Geography is an innovative and vibrant discipline that provides an integrated approach
to the study of the interplay of human societies and physical environments. Our department works at the forefront of nature-society dynamics, cultural/historical
geography and geographic information science, including unmanned aerial systems. Our
graduates have gone on to successful careers in government, business and academia.
Our faculty have received numerous awards for contributions in research, teaching
and service.We have a department that supports interdisciplinary research. Our faculty are committed
to research and teaching, actively mentoring students and investing in students' professional
development.
Sixty credit hours beyond a master’s degree, including 15 hours of dissertation
Core coursework - 10 hours, including:
GEOG 5001 – Professional Development in Geography
GEOG 5303 – Geographical Analysis I
GEOG 5403 – Current Geographic Research
GEOG 5413 – History and Philosophy of Geography
Ph.D. students must also take GEOG 6313 – Mixed Methods in Field Research
3GIS LABS FOR CLASSES AND INDEPENDENT STUDENT WORK
Plus access to drones, the Center for the Applications of Remote Sensing (CARS) and
OSU Cartography Services. We also manage the Applied Geoarchaeology Lab, which is
located in the Noble Research Center.
Research and Faculty
Many faculty members have considerable experience conducting fieldwork, research and
teaching in international settings. The department has outstanding facilities in Murray Hall and offers access to state-of-the
art technology, from drones and sensor to software for analyzing and visualizing data.
The department houses several laboratories: 3 GIS labs for classes and independent
student work, the Center for the Applications of Remote Sensing, and OSU Cartography
Services. The department also manages the Applied Geoarchaeology Lab, which is located
in the Noble Research Center.
Admissions Requirements
Transcripts
Three letters of reference
Sole-authored writing sample
Application letter indicating interest in program, potential faculty advisors and
general biographical information that has led you to choose OSU
Additional requirements listed on general OSU Graduate College application
Test Scores:
GRE required with no minimum score
Application Deadlines:
July 1 (fall admission)
November 1 (spring admission)
April 1 (summer admission)
February 1 (full consideration for graduate assistantships)
Cost & Assistance
The department offers a number of paid graduate teaching assistantships and graduate
research assistantships. Our assistantship include a monthly stipend for the nine-month
academic calendar, and all students on a qualifying assistantship receive health insurance
through the university. In addition, all students on a .50 FTE (20 hours per week)
assistantship also receive a full tuition waiver (up to the number of hours needed
for the degree). In addition, students in College of Arts and Sciences classes are
not charged fees. Assistantships are renewable—typically an M.S. student is offered
two years (four semesters) of funding and Ph.D. students are offered four years (eight
semesters), pending satisfactory progress towards degree and performance of duties.
The department has several scholarships available for graduate students, including
an outstanding first-year graduate student award ($2,500), various travel scholarships
for conferences or field work ($500 each, several awarded each year), as well as other
scholarships relating to geographic education and the pursuit of the GIS certificate.