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Kansas State University

Graduate Studies in Geography

 

The Department of Geography at Kansas State University offers degrees at both the master's (M.A.) and doctoral (Ph.D.). Discovery and dissemination of new knowledge are the cornerstones of our mission.  Drawing upon the research interests and experience of the faculty, the department's core areas of geographic inquiry are illustrated in the figure below.  Much of the research conducted by faculty and graduate students incorporates more than one of these themes, and we accomplish these research activities in an atmosphere of open inquiry and academic freedom.

At the master's level students receive training in the fundamentals of geographic thought and research, which prepares them for either a professional career or advanced study and research. At the Ph.D. level, students are encouraged to pursue original research that fits with the core areas of the department and complements the rural and land grant tradition of Kansas State University. 

Options

 

Master's students in geography may choose, in consultation with their advisors, one of the three programs leading to the M.A. degree. The thesis option requires 30 hours of graduate credit, including 6 hours of credit for a thesis.  The report option is a non-thesis program designed for students who have a specific professional goal in mind and who do not intend to continue for a doctoral degree.  The report option for teachers is for students who intend to pursue, or continue, careers in public school or junior college teaching. For most students, the Department of Geography encourages completion of the thesis option.

A Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIScience) is also available, which can be earned as a stand-alone certificate or in conjunction with either a master's or doctoral degree.

Financial Support

 

Several positions as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) are available each year on a competitive basis for nine-month appointments; limited support may also be available for summer months. Full-time GTAs receive a stipend and a full waiver of tuition. GRAs, supported from geography faculty research grants, receive a stipend and a tuition reduction from out-of-state to in-state rates. A limited number of competitive Timothy R. Donoghue Scholarships may also be available from the Graduate School to enhance graduate stipends; the Department of Geography applies for these on behalf of qualified students.

Graduate assistantships are awarded for two years for M.A. students and three years for Ph.D. students, contingent upon satisfactory performance of the GTA or GRA duties and academic progress, including the achievement of a minimum cumulative 3.33 grade point average in graduate studies at Kansas State University.

Graduate Program Admission Procedures and Requirements

 

Regular admission to the Graduate School and the Department of Geography for a M.A. or Ph.D. degree requires:

In some cases applicants with less than a 3.0 grade point average may be admitted to the M.A. program on a probationary basis.

Ph.D. applicants should have attained a score of at least 1100 of the combined verbal and quantitative components of the GRE. Admission to the Ph.D. program is contingent upon the willingness of a geography faculty member to serve as the student’s advisor. Students who have not completed the master’s degree by the end of their first semester in the Ph.D. program may be subject to dismissal.

Domestic student applicants may submit applications year-round, but applications should be submitted by February 1 for top consideration of fall semester admission and Graduate Teaching Assistantship funding, or November 1 for the spring semester. The application deadline for international student applicants is February 1 for fall or August 1 for spring.

Students who wish to be considered for assistantships should include the one-page Department of Geography Application for Graduate Assistantship with their application materials.

Students applying for the non-degree graduate program may apply at any time. Non-degree seeking applicants need only submit official transcripts and a statement of interests and objectives.

The faculty contact for questions about the graduate admission process is Dr. Max Lu (785-532-6727).

Career Opportunities

 

Career opportunities in geography are diverse and employment prospects after receipt of the master’s or Ph.D. degree are excellent. Ample employment opportunities exist and  include positions in business, government, and education.

Federal agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, National Imagery and Mapping Agency, Bureau of the Census, and Bureau of Land Management employ numerous geographers each year, particularly those with environmental or spatial techniques and analysis expertise. State and local agencies employ geographers with specialties in many areas, including environmental geography, physical geography, health, cultural geography, planning, and spatial techniques.

The geographer’s training in location analysis, social and environmental problems, and a variety of spatial techniques including remote sensing, geographic information systems, and computer cartography, make the geographer particularly valuable in the private sector. Job titles such as geographic information systems manager, environmental planner, market researcher, and risk analyst are just a few of the varied positions held by geographers in business.