Program Requirements | Geography, Environment, and Sustainability

Geography, Environment, and Sustainability

M.A. in Applied Geography

Program Requirements

The Master of Arts in Applied Geography has 3 program options: Thesis, Internship Project, or Non-Thesis.

Thesis

  • 34 graduate credit hours, including GES 601, GES 620, and GES 699
  • One-half of all coursework (17 hours) at the 600 – 749 levels
  • Comprehensive Exam
  • Thesis
  • Thesis Defense

Internship Research

  • 34 graduate credit hours, including GES 601, GES 620, and GES 695
  • One-half of all coursework (17 hours) at the 600 – 749 levels
  • Comprehensive Exam
  • Internship Project
  • Internship Presentation

Non-Thesis/Professional Portfolio

  • 37 graduate credit hours, including GES 601 and GES 620
  • One-half of all coursework (18 hours) at the 600 – 749 levels
  • Comprehensive Exam
  • Professional portfolio must be complied; this consists of a resume, personal statement, and two research papers (one tradional, one applied)

The MA degree requires a minimum of 34 hours of graduate-level coursework; all but 17 credit hours must be at the 600-749 levels.

  • Required courses are: GES 601 and GES 620; GES 695 Internship (3-6) or GES 699 Thesis (3-6)*
  • Electives are: 24 – 33 hours

*The non-thesis option requires 37 hours of coursework, excluding GES 695 and GES 699. The non-thesis option is a terminal degree program.

Students coming into our programs without an undergraduate degree in geography must complete four undergraduate courses in geography to help ground themselves in the discipline. One course in each of the following sub-disciplines is required, in addition to completing the advanced degree requirements:

  • Physical Geography: GES 103; GES 330
  • Regional Geography: GES 104; GES 333; GES 344
  • Cultural Geography: GES 105; GES 301; GES 302: GES 304; GES 320
  • Geographic Techniques: GES 121; GES 322; GES 357; GES 358; GES 359; GES 603

These courses may have been taken previously as part of an undergraduate program; if this is not the case, they may be taken at UNCG, in any other approved geography department, or in some cases by correspondence. Please consult the Director of Graduate Studies for more information or course approvals.