Learning Outcomes

1. Students will demonstrate proficiency in key concepts and debates in their chosen disciplinary subfield.
2. Students will formulate and execute an original research project in the form of a master’s thesis. 
3. Students will demonstrate their ability to use geographical research methods and techniques.  \\n

Degree Requirements

Students who enter the M.A. program are expected to complete a majority of their coursework credit hours in human and human-environment courses. Master’s students must have an approved Master’s Program of Study (M-POS) form within 12 months of initial enrollment.  

There are two options for this degree:

1. Thesis Option (30 Hours)
2. Non-Thesis Option (36 Hours)

Thesis Option (30 Hours)

Coursework

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
GEOG 801	Historical and Contemporary Geographic Thought	3
Select a graduate-level (500-level or above) techniques or methods course with GEOG designator, passed with a minimum grade of B		3
Select 24 additional credit hours 1		24
Total Credit Hours		30

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• Half the coursework (not including GEOG 799) listed on the M-POS must be at the 700- or 800-level.
• No more than six (6) credit hours of independent study with any designator may be included on the M-POS.
• A minimum of one (1) and maximum of six (6) credit hours of GEOG 799 must be included on the M-POS. Students cannot enroll in GEOG 799 until they have an approved thesis proposal. 
• A maximum of six (6) credit hours with non-GEOG designators may be included on the M-POS.

Thesis

Full-time students will defend their proposal no later than the end of the third regular semester.  The thesis committee is composed of three faculty members, all from the Columbia campus; one of the three committee members may come from a unit outside of Geography.  Students will defend their thesis research following the same procedures as the proposal defense.  The proposal defense serves as the master’s comprehensive exam.  The student will have up to two weeks after the oral defense to complete any required remediation.

Non-Thesis Option (36 Hours)

Students must declare their intention to pursue the non-thesis option no later than the end of the student’s third regular semester (for full-time students). 

Coursework

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
GEOG 801	Historical and Contemporary Geographic Thought	3
Select a graduate-level (500-level or above) techniques or methods course with GEOG designator, passed with a minimum grade of B		3
Select 30 additional credit hours 1		30
Total Credit Hours		36

¹

• Half the coursework listed on the M-POS must be at the 700- or 800-level. GEOG 799 does not count towards this requirement.
• No more than six (6) credit hours of independent study with any designator may be included on the M-POS.
• A maximum of six (6) credit hours with non-GEOG designators may be included on the M-POS.

Research Paper

Non-thesis students will write an extended research paper under the guidance of the advisor. The advisor will select a second reader for the extended research paper.  The second reader must be a member of the Geography faculty.  The advisor and second reader will evaluate the research paper as Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail.  A student may be given up to two weeks to complete any required remediation.  Once assigned a Pass, the paper serves as the master’s comprehensive exam.