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Kansas State University

How to Apply to the Geography Graduate Program


 

Mailing Address:

 

Department of Geography
118 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS  66506

Phone/Fax Numbers:

 

Telephone:  785-532-6727
Fax:  785-532-7310

For Further Information Contact:

 

Dr. Max Lu, maxlu@k-state.edu, 785-532-3413
-or- Dr. Kevin Blake, kblake@k-state.edu, 785-532-3406
-or- Ms. Kathy Zimmerman, kzimmerm@k-state.edu, 785-532-6727

Graduate Program Committee (Administers the Admission Process):

 

Dr. Kevin Blake (Graduate Program Director)
Dr. Max Lu
Dr. Bimal Paul
Dr. Melinda Daniels

For the MA or PhD Programs:

 

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 Assistantships funding, or November 1 for spring. The application deadline for international student applicants is February 1 for fall or August 1 for spring.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is required in previous coursework for admission, though in exceptional circumstances an applicant with a lower GPA may qualify for probationary admission.

Applicants will be contacted by the department when all required application materials are received and again when the department has reached a decision on the application.

Additional information is available in the Kansas State University online Graduate Catalog.

Required Application Materials:

  1. Graduate School Application Form.

    • This form may be either be printed from the Graduate School web site and mailed directly to the Department of Geography or submitted online.  The form may be accessed by clicking on this link.

  2. Application Fee (Required by the Graduate School).

    • $40 for U.S. citizens and permanent residents;
    • $55 for international students
    • The fee may either be paid online if submitting the application online, or a check or money order may accompany the application if it is submitted directly to the Department of Geography.

  3. Statement of Interests and Objectives

    • A one- to two-page statement of your geographical interests and objectives should be mailed directly to the Department of Geography.  Examples of what may be included in this statement include how and why your interest in geography has developed; how your academic and/or non-academic experiences have shaped these interests; why you are seeking a graduate degree in geography; why you are interested in the graduate programs at K-State; what areas or fields of geography have the most interest to you; what you plan to do once you have earned your degree; which faculty members are you most interested in working with.
    • The Graduate Program Committee uses this statement in part to identify if there is a suitable advisor on the faculty for the applicant.
  4. Transcripts of Universities and Colleges Attended.
    • One official copy of the transcript from each institution should be mailed directly from the institution to the Department of Geography.
  5. Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores.
    • The applicant should request that the Educational Testing Service send the scores directly to Kansas State University (photocopies of scores are not accepted).
    • Applicants to the PhD program should attain a combined score of at least 1100 on the verbal and quantitative components of the exam.
    • Click here for more information on the GRE.
  6. Three Letters of Recommendation.
    • The applicant should arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent directly to the Department of Geography.  These may be from current or former professors, advisors, employers, or other people who are best able to judge the applicant’s potential for graduate study.
  7. Application for Graduate Assistantship (optional).
    • If the applicant wants to apply for Graduate Teaching Assistantship or Graduate Research Assistantship funding, the Application for Graduate Assistantship form should be mailed directly to the Department of Geography.
    • Click here for the Department of Geography Application for Graduate Assistantship form.
  8. For Applicants Whose Primary Language is Not English:  TOEFL Scores.
    • Review the “Primary Language” section on this web site and submit TOEFL scores directly to Kansas State University.
  9. For International Student Applicants Only:  Affidavit of Financial Support.
    • If the Department of Geography decides to admit an international applicant, before the application is sent to the Graduate School for final processing, the applicant must complete an Affidavit of Financial Support and mail it directly to the Department of Geography.  The affidavit form may be accessed by clicking on this link.

For Non-degree Graduate Student Status:

 

Some students prefer to apply as a non-degree seeking graduate student, perhaps in order to complete the requirement for the graduate certificate in Geographic Information Science, or to get a first taste of graduate coursework in Geography.  For questions about the Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science, please visit with Dr. Shawn Hutchinson (shutch@k-state.edu, 785-532-3414), the coordinator of the certificate program.  For other questions about the non-degree graduate program, please visit with Dr. Kevin Blake (kblake@k-state.edu, 785-532-3406).

Additional information is available in the Kansas State University online Graduate Catalog.

Required Application Materials for a Non-degree Program:

  1. Graduate School Application Form.
    • This form may be either be printed from the Graduate School web site and mailed directly to the Department of Geography or submitted online.  The form may be accessed by clicking on this link.
  2. Statement of Interests and Objectives
    • A one- to two-page statement of your geographical interests and objectives should be mailed directly to the Department of Geography.  Examples of what may be included in this statement include how and why your interest in geography has developed; how your academic and/or non-academic experiences have shaped these interests; why you are seeking admission as a non-degree student; what job or academic experiences have prepared you to contribute to the learning environment of a graduate course.
  3. Transcripts of Universities and Colleges Attended.
    • One official copy of the transcript from each institution should be mailed directly from the institution to the Department of Geography.
  4. Two Letters of Recommendation.
    • The applicant should arrange for two letters of recommendation to be sent directly to the Department of Geography.  These may be from current or former professors, advisors, employers, or other people who are best able to judge the applicant’s potential for graduate study.
  5. For Applicants Whose Primary Language is Not English:  TOEFL Scores.
    • Review the “Primary Language” section on this web site and submit TOEFL scores directly to Kansas State University.
  6. For International Student Applicants Only:  Affidavit of Financial Support.
    • If the Department of Geography decides to admit an international applicant, before the application is sent to the Graduate School for final processing, the applicant must complete an Affidavit of Financial Support and mail it directly to the Department of Geography.  The affidavit form may be accessed by clicking on this link.