ||
| Biogeography | ||
| Advanced Weather and Climate-Synoptic Climatology | ||
| Seminar in Earth Science/Natural Resources | ||
| Earth Surface Processes and Landforms | ||
| Applied Physical Geography | ||
| Required Dissertation-Related Courses (6 credits) | ||
| Select 6 credits from courses in GES or other subjects related to the dissertation 3 | 6 | |
| Dissertation Research (12-21 credits) | ||
| GES 799 | Doctoral Dissertation Research 4 | 12-21 |
| Total Credit Hours | 51-60 | |
- 1
Must be taken three times for a total of 3 credits over three semesters during the first two years of study.
- 2
Required for all students entering the program without an appropriate master's degree.
- 3
With guidance from the student's advisory/dissertation committee. Students may select courses in any discipline, including GES, that are relevant to their dissertation that enhance the quality of their dissertation research.
- 4
Students must complete a minimum of 12 credits of dissertation research while researching and writing their dissertation.
Required Milestones*
- Diagnostic Exam
- Residency (Immersion)
- Plan of Study
- Research Competency
- Comprehensive Exam (Written & Oral)
- Dissertation Proposal
- Admission to Candidacy
- Dissertation Defense
- Filing the Final Approved Dissertation
- *
General information about milestones for doctoral programs is available in Section III of the Graduate Policies page in the University Catalog. For information about how milestones are accomplished for a specific program, please refer to the doctoral program's handbook.