Geography, Ph.D.
For information regarding deadlines and requirements for admission, please see https://grs.uncg.edu/programs/.
In addition to the application materials required by the Graduate School, applicants must submit a 250-500 word personal statement.
Degree Program Requirements
Required: 45-54 credit hours
At least 27 of the 33 credits in required core and cluster courses (excluding dissertation) must be at the 600 level or higher. Up to 9 credits of course work may be transferred from another institution on approval of the department.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Courses (9 credits) | ||
| GES 701 | History of Geographic Thought | 3 |
| GES 702 | Research Design | 3 |
| GES 720 | Advanced Spatial Analysis | 3 |
| Courses Required from Geography Clusters (24 credits) | ||
| Select 24 credits from courses in the three geography clusters in the program * | 24 | |
| Dissertation (12-21 credits) | ||
| GES 799 | Doctoral Dissertation Research | 12-21 |
| Total Credit Hours | 45-54 | |
- *
These three clusters are:
- Geographic Information Sciences
- Human Geography
- Physical Geography
Students are required to complete two courses in each of the three clusters and an additional two courses related to the dissertation research cluster.
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.