Geography
Master's in Geography
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.
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)
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.