Requirements

Required Courses

GEOG 500 Seminar in Geographic Research (3)
GEOG 520 Seminar in Physical Geography (3)
GEOG 550 Seminar in Human Geography (3)
GEOG 599 Independent Graduate Research (3)
One additional 500-level geography course (3)

Electives (12-15 units)

Senior-level or graduate coursework in geography (15 units unless approved for thesis; may include additional GEOG 500-level courses; up to six units from related fields).

Thesis or Comprehensive Exam (0-3 units)

GEOG 598 Thesis (3) (department approval required)
Students must follow one of two plans-Plan A, requiring a comprehensive examination; or Plan B, requiring a thesis.

Plan A requires the development of a specific field of interest and a written, three-part comprehensive exam testing knowledge in human geography, physical geography and the student's specified area of interest. The examination may be repeated only once.

Plan B requires the development of a specific field of interest, a written thesis and a subsequent oral defense. All students will follow Plan A unless approval for the thesis option is granted. In order to follow Plan B, the thesis option, students must have the written consent of their thesis supervisor and all members of a thesis committee. Permission to write a thesis may be granted only to students who have: (1) achieved a 3.25 grade-point average after 15 units of upper-division and graduate coursework; and (2) demonstrated proficiency in research and writing skills.