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GEOGPHD - Geography

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Geography & Dev, Sch ofGraduate Degree SeekingPHD - Doctor of Philosophy

Overview

Program Requirements

Completion requirement

Core Major Units: 30
Additional Units: 24 (see requirements below for students with or without emphases)
Required Minor Units: 12
Total Minimum Degree Units: 66

Completion requirement

Core Courses: 30 units

  • course: History of Geographic Thought (3)

  • course: Research Design (3)

Additional 6 units of advanced methods study. This course will vary between students and agreed upon by the student and advisor/committee. 

18 units of course: Dissertation

Completion requirement

Electives for students with no emphasis (see Urban Planning for emphasis electives)

(Geography and other): 12 units (four courses) of graduate courses in SGDE and/or other departments, including independent studies, thesis, and dissertation credits.

These 3-unit GEOG elective courses MAY include:

  • course: Economic Geography (3)

  • course: Cultural Geography (3)

  • course: Physical Geography (3)

  • course: Advanced Methods and Techniques (3)

  • course: Urban Geography (3)

  • course: Political Geography (3)

  • course: Political Ecology (3)

  • course: Water Resources Geography (3)

  • course: Development and the Latin American Experience (3)

  • course: Geography and Dendrochronology (3)

  • course: Geography and Social Theory (3)

  • course: Adaptation & Resilience in Water Resources Systems (3)

  • course: Participatory Systems Design and Delivery (3)

GEOG seminar courses are not offered on regular cycles and are contingent upon faculty availability,

The 33 units offered for the degree may not include more than nine units of thesis, internship, and/or independent studies. In addition to the 33-unit minimum, students are also required to register for one unit of course (Colloquium) during each semester in residence, although these units do not count towards degree requirements.

The Director of Graduate Studies may approve exceptions to the above requirements.

Completion requirement

All graduate students in residence are expected to attend the weekly Colloquium whenever possible, whether or not they are formally registered for course (one credit, which is not graded and does not count towards degree requirements). Students should register for the Colloquium each semester if their credit load permits. 

Language requirements: A doctoral student who proposes to undertake research in or on a non-English speaking area is required to demonstrate the necessary language skills before taking the comprehensive exam. A language test will normally be arranged by the student's mentor, and be approved by the student's advisory committee.

Completion requirement

12 units minimum

Completion requirement
Completion requirement

Minimum Emphasis Units

24 (in addition to Core Major Units above) 

Emphasis Core Coursework Requirements

The Urban Planning Emphasis in Geography requires a minimum of 18 credits in Planning (including both core and elective classes) and 18 credits in Geography (including core classes course and course), plus 12 credits in the minor in Geography. 

Emphasis Elective Coursework

  • course: Planning Theory and Practice (3)

  • course: Methods in Urban Planning (4)

  • course: Introduction to GIS for Planning and Landscape Architecture (4)

  • course: Land-Use Planning Law (3)

  • course: Environmental Planning (3)

  • course: Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Controls (3)

  • course: Independent Study (3)

GEOG Electives: Additional courses as needed (1-15) to ensure minimum of 18 units satisfying the Urban Planning Emphasis across the major and minor, and minimum of overall GEOG required units for the major and for the minor. Courses may be taken outside SGDE and should be agreed upon beforehand by student and advisor. Please use the course catalog for a current and complete list of courses available to UA students. 

Urban Planning Emphasis units

a. Some or all of these courses may be waived (and/or transferred in as substitute) for students with prior graduate studies in Planning. 

b. GEOG will accept these PLG/LAR courses as meeting GEOG PhD major or minor requirements. 

c. Because emphasis students will minor in Geography, these courses can be used to meet the requirements for both the major and the minor.

 

Additional Emphasis Requirements

None

 

Minor Requirements for Doctoral Students in this Emphasis

Students in the Urban Planning emphasis will minor in Geography (12 units). Can include PLG courses specified for the emphasis. The specific content of the minor will depend on students’ background in planning and geography.