Masters Degrees in Geography, USA

The MS in Geography prepares students for a variety of career choices in GIS planning, environmental work, and population and site analysis. It can also prepare students for entry into many government agencies such as the EPA, Census Bureau, CIA, and Forestry Service, as well as private sector jobs in geospatial technologies, engineering, and planning firms. Another option for students with a MS in Geography is entry into selective Ph.D. programs.

The degree program minimally involves 11 geography classes, or 33 credits to complete the required thesis. Programs of study are tailored to each student's interests, prior background, and career aspirations. The advising process gives students careful individual attention so that their interests are met, and so that they graduate in a timely manner. Three well-equipped GIS labs are available for graduate student work. Students who enter the program on a full time basis should be able to attain the MS degree in two years.

Curriculum

• Thesis Option

Required modules:

GEO 503 Seminar in Modern Geography
GEO 509 Quantitative Methods in Planning/Geography
GEO 534 Geographic Information Systems
GEO 585 Geography Field Methods
GEO 610 Thesis in Geography

Electives:

Selected under advisement from geography, geology, mathematics, statistics, computer science, environmental health, or other appropriate disciplines

• Non-Thesis Option

Required modules:

GEO 503 Seminar in Modern Geography
GEO 509 Quantitative Methods in Planning/Geography
GEO 534 Geographic Information Systems
GEO 584 Applications of Geographic Information Systems
GEO 585 Geography Field Methods
GEO 600 Independent Research in Geography

Electives:

Selected under advisement from geography, geology, mathematics, statistics, computer science, environmental health, or other appropriate disciplines

To find out more information about the modules taught on this course, please see the website:

http://catalog.wcupa.edu/graduate/business-public-management/geography-planning/#coursestext

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The Department of Geography's master of arts program educates qualified students for work toward the PhD degree, and for professional careers in government service, federal agencies, health departments, industry and regional or urban planning. The department's goals are to provide students quality academic instruction in geography; to foster and advance teaching, research and publication in the field of geography; and to provide the expertise of geographers to the community at large so that decision-makers in both the public and private sectors may enhance the quality of their decisions.

The program offers theoretical foundation and computer applications in
- Resource Management and Sustainability
- Water Resources
- Flooding and Watershed Impacts
- Environmental Hazard Assessment
- Race and Ethnicity
- Population Health GIS
- Urban and Retail Planning

The program also allows students to specialize in one of five tracks, each of which offer a mix of theory, practice, tools and techniques:
- Cartography and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
- Environmental and Resource Management
- Population Health and GIS
- Urban Planning and Applied Geography
- Race and Ethnicity

There is a thesis option for each of the five tracks. Each track requires a total of 40 credits, as well as defense of a project or a thesis.

Applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university you have attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

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The Department of Geography at The University of Alabama offers an MS in geography with four areas of concentration:

Earth system science
Environment and natural resources
Environment and society
Geographic information science

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The graduate program in geography prepares students to pursue further academic study and to work in a broad range of positions with federal, state, and local governments; environmental consulting firms; private conservation and resource management agencies; and educational institutions.

FUNDING

Nearly all of our graduate students are funded with paid tuition and stipends.

LENGTH OF PROGRAM

The MS degree is designed to be completed in two years, although a small number of students do not attend full-time and pursue the degree over a longer period. The department also offers a night program allowing part-time students to pursue their graduate degree in the evening hours.

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The Master of Science program requires the student to complete a 15-credit track in GIS/Cartography, Regional Planning, or Environmental Planning. Each track includes two required courses and a list of options.

All graduate degree programs require a minimum of 33 hours of credit for the thesis option or at least 39 hours for the non-thesis option. Nine of these hours constitute the core program. These include three core courses: GEOG 610, GEOG 612, and GEOG 614. Graduate students have the option to incorporate an internship as part of the MS program, up to six credits.

For students selecting the non-thesis option, a portfolio is a nongraded graduation requirement. A three-person faculty committee will evaluate the portfolio, which will include at least three of the student's best pieces of work and written reflective analysis. The portfolio is submitted by the end of the first week of the semester the student is scheduled to graduate.

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The GIS Certificate is for students who desire specific programs of study but not a degree and is offered in a classroom-based format or online.

Curriculum

The Department of Geography and Planning offers a certificate program in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that consists of four courses. Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies have become prominent workplace tools used widely in public and private sectors. This certificate program will provide graduate-level instruction on their use. If a certificate student subsequently or simultaneously applies for and is accepted into one of the Masters degree programs in geography, the geography courses (GEO) listed below can be counted towards the degree.

West Chester University now also offers an on-line option for students wishing to earn a Certificate in GIS through distance education. The online GIS Certificate offers the same curriculum and is taught by the same faculty who teach our in-class courses. The only difference is that courses are taken online instead of in the classroom. For students who wish to combine online with in-class courses, that option is also available. Students are required to complete a total of 12 credits, or four courses to receive the Certificate.

Core Courses:

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GEO534)
Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GEO584)
Geodatabases (GEO577)

Electives:

Internet Mapping (GEO507)
Environmental Modeling with GIS (GEO538)
Introduction to Business GIS (GEO556)
Geography Field Methods (GEO585)
GIS-related Internship (GEO615)
Water Quality & Health (ENV533)
Emergency Preparedness (ENV570)

Fore more information about these modules, please visit the website:

http://catalog.wcupa.edu/graduate/business-public-management/geography-planning/geographic-information-systems-certificate/

Course Delivery

West Chester University's Online GIS Certificate courses are primarily taught asynchronously with students required to meet certain learning, assess and other requirements in a stated time period. Online courses do not meet in a classroom, but students have an option to enroll in classroom-based courses if desired.

WCU delivers its Online GIS Certificate through Desire2Learn (D2L) online courseware. Using D2L, professors teaching online courses have many options for delivering course material including video, voiceover presentations and readings, and many options for assignments including discussion forums, blog postings, file uploads and online testing.

While most of the course requirements can be completed in your own time, in some cases professors may assign assignments or activities that may require students to be available at certain times.

Careers

Program graduates are employed in the following fields:

• Cartographers and Photogrammetrists
• Geography Teachers, Postsecondary

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Binghamton University offers an innovative master’s program in Sustainable Communities. This program reflects vital community needs for collaborative policies, processes and relationships. The lively curriculum spans several disciplines, including geography, public administration and environmental studies. Students can pursue a natural science/ecological perspective or a social/policy-based track. All students receive both theoretical and practical training focused on improving quality of life by integrating economic, social, and ecological issues and strategies.

Binghamton University prides itself on producing research that has practical impacts on the local community. Faculty and students in this program are encouraged to work in tangent on research projects that integrate theories and methods to address real-world problems. Students are also encouraged to collaborate with faculty across the University to support the development of interdisciplinary and methodologically rigorous research on multifaceted issues. The city of Binghamton’s location in upstate New York provides a unique research perspective for students interested in studying both urban and rural communities. Students can also take advantage of the University’s close ties with community leaders and local businesses to supplement their field studies and gain experience working with diverse groups of citizens.

All applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university which you attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Professional writing sample or essay of 500-800 words on a relevant topic
- GRE scores are not required but are welcomed

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

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The Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) at West Chester University prepares students to enter the workforce as  professional planners and thereby meet the growing demand for urban and regional planners, and related professions in the region. Professional planners help to influence the future of neighborhood, local, regional and metropolitan areas. A planner plays a major role in shaping communities, in providing guidance for sustainable development, and in addressing social, economic, environmental and political problems of communities. The urban and regional planning curriculum equips students with the professional knowledge and technical skills to guide the complex processes of a changing world, to utilize geospatial and other technologies to create a sustainable built and natural environment.

Students will understand how to make decisions based on sound knowledge and guided by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Code of Ethics. The program has been designed to align with the standards of the Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP).  Students will develop specific competencies for planning research and analysis, plan making, effective communication skills, working with diverse environments and communities, applying ethical principles, advocating for social justice, and employing geospatial technologies for planning applications and decision-making.

Students will develop specific competencies for planning research and analysis, plan making, effective communication skills, working with diverse environments and communities, applying ethical principles, advocating for social justice, and employing geospatial technologies for planning applications and decision-making.

The program utilizes two state-of-the-art GIS labs and a fully-equipped Planning Studio, which are located in the Building and Public Management Center on the 1st floor. Check out some recent media coverage of the building with images of the labs and Studio here: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2017/03/22/cutting-edge-technology-at-west-chester-u-prepares-students-for-real-world/

Curriculum

The MURP degree is comprised of nine required core courses (27 credits) and six or seven additional elective courses (21 credits)

Required modules:

PLN525 Planning History, Theory & Ethics
GEO509 Quantitative Methods
PLN527 Planning Law
GEO534 Geographic Information Systems
PLN508 Qualitative Methods & Community Engagement Techniques
PLN521 Land Use Planning
PLN536 Environmental Planning
PLN505 Planning Design (Studio A)
PLN605 Planning Design (Studio B)

In consultation with their graduate advisor, students select six or seven courses in their area(s) of interest from a range of course offerings. Students also have an option to complete an internship for course credit. If approved by a thesis committee, students also have an opportunity to complete a graduate thesis.

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The Department of Geological Sciences is designed to foster high-caliber student research that will lead to publishable results. The master's degree is intended to prepare students for a job in industry or for entrance into a PhD program. The doctoral degree trains students for work as government research scientists, industry research scientists or academic scientists.

Research activities in the Department of Geological Sciences are far-reaching and often interdisciplinary. A major focus of the department is earth surface processes, including biogeochemistry, geochemistry, geomicrobiology, and sedimentology. Other research areas include climate change, energy and environmental processes, environmental geosciences, experimental geology, and petrology.

The Department of Geological Sciences has research center affiliations with the Center for Integrated Watershed Studies, Materials Science Program, and is in development of projects with Basin Analysis Research Center. Through these strong research collaborations and projects graduates of the Geological Sciences programs have gained employment as geologists in federal programs such as NASA, Sandia National Lab, and US Geological Survey; and in private energy, environmental and mining companies such as Conoco-Phillips, Resource Env. Management, Inc, and SECOR International.

The Master of Science degree is a two-year program in which the student concentrates on graduate level course work during the first year and on thesis research during the second year. The majority of students in the masters program have completed a bachelors degree in the geological sciences, but students with bachelors degrees in chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics or engineering are also encouraged to apply.
Our Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Geological Sciences is intended to prepare students for a job in industry or as a stepping stone to a Ph.D. degree either at Binghamton or another university. M.S. students typically take a year of coursework followed by a year of research that culminates in a publically-defended thesis. Students are encouraged to submit their thesis in the form of a publication-ready manuscript.

All applicants must submit the following:

- Online graduate degree application and application fee
- Transcripts from each college/university you have attended
- Two letters of recommendation
- Personal statement (2-3 pages) describing your reasons for pursuing graduate study, your career aspirations, your special interests within your field, and any unusual features of your background that might need explanation or be of interest to your program's admissions committee.
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (max. 2 pages)
- Official GRE scores

And, for international applicants:
- International Student Financial Statement form
- Official bank statement/proof of support
- Official TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE Academic scores

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The Bard CEP curriculum integrates the core disciplines of science, policy, law, and economics into a consistent and comprehensive first year of graduate course work. Through close collaboration with faculty and an innovative program of study, students learn to think across disciplines to understand the complexities of today’s environmental problems and challenges. Courses delve simultaneously into curricular themes to provide students with a deep understanding of the issues from multiple perspectives and at the same time highlight linkages and divisions across disciplines. This holistic approach to learning illuminates integral connections between the social world and the physical sciences, and encourages students to incorporate various perspectives and ideologies into their work.

Program Structure

The first-year courses link natural ecosystems and their functioning to the impact of socioeconomic activities, and to the political, institutional, and legislative responses that address environmental problems. Courses emphasize analytical frameworks and basic principles through examples and case studies. Joint class sessions, field trips, guest lectures, and conferences expose students to the critical issues and contemporary practices of environmental policy. The curricula’s structure provides the context for the courses and enables students to examine in an integrated, comprehensive, and realistic manner one particular environmental area at a time.

Environmental policy professionals must be able to communicate their knowledge clearly and effectively through the spoken and written word as well as with images, data, and figures. The courses emphasize various modes of communication and persuasion through writing exercises as well as group presentations. Regional and international implications of “local” environmental problems are explored. Special emphasis is given to the problem of translating scientific knowledge into workable policies. Students learn how scientific knowledge applies to environmental issues and explore the difficulty of policy making under conditions of risk, scientific uncertainty, and incomplete information. Courses in economics, law, and policy provide a basis for exploring how society has responded to changing environmental conditions. The policy tools that are used to address these conditions, including laws, regulations, market-based instruments, and voluntary agreements, are shaped by a variety of political, cultural, and ethical forces. Students analyze how these factors come together to influence the policy-making process. They also analyze how the tools can be applied locally, regionally, and globally to influence behavior, achieve or go beyond compliance, and manage change for preservation of natural resources and environmental protection.

You can find more details about the individual courses here: http://www.bard.edu/cep/program/ms-environmental/

Funding and Scholarships

Bard CEP offers financial assistance in the form of fellowships, project assistantships, campus employment, and student loans. Financial aid is awarded each year on the basis of academic achievement, financial need, and available funding. Awards are made without regard to sex, sexual orientation, race, color, age, marital status, religion, ethnic or national origin, or handicapping conditions. Financial aid awards are not automatically renewed. Students wishing to reapply for fellowships and loans should submit their materials according to the deadlines for returning students below.

You can find more information about all the funding and support available here: http://www.bard.edu/cep/admission/financialaid/

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Sustainability issues are being addressed in many industries, nonprofits and governmental agencies and are incorporated broadly into different organizational functions, all with the common goal of creating a sustainable economy, society, and environment.

There is a growing demand for sustainability professionals in a range of sectors, and many lawyers, engineers, marketers, communications professionals, policymakers and scientists now have some form of sustainability responsibility in their positions. The M.S. in Sustainability Management, co-sponsored by The Earth Institute and the School of Professional Studies, addresses the need for formal training and education in sustainability.

To help students fully understand the systematic and organizational role of sustainability in any organization, the program draws upon sophisticated environmental measurement tools, cutting edge environmental science, and world class management and policy studies. It draws also on environmental and sustainable development research, providing practical training to a new generation of professionals who will address critical interdisciplinary issues.

The M.S. in Sustainability Management is based upon years of experience in bridging research and practice, with a curriculum based on new and existing courses at the University, taught by faculty and researchers who are leaders in the fields of environmental management, earth science, and engineering. In response to the increasing global challenges all organizations face, from limiting their carbon emissions to managing their water resources, the program melds academic leadership, scientific rigor, and professional practice to form a unique interdisciplinary community dedicated to making lasting advances in global sustainability practice.

The program takes a bold and innovative approach to sustainability that prioritizes the protection of Earth’s systems and resources as well as the spread of social and economic opportunities for all people. To achieve sustainable development, the Earth Institute is conducting and applying interdisciplinary scientific research to address many cross-cutting issues while training a new generation of problem solvers to tackle these issues in all areas of society. Finding solutions to one problem, involves tackling other related challenges. This is at the core of sustainability management. This new generation of problem solvers needs to be able to account for complex systems of water, environmental services, climate, waste and energy to be able to maximize efficient usage and minimize their negative impacts.

The Earth Institute is affiliated with 30 academic programs at Columbia University, and has developed numerous innovative courses training students to understand and address the pressing and complex issues of environment and sustainability management, and provides seminars and events in the field. Students enrolled in the M.S. in Sustainability Management are an integral part of this engaging and forward-looking community.

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USF’s Master of Science in Environmental Management (MSEM) trains students for careers in environmental agencies, consulting firms, and nonprofit organizations. Incorporating a comprehensive mix of science and policy courses, our program gives students the background they need to develop solutions to environmental problems.

Program Highlights

Alumni Network — With over 1,000 alumni, students in our program will join a vast network of support.

Faculty — Our distinguished faculty and advisors comprise both full-time researchers and leading practitioners in the environmental field.

Accommodating Schedule — With classes held on Saturday and in the evening, our program accommodates the needs of working professionals.

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