Campuses:
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Twin Cities Campus
Geography Ph.D.Geography, Environment, Society
College of Liberal Arts
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
Department of Geography, 414 Social Sciences Building, 267 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612-625-6080; fax: 612-624-1044)
Email:
geog-dgs@umn.edu
Website: http://www.geog.umn.edu
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the
General Information section of
this
website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The geography graduate 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. 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 students in gaining both depth and breadth within the discipline, the program is highly individualized with a limited number of requirements. Students work with their advisers to design individual programs suited to their educational and professional goals.
Program Delivery
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program
is 3.50.
Undergraduate degrees need not be from a program in geography. However, students whose previous work is not in geography may be asked to complete specific courses that do not provide graduate credit.
Graduate degrees need not be from a program in geography. However, students whose previous work is not in geography may be asked to complete specific courses that do not provide graduate credit.
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
The preferred English language test is Test of English as Foreign Language.
Key to test
abbreviations
(TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the
General Information section of this
website.
Program Requirements
16
credits are required in the major.
12 credits are required outside the major. 24 thesis credits are required.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses towards program requirements is not permitted.
A minimum GPA of 3.00
is required for students to remain in good standing.
Methods Course (3 credits)
Select 3 credits of methods coursework in consultation with the advisor and subject to director of graduate studies approval.
Proposal-writing Course (3 credits)
Take the following course. Other coursework may be applied to this requirement with director of graduate studies approval.
GEOG 8302 - Research Development
(3.0 cr)
Major Electives (6 credits)
Select 6 credits from the following, at least 3 credits of which must be from a GEOG 82xx course. Other coursework may be applied to this requirement with advisor approval.
GEOG 8101 - Proseminar: Nature and Society
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8102 - Proseminar: The State, the Economy, and Spatial Development
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8103 - Proseminar: Physical Geography
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8105 - Proseminar: Historical Geography
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8106 - Seminar: Social and Cultural Geography
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8107 - Geographic Writing
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8200 - Seminar: Urban Geography
(2.0-3.0 cr)
GEOG 8201 - Explorations in the Geography of Minnesota
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8211 - Federal Policy Research
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8212 - Africa
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8213 - East Asia and China
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8214 - South Asia
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8220 - Agrarian Change and Rural Development
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8230 - Theoretical Geography
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8240 - Medical Geography
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8260 - Seminar: Physical Geography
(2.0 cr)
GEOG 8270 - Seminar: Climatology
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8280 - Biogeography
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8290 - Seminar in GIS and Cartography
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8291 - Seminar in GIS, Technology, and Society
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8292 - Seminar in GIS: Spatial Analysis and Modeling
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8293 - CyberGIS
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8294 - Spatiotemporal Modeling and Simulation
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8301 - Advanced Qualitative Methods
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8302 - Research Development
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8336 - Development Theory and the State
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8350 - Seminar: World Population
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8405 - Seminar: Graduate Student Professional Development
(1.0 cr)
GEOG 8420 - Teaching Practicum
(1.0 cr)
GEOG 8800 - Seminar: Development of Geographic Thought
(3.0 cr)
GEOG 8970 - Directed Readings
(1.0-5.0 cr)
GEOG 8980 - Topics: Geography
(1.0-3.0 cr)
Outside Coursework (12 credits)
Select 12 credits in consultation with the advisor.
AMST 8920 - Topics in American Studies
(3.0 cr)
ANTH 8203 - Research Methods in Social and Cultural Anthropology
(3.0 cr)
ANTH 8810 - Topics in Sociocultural Anthropology
(3.0 cr)
DSSC 8111 - Approaches to Knowledge and Truth: Ways of Knowing in Development Studies and Social Change
(3.0 cr)
DSSC 8112 - Scholarship and Public Responsibility
(1.0 cr)
DSSC 8211 - Doctoral Research Workshop in Development Studies and Social Change
(3.0 cr)
DSSC 8310 - Topics in Development Studies and Social Change
(1.0-3.0 cr)
ESCI 5980 - Seminar: Current Topics in Earth Sciences
(1.0-4.0 cr)
FNRM 5131 - Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for Natural Resources
(4.0 cr)
GIS 5555 - Basic Spatial Analysis
(3.0 cr)
GIS 5571 - ArcGIS I
(3.0 cr)
GIS 5572 - ArcGIS II
(3.0 cr)
GIS 5574 - Web GIS and Services
(3.0 cr)
GIS 5577 - Spatial Database Design and Administration
(3.0 cr)
GLOS 5900 - Topics in Global Studies
(1.0-4.0 cr)
GRAD 5105 - Practicum in University Teaching for Nonnative English Speakers
(2.0 cr)
GRAD 8101 - Teaching in Higher Education
(3.0 cr)
GRAD 8200 - Teaching and Learning Topics in Higher Education
(1.0 cr)
GRAD 8401 - Dissertation Proposal Development Seminar
(3.0 cr)
GWSS 8108 - Genealogies of Feminist Theory
(3.0 cr)
GWSS 8210 - Seminar: Feminist Theory & Praxis
(3.0 cr)
GWSS 8220 - Seminar: Science, Technology & Environmental Justice
(3.0 cr)
GWSS 8260 - Seminar: Race, Representation and Resistance
(3.0 cr)
GWSS 8270 - Seminar: Theories of Body
(3.0 cr)
GWSS 8490 - Seminar: Transnational, Postcolonial, Diaspora
(3.0 cr)
HIST 5910 - Topics in U.S. History
(1.0-4.0 cr)
HIST 5960 - Topics in History
(1.0-4.0 cr)
HIST 5993 - Directed Study
(1.0-16.0 cr)
HIST 8920 - Topics in African History
(1.0-4.0 cr)
HIST 8960 - Topics in History
(1.0-4.0 cr)
HIST 8970 - Advanced Research in Quantitative History
(3.0 cr)
HIST 8993 - Directed Study
(1.0-16.0 cr)
HSCI 5211 - Biology and Culture in the 19th and 20th Centuries
[CIV]
(3.0 cr)
PA 5790 - Topics in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy
(1.0-3.0 cr)
POL 8990 - Directed Readings and Research in Political Science
(1.0-7.0 cr)
SOC 8090 - Topics in Sociology
(1.5-3.0 cr)
SOC 8890 - Advanced Topics in Research Methods
(2.0-3.0 cr)
STAT 5021 - Statistical Analysis
(4.0 cr)
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Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 -3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | OPT No Aud |
Typically offered: | Fall Odd Year |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 9.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -5.0 [max 10.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 1.0 -3.0 [max 30.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 9.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 9.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 1.0 -3.0 [max 9.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -4.0 [max 12.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | FNRM 3131/FNRM 5131/FR 3131/ |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 1.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -4.0 [max 12.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | OPT No Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 1.0 [max 4.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Grading Basis: | S-N only |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 9.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 6.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 6.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 6.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 6.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -4.0 [max 20.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -4.0 [max 16.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -16.0 [max 20.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 1.0 -4.0 [max 20.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall |
Credits: | 1.0 -4.0 [max 20.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 12.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -16.0 [max 16.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Course Equivalencies: | HSci 3211/5211 |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -3.0 [max 9.0] |
Typically offered: | Periodic Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -7.0 [max 7.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |
Credits: | 1.5 -3.0 [max 12.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 2.0 -3.0 [max 6.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 4.0 [max 4.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall & Spring |
Credits: | 1.0 -24.0 [max 100.0] |
Grading Basis: | No Grade |
Typically offered: | Every Fall, Spring & Summer |