The Graduate School Bulletin
Department of Geography
129 Graham Building
(336) 334-5489
http://www.uncg.edu/geo
Graduate Programs
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Science, 18 hours
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Global and Regional Studies Geography, 18 hours
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Urban and Economic Development, 18 hours
Master of Arts (MA) in Applied Geography, 34 hours (thesis or internship) or 37 hours (non-thesis)
Master of Arts in Applied Geography, Urban Planning and Economic Development concentration
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Geography, 48-54 hours
Admissions Information
Graduate Faculty
Overview
GEO Geography Courses
Graduate Faculty
Professors
D. Gordon Bennett, PhD, Demographic analysis, world population problems.
Keith G. Debbage, PhD, Urban planning, regional development, tourism.
Paul Knapp, PhD, Biogeography, climatology, dendroecology.
Jeffrey C. Patton, PhD, Cartographic theory, history of cartography, earth science (Head of Department).
Susan M. Walcott, PhD, Urban, economic, East Asia (Director of Graduate Study).
Associate Professors
Ricky L. Bunch, PhD, Geographic information systems (GIS), spatial cognition, cartography.
Michael E. Lewis, PhD, Natural resources, environmental management, applied physical geography.
Zhi-Jun Liu, PhD, Environmental geography, GIS, spatial statistics, hydrologic/ecological modeling.
Elisabeth S. Nelson, PhD, Cartographic perception and cognition.
Phillip Royall, PhD, Geomorphology, drainage basin dynamics, soil science, water resources.
Roy S. Stine, PhD, Remote sensing, GIS.
Selima Sultana, PhD, Urban/transport geography and GIS applications, quantitative methods, geography of race/ethnicity.
Assistant Professors
Corey Johnson, PhD, Political geography, economic and urban geography, Europe.
Gerald J. Lennartson, PhD, Environmental planning, hazards, meteorology.
Overview
The Department of Geography offers the MA in Applied Geography, the PhD in Geography, and Post-Baccalaureate Certificates in Geographic Information Science (GISc), Global and Regional Studies Geography, and Urban and Economic Development. The programs focus on the application of theory and methods in geography toward the understanding of problems related to economic development, environmental quality, population change, and social well-being in urban, rural, regional, and international contexts.
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Science
The purpose of the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIS) is to provide professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively utilize spatial analytic tools, geographic data visualization techniques, spatial programming, and geographic information and image processing software. The program emphasizes the application of GIS in the fields of urban and regional planning, environmental assessment, remote sensing, spatial software development, cartography, and economic development.
The program requires 18 semester hours of course work (15 hours of core courses and 3 hours of approved electives)
Application and Admission
Applicants must submit all application materials required by The Graduate School by the appropriate deadline. Students are usually admitted in Fall and Spring semesters. Under some circumstances students may be admitted in the Summer term.
Certificate Requirements
Please consult the department for any prerequisite courses that may be required.
Required Core Courses (15 hours)
GEO 559 Advanced Remote Sensing-Imaging (3)
GEO 557 Advanced Cartography (3)
GEO 613 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (3)
GEO 614 GIS Programming, Design and Application (3)
GEO 620 Spatial Analysis (3)
Electives (3 hours)
Select one from the following:
GEO 621 Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3)
GEO 622 GIS Applications in Urban Planning (3)
BIO 522 Landscape Ecology (3)
Or other elective course approved by the Director of Graduate Study
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Global and Regional Studies Geography
The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Global and Regional Studies Geography emphasizes knowledge and skills needed to prepare students to work in positions in government, international business, and global non-profit organizations. Courses focus on the contemporary political economy of countries in various global regions from East Asia to Europe.
The program requires 18 semester hours of course work (15 hours of core courses and 3 hours of approved electives).
Application and Admission
Applicants must submit all application materials required by The Graduate School by the appropriate deadline. Students are usually admitted in Fall and Spring semesters. Under some circumstances students may be admitted in the Summer term.
Certificate Requirements
Please consult the department for any prerequisite courses that may be required.
Required Core Courses (15 hours)
GEO 504 Political Geography (3)
GEO 533 Regional Economic Development (3)
GEO 602 Regional Planning (3)
GEO 633 Advanced Topics in European Geography (3)
GEO 635 Geography of Asia (3)
Electives (3 hours)
Select one from the following:
GEO 560 Seminar in Regional Geography (3)
HIS 508 Latin American and Caribbean: Selected Topics (3)
HIS 534 Modern German: Selected Topics (3)
HIS 564 Modern Britain: Selected Topics (3)
HIS 575 Modern Russian History: Selected Topics (3)
PSC 610 Public Policy Analysis (3)
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Urban and Economic Development
The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Urban and Economic Development is offered jointly by the departments of Geography and Political Science. Courses emphasize the knowledge and skills needed to prepare students to work in organizations focusing on urban planning and community economic development activities in government and nonprofit organizations.
The program requires 18 semester hours of course work (12 hours of core courses and 6 hours of approved electives).
Application and Admission
Applicants must submit all application materials required by The Graduate School by the appropriate deadline. Students are usually admitted in Fall and Spring semesters. Under some circumstances students may be admitted in the Summer term.
Certificate Requirements
Required Core Courses (12 hours)
GEO 502 Urban Planning (3)
GEO 533 Regional Economic Development (3)
PSC 520 The Urban Political System (3)
PSC 630 Community and Economic Development: Theory and Practice (3)
Electives (6 hours)
Select two from the following:
GEO 602 Regional Planning (3)
GEO 603 Understanding Geographic Information Systems (3)
GEO 622 GIS Applications in Urban Planning (3)
GEO 631 Transportation Planning (3)
PSC 613 Local Government Administration (3)
PSC 620 Urban Development Policy (3)
MA - Master of Arts in Applied Geography
The MA in Applied Geography offers a thesis or internship option that requires a minimum of 34 hours, including a maximum of 6 hours of internship or thesis. Student may choose to pursue the course work only option that requires a minimum of 37 hours and completion of a competency portfolio. The non-thesis option is considered to result in a terminal degree.
The program prepares graduates for professional careers in Geographic Information Science (remote sensing, cartography, and geographic information systems), industrial and commercial site selection, transportation planning, environmental assessment, and urban and regional development. Emphasis is given to the application of theoretical constructs in geography to solve problems, particularly within the Triad and the State but also at the national and international levels. The program also leads to the acquisition of research skills and expertise appropriate to geographic analysis, including spatial statistics, cartography, remote sensing, and geographic information systems.
Application and Admission
In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School, applicants must submit a 250-500 word Personal Statement. To be considered for funding through the department, your application materials must be submitted no later than February 28 for the Fall semester or September 30 for the Spring semester. Students are usually admitted in Fall and Spring semesters. Under some circumstances students may be admitted in the Summer term.
Degree Requirements
Required Core Courses (4 hours)
GEO 601 Research Trends in Geography (1)
GEO 620 Spatial Analysis (3)
Electives (24-33 hours)
The student, in consultation with the advisor, will determine the appropriate courses to be taken in that individual's program, including any cognate courses.
*Research Courses (3-6 hours)
GEO 695 Internship (3-6) or GEO 699 Thesis (3-6)
Formal Review and Examinations
1. Approval of master's plan of study.
2. *Comprehensive examination (taken after the completion of 24 hours of course work; administered at the beginning of the fall and spring terms).
3. Approval of thesis or internship proposal.
4. Final thesis defense, internship presentation of completion of portfolio.
Details concerning specific core requirements, the comprehensive examination, admission to candidacy, plans of study, theses, internships, and competency portfolios can be obtained from the Director of Graduate Study.
*Research courses and comprehensive examination comprise Capstone Experience.
Urban Planning and Economic Development Concentration
The Urban Planning and Economic Development concentration is directed towards students who have an interest in preserving and enhancing the quality-of-life of urban areas and dealing effectively with growth and development issues. Students completing this concentration will combine the core requirements of the master's degree in applied geography with courses emphasizing the knowledge and skills required to provide effective leadership in urban and economic development for metropolitan areas. The required core courses, electives, research courses, collateral expertise, and formal reviews and examinations are the same as for the MA degree in applied geography. Within this framework, the following 15 hours must be completed.
Required Core Courses (12 hours)
GEO 502 Urban Planning (3)
GEO 522 Seminar in Population and Urban Studies (3)
GEO 533 Regional Economic Development (3)
GEO 622 GIS Applications in Urban Planning (3)
Elective Courses (3 hours)
Choose one from the following:
GEO 602 Regional Planning (3)
GEO 631 Transportation Planning (3)
PSC 620 Urban Development Policy (3)
PSC 630 Community and Economic Development: Theory and Practice (3)
PHD - Doctor of Philosophy in Geography
The PhD in Geography is an innovative program centered on the research-oriented application of geographical concepts and theories to the solving of real-world problems. The program requires 48-54 semester hours.
Application and Admission
In addition to the application materials required by The Graduate School, applicants must submit a 250-500 word Personal Statement. To be considered for funding through the department, your application materials must be submitted no later than February 28 for the Fall semester or September 30 for the Spring semester. Students are usually admitted in Fall and Spring semesters. Under some circumstances students may be admitted in the Summer term.
Degree Requirements
At least 27 of the 33 hours in required core and cluster courses (excluding dissertation hours) must be at the 600 level or higher. Up to nine hours of course work may be transferred from another institution on approval of the Department.
Required Core Courses (9 hours)
GEO 750 Advanced Spatial Analysis (3)
GEO 760 Research Design (3)
GEO 761 History of Geographic Thought (3)
Courses Required from Geography Clusters (24 hours)
Clusters of courses from three broad areas of applied geography form the basis of the doctoral program. These three clusters are: geographic information sciences (GIS), urban and regional economic development and planning, and earth science and natural resource management. Students are required to complete two courses in each of the three clusters and an additional two courses related to the dissertation research cluster.
Dissertation (15-21 hours)
GEO 799 Dissertation (15-21)
Formal Reviews and Examinations
1. Diagnostic Exam.
2. Approval of doctoral plan of study.
3. Comprehensive preliminary examination (taken after the completion of 33 hours of course work).
4. Dissertation proposal approval.
5. Public dissertation defense.
GEO Geography Courses
502 Urban Planning (3:3)
Experiences in planning and primary concepts and procedures utilized by planners in city and other local government agencies for improving the quality of the urban environment.
504 Political Geography (3:3)
Systematic overview of relationships among space, place, and politics at multiple geographic scales. Topics include boundaries, geopolitics, nationalism, resource distribution, means of controlling space, and the spatiality of globalization.
510 Biogeography (3:3)
Pr. one of the following: 311, 314, BIO 301, admission to graduate program in geography, or permission of instructor
Geographic distribution of organisms and the factors/processes accountable with emphasis on the increasingly important role humans play in influencing biogeographic processes.
511 Advanced Weather and Climate (3:3)
Pr. one of the following: 311, admission to graduate program in geography, or permission of instructor
Exploration of atmospheric dynamics and general circulation patterns throughout the world. Emphasis on cyclogensis, surface-upper atmosphere links, tropospheric waves, vorticity, and forecasting.
522 Seminar in Population and Urban Studies (3:3)
Advanced study of population processes and urban concepts from an interdisciplinary viewpoint. Emphasis on accessing and interpreting data from the U.S. census and other sources.
533 Regional Economic Development (3:3)
Theories of location of economic activity; techniques to assess impact of types of economic activity; policy and institutional issues related to local, state, and global economic development.
557 Advanced Cartography (3:3)
Pr. 321 or permission of instructor
Advanced instruction in cartographic production techniques and introduction to cartographic research. Students will learn to evaluate academic literature and to implement research ideas using state-of-the-art technology.
559 Advanced Remote Sensing-Imaging (3:3)
Pr. 323
Remote sensing of the environment using scientific visualization and digital image processing techniques.
560 Seminar in Regional Geography (3:3)
Case studies of regionalism and the regional method in geography. May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.
570 Applied Physical Geography (3:1:6) (SVL)
Applications in physical geography. Topics include field experience in hydrology, dendrochronology, geomorphology, climatology, and mapping. May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.
589 Experimental Course
This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings.
601 Research Trends in Geography (1:1)
Pr. admission to graduate program in geography
Overview of major research themes in geography. Student will meet faculty and other professional geographers, facilitating the development of research through field experience, colloquia, and conferences. (Graded on S-U basis)
602 Regional Planning (3:3)
Regional development and planning processes focused on regional planning techniques and law.
603 Understanding Geographic Information Systems (3:3)
Study and application of geographic information systems for professional problem-solving, spatial analysis, and mapping.
605 Seminar in Environmental Studies (3:3)
Selected topics of current interest in environmental studies. May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.
606 Environmental Planning (3:3)
Examination and analysis of environmental concepts and their relationship to various planning and management scenarios, including environmental issues, strategies, and plans.
612 Natural Resource Geography (3:3)
Application of geographical theory to natural resource use and distribution. Emphasis on resource use and constraints to development.
613 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (3:3)
Pr. 603 or permission of instructor
Development and application of geographic information systems. Emphasis on spatial data structures and their relationship to the analytic processes of geography and planning.
614 GIS Programming and Design Application (3:3)
Pr. 613
Theory and practice in the creation of Geographic Information Systems using logic based programming and database construction tools. Emphasis on modeling of spatial information and logic-based approaches to GIS.
620 Spatial Analysis (3:3)
Pr. 613 and STA 571 or equivalent
Theory and practice in combining Geographic Information Systems software with statistical analysis software. Emphasis will be on the quantitative analysis and visual display of spatial information.
621 Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3:3)
Pr. 359 and 613 or permission of instructor
Research in geographic information science. Focus on current research in application of remotely sensed imagery, geographic information systems, and maps in the visualization and analysis of spatial data. May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.
622 GIS Applications in Urban Planning (3:3)
Pr. 322 (or equivalent) and 603 or permission of instructor
Theory and practice integrating Geographic Information Systems with land use planning practice. Emphasis on advanced analysis and display of spatial data and information in support of land use planning decision-making.
631 Transportation Planning (3:3)
Pr. 502 or permission of instructor
Theory and practice of transportation planning with an emphasis on urban transportation systems.
633 Advanced Topics in European Geography (3:3)
In-depth analysis of select advanced topics related to Europe. Combines systematic and regional traditions within geography. Possible themes include European integration, immigration, urbanization and cities, cultural preservation, tourism, the environment. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
635 Geography of Asia (3:3)
Examines dynamic economic, sociocultural, and political changes in Asia by looking at their roots in physical and human resources influencing rapid modernization within an ancient cultural framework.
641 Earth Surface Processes and Landforms (3:3)
Pr. 314/314L or equivalent advanced undergraduate course in geomorphology
Advanced systematic study of geomorphology with applications to human responses to natural hazards and environmental management.
690 Research Problems in Applied Geography (3)
Pr. graduate course on the topic
Independent study on a topic of special interest.
695 Internship (1-6)
Pr. 18 hours in the M.A. in applied geography program
Practical experience in a professional setting related to the student's main topic of interest. Includes written paper linking the topic to the experience. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours credit.
699 Thesis (1-6)
Pr. permission of Geography Thesis Committee
711 Experimental Course
This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings.
750 Advanced Spatial Analysis (3:3)
Pr. 620
Theory and practice in spatial analysis with an emphasis on spatial statistics. Spatial pattern analysis, spatial association and interpolation, spatial data mining.
760 Research Design (3:3)
Pr. STA 571 or equivalent
Design and execution of applied research projects as practiced by professional geographers.
761 History of Geographic Thought (3:3)
Pr. admission to doctoral program in geography or allied field
Seminar on the nature of geography and what geographers do. Focus on the history of the discipline, approaches to its study, major paradigms, and application of geographic theory.
771 Doctoral Seminar in Geographic Information Science (3:3)
Advanced seminar in the theory, practice, and technical aspects of Geographic Information Science. May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.
781 Seminar in Earth Science/Natural Resources (3:3)
Pr. 612 or 641 or permission of instructor
Directed readings and research proposal development on selected aspects of natural resource policy and management from the perspective of earth science. May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.
790 Independent Geographic Research (3:3)
Pr. graduate course in topic
Independent study on topic of interest in theoretical geography. May be repeated for credit for up to 6 semester hours.
791 Seminar in Urban Planning/Economic Development (3:3)
Pr. 502 or 533 or permission of instructor
Directed readings on selected aspects of urban planning/economic development focused on theory and policy issues from a geographic perspective. May be repeated once for credit when topic changes.
792 Seminar in Regional Economic Development (3:3)
Pr. 533 or permission of instructor
A geographic perspective is applied to analysis of regional economic performance and change in the developed and developing world. Theory is integrated with strategies for development policy and planning.
799 Dissertation (1-21)
Pr. completion of all PhD course requirements and examinations
Required of all PhD in geography candidates. May be taken in two or more semesters.
801 Thesis Extension (1-3)
802 Dissertation Extension (1-3)
803 Research Extension (1-3)