Graduate Program in Geography

Graduate Program in Geography MEET OUR GRADUATE ASSISTANTS

The Department of Geography and GIS offers a program of study leading to a Master of Science in Geography. Our program offers two options. The non-thesis option (36 hours of course work culminating in a research project and presentation) is designed for the professional geographer seeking a terminal degree for a career in the private or public sectors, or as a geography teacher in public schools and community colleges. The thesis option (30 hours of coursework including thesis hours) is designed to meet the same goals as the non-thesis option but also to provide experience in research and scientific inquiry for students who may intend to pursue a doctoral program at other institutions.

The goal of the graduate curriculum in Geography at SIUE is to produce graduates with the following knowledge and skills:

(a) a functional understanding of the field of geography and an in-depth knowledge in one or more specialty areas offered by the department

(b) the geographic skills and expertise needed to address contemporary geographical problems

(d) strength in critical thinking and communication, especially in writing.

The graduate program is organized around areas that reflect the interests and competencies of the graduate faculty including Cartography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS, Remote Sensing, Climatology, Biogeography, Historical-Cultural Geography, Geographic Education, Geomorphology, Hydrology, Political and Medical Geography, and Urban Economic Planning/Economic Development. With the assistance of the Graduate Program Director Dr. Alan Black, students are encouraged to structure their programs around one of these areas and to work closely with graduate faculty having similar interests.

APPLICATION

Students applying to the Master's program in the Department of Geography must apply online following the application procedures of the Graduate School.

Required Department of Geography and GIS application materials are listed in the Graduate School online application system and include:

1. Transcripts from all academic institutions attended.

2. A one to two page statement of purpose discussing why you have chosen our program, what your interests are, what you hope to gain from the program, and how it will help you achieve your long-range objectives in geography

3. A complete Curriculum Vitae/Resume

4. Two letters of reference from individuals familiar with your academic background, training or work. A third letter is optional and may be submitted to help support your application.

All materials must be submitted via the Graduate School online application system.

Applicants who are requesting a graduate assistantship should indicate this on their application form. Once admission to the program has been granted, you must apply for an assistantship at this link: https://www.siue.edu/graduate-students/assistantships/postings.shtml. Navigate to the Geography posting. For Fall 2023, you should be made aware of your assistantship by April 15.

Application decisions at the Graduate School and Departmental levels will not be made until all application materials have been received. Applications are evaluated on an ongoing basis and your application will be evaluated soon after it is complete.

Graduate admission is a two-step process:

1. Applications are reviewed by the Graduate School to ensure applicant meets minimum admission criteria.

2. Reviewed applications are sent to the academic department for a competitive review process.

DREMUK - WATTS FELLOWSHIP IN GEOGRAPHY

The Dremuk - Watts Fellowship for international students will be available for Fall 2021. The Fellowship provides two years of financial support to pursue a master's degree at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The fellowship is designed for students seeking advanced professional development, or those who plan to pursue doctoral studies in geography. More information about this award in August 2020.

ADMISSION

Admission is open to geography and non-geography majors with baccalaureate degrees satisfying the general requirements of the Graduate School. Non-geography majors and, in some cases, geography majors may be required to take prerequisites before beginning the graduate program. Courses taken to remedy any deficiencies do not count as part of the regular program. The graduate program in geography requires applicants to have at least an over-all grade point average of 2.8 (A=4.0). Applicants who do not meet the required grade point average will be considered based on acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination or on grades in recommended/required prerequisite courses.

Students in the graduate program are required to maintain a minimum over-all grade point average of 3.0. If a student earns a grade of "C" or below in any graduate level course, he or she will be placed on academic probation. Any student earning two grades of "C" or below in the program will be dropped from the Geography graduate program, regardless of GPA.

PROGRAM OF STUDY

All graduate students, regardless of option selected, must declare subject areas they wish to emphasize. Students choosing the thesis option must take at least one course (3 credit hours) in their emphasis area as part of the elective package, while those in the non-thesis option must take at least two courses (6 credit hours). During the second semester in the program, all students must select a committee chair and committee members and fill out and submit the Supervisory Committee Agreement Form. Committees must consist of a chair and two additional members of the graduate faculty (SIUE tenured/tenure-track faculty). Committee chairs and at least one other member must be Geography Department faculty. While it is usual for the third member to also be Geography Department faculty, it is possible to have someone from outside of geography serve on a committee.

Thesis Option:

A minimum of 30 credit hours is required for the Master of Science. Of the 30 hours, 21 hours must be geography department graduate-level courses and at least one half (15) of the required 30 hours must be earned at the 500 level.

Required courses (12 hours) include:

GEOG 520 - Research Methods in Geography (Spring of first year)

GEOG 521 - Contemporary Philosophy and Explanations in Geography (Fall of first year)

GEOG 522 - Techniques in Geography (Fall of second year)

One seminar in Geography (either GEOG 500, 510, 525, 526, 530)

GEOG 599 (3 to 6 credit hours) - Candidates must complete a thesis while enrolled in this course.

Electives (12 to 15 hours) are additional courses related to the student's needs and interests.

Non-Thesis Option:

A minimum of 36 credit hours is required for the Master of Science. Of the 36 hours, 24 hours must be geography department graduate-level courses and at least one half (18) of the required 36 hours must be earned at the 500 level.

Required courses (15 hours) include:

GEOG 520 - Research Methods in Geography (Spring of first year)

GEOG 521 - Contemporary Philosophy and Explanations in Geography (Fall of first year)

GEOG 522 - Techniques in Geography (Fall of second year)

GEOG 598 - Grauate Research Project (Fall/Spring of second year)

One seminar in Geography (Either GEOG 500, 510, 525, 526 or 530)

Electives (21 hours) are additional courses related to the student's needs and interests.

EXIT REQUIREMENTS

Thesis Option:

The final oral examination will be conducted by the candidate's thesis committee. This examination will cover the content of the thesis as well as the fundamental concepts of the discipline as stated in the program's objectives. Please refer to Graduate School Thesis for more information and deadlines relevant to this process.

Non-Thesis Option:

Candidates must complete the requirements for GEOG 598: Graduate Research Project. This course normally takes two semesters to complete. Requirements for completion are a research paper and a presentation based on the research paper.

CAREER OUTLOOK

Former students of the Master's program in Geography at SIUE have often found employment related to their area of interest. Some examples include: The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), U.S.G.S., EPA, Soil Conservation Service, H.U.D., Illinois and Missouri Departments of Conservation, Parsons Corporation, U.S. Park Service, Union Electric, Peabody Coal, U.S. Army Corp, Illinois Department of Transportation. Some students have gone on to successfully complete Ph.D. programs at other universities.

For questions and concerns, email the Graduate Program Director: Dr. Alan Black.