Geography

Master's in Geography

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 are committed to research and teaching, actively mentoring students and investing in students’ professional development.

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Program Details

Department: Department of Geography

College: Arts and Sciences

Available At: OSU Stillwater Campus

Degree

Master of Science in Geography

Specialty Area(s)

Geography

Contact

Thomas Lavanchy Coordinator of Graduate Studies Assistant ProfessorDepartment of Geography367 SSH405-744-5284 thomas.lavanchy@okstate.edu

Curriculum

Thesis option – 30 credit hours (six credit hours for thesis)
Non-thesis option – 36 credit hours
Core Coursework – 10 hours including:
- GEOG 5001 – Professional Development in Geography
- Choice of one:
  - GEOG 5303 – Geographical Analysis I
  - GEOG 5423 – Geographic Renderings in Qualitative Methods
  - GEOG 6313 – Mixed Methods in Field Research
- GEOG 5403 – Current Geographic Research
- GEOG 5413 – History and Philosophy of Geography

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. Our facilities offer access to state-of-the art technology from drones and sensors to software for analyzing and visualizing data. The department houses several laboratories: three GIS labs for classes and independent student work, the Center for the Applications of Remote Sensing and OSU Cartography Services. We also manage the Applied Geoarchaeology Lab, which is located in the Noble Research Center.

Department Facilities

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

Application Deadlines:

July 1 (fall admission)
November 1 (spring admission)
April 1 (summer admission)
February 1 (full consideration for graduate assistantships)

Person touching globe

Cost & Assistance

The department offers a number of paid graduate teaching assistantships and graduate research assistantships. Our assistantships include a monthly stipend for the nine-month academic calendar, and all students on a qualifying assistantship receive health insurance through the university. 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 M.S. students are 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.

Assistantships and Scholarships