Graduate Students

Attention Prospective Graduate Students

Applications and Admissions

Graduate Student Scholarships

University of Utah Requirements

 

Graduate Program

Degrees. M.A., M.S., Ph.D. in geography.

For additional information, see the Graduate School home page.

Areas of systematic, regional, and technical fields. Prospective Master's and Ph.D. candidates are urged to assess the congruence of their interests with departmental specializations.  Also, refer to the Department Strategic Plan page.
 

Urban Economic: human geography sub-emphasis which links research in facility locational analysis, population migration, and urban land use with the undergraduate urban planning program and the institutional mission of the University of Utah as the urban university in Utah.

Natural Environmental/Physical Geography: research and instruction in paleoenvironments, biogeography, land management, and natural hazards.

Geographic Information Analysis: geographic information systems, satellite based remote sensing, computer cartography, automated decision-support systems, and methodologies for spatial analysis as well as other areas of geographic inquiry.

Admission. Procedures and materials are available on the web click here

Accordance of student's interests with those of prospective faculty advisers is a condition for acceptance into the program. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with department faculty during the application process. )

Initial enrollment in the Master's program only occurs in fall semester.

Enrollment in the Ph.D. program can occur in fall or spring. However, to be considered for admission and financial assistance, completed applications, including all supporting documentation, must be received no later than January 20 of the year in which initial enrollment is anticipated.

 

Master's Degree Requirements. All graduate students are expected to have proficiency in Geostatistics (GEOG 3020), Cartography (GEOG 3040) and introductory calculus. These must be obtained prior to admission. Courses used to fulfill these requirements do not count toward graduate credit and should preferably be fulfilled as part of the undergraduate program.

Thesis and technical-report options are available. All Master's students are required to complete a minimum of 30 semester hours, including a minimum of 6 semester hours of thesis research. Master's students are required to take GEOG 6961, GEOG 6000, GEOG 6010, and two GEOG 6960 seminars, plus at least 8 additional semester hours of elective course work. Elective courses are selected by the student with the assistance of the student's Supervisory Committee and in accordance with the Graduate School requirements. A grade point average of 3.0 or higher in course work is required. No graded work below a B- is acceptable toward the degree.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements. All graduate students are expected to have proficiency in Geostatistics (GEOG 3020), Cartography (GEOG 3040) and introductory calculus. These must be obtained prior to admission. Courses used to fulfill these requirements do not count toward graduate credit and should preferably be fulfilled as part of the undergraduate program.

All doctoral students are required to complete a minimum of 31 semester hours, including a minimum of 14 semester hours of dissertation research. Doctoral students are required to take GEOG 6961, GEOG 6000, GEOG 6010, GEOG 7930 and two GEOG 6960 seminars, and WRTG 6000 or WRTG 7060. Additional course work and research are designed on an individual basis with the student's Supervisory Committee and in accordance with the Graduate School requirements. A grade point average of 3.0 or higher in course work is required. No graded work below a B- is acceptable toward the degree.

For more information on Graduate Studies in the Department of Geography, contact the graduate program advisor, Dr. Phil Dennison at (801) 585-1805 (email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ), or write to:

The University of Utah, Department of Geography
Attention Dr. Phil Dennison
260 S. Central Campus Drive - Room 270
Salt Lake City, UT U.S.A. 84112-9155