Department of Geography and Planning

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Graduate Program Overview

The Graduate degree in geography is designed to provide students with a broad range of academic and professional options. Our program prepares students for either professional opportunities in applied geography and planning, Ph.D. work in geography and planning, or opportunities teaching geography at all educational levels including college. Please email our Program Coordinator, Dr. Derek Martin (martindj1@appstate.edu), with any program questions.

Degrees

Learn more about the Geography Master of Arts (MA) program.

You have five options within the Geography MA program:

Minor

Certificates*

The Department of Geography and Planning also offers graduate certificates in...

Instructions for changing programs or adding a certificate or second program are available here: Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies: Changing Programs or Adding a Second Program.*Note: A student's certificate and/or programs must be declared before nine hours have been completed. Students cannot declare a certificate and/or program the same semester that they are graduating.

To request a digital version of your GIScience Certificate, complete the GIS Certificate Request Form.

Graduate Assistantships

The department generally has a number of Graduate Assistantships available. Assistantships currently pay $9,000 for the year ($4,500 per semester). Assistants work 20 hours per week in the department usually with a faculty member helping on a research project, with classes, or in one of our labs. Specific assignments are made just prior to the start of the semester based on the student's skills, training, interests and the needs of the department. Provided that the student makes satisfactory progress in the program, these awards are usually renewed for a second year. Out-of-state tuition is waived on a competitive basis. University-wide and departmental scholarships are also available to highly qualified graduate students. 

Degree Application Essentials

Concentrations: General; Geographic Information Science; Planning

Location of instruction: On campus

Required Entrance Exam: GRE (score must be no more than 5 years old)

Required Number of References to specify in the online form: 3

Supplemental Information: Resume (Required upload for application submission); letter addressing reasons why applicant wishes to enter the program, not to exceed two pages stating reasons why applicant wishes to enter the program (upload on the Additional Information page in the online application)

Deadlines for Application: A program not open for a particular term will be marked with an "x." Early screening dates are listed in parentheses. Applications that are not complete by the early screening date risk denial of admission due to no seats available. Increased enrollment may lead to a term being closed for new applications.

  • Spring: x
  • Summer Session 1: x
  • Summer Session 2: x
  • Fall: 7/1 (2/15 - Early Screening Deadline)

Basic Conditions for Consideration of Admission:

Meeting or exceeding the conditions below does NOT guarantee admission. All applications for a given entry term will be weighed based upon the number of seats available and the quality of the complete application packages. With special permission from the Graduate School, a program may admit a limited number of students with exceptional circumstances who do not meet the graduate school minimums.

  • Graduate School: 3.0 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores from the appropriate admission test(s), OR 2.5 GPA in the last earned degree and official scores at the 25th percentile level from the appropriate admission test(s).
  • Admission to Geography: The faculty will give preference to applicants who meet or exceed the following: An undergraduate GPA at or above a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and at least one score on the GRE (V, Q , or A) at or above the 50th percentile.

To apply, visit graduate.appstate.edu/apply-now.