Master’s Degree in Geography – Enroll Now!

Who needs a Master’s Degree in Geography from Marshall University? We have students who are AP Human Geography teachers, community college professors, GIS analysts, natural resource and environmental scientists as well as traditional research-based graduate students. Our degrees are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. We welcome you to come to campus as a traditional in-person learner OR pursue your master’s degree 100% online.

Marshall University undergraduate seniors can enter our Accelerated Master’s Degree (AMD) program and take a few graduate courses to get a head start on graduate school. This AMD program makes it possible for them to earn their master’s degree in one year after their bachelor’s degree. Can you earn your degree in one year if you are not a Marshall undergraduate? Yes, the course rotation will permit this, but you would shoulder a heavy load for fall, spring, and summer and would have to carefully select courses to complete all requirements in that short time frame. The typical graduate student finishes in 1.5-2 years. For some students, even this speed is too quick with their other responsibilities, so they take longer, up to the maximum of 7 years.

The M.A. degree is for students interested in human geography or geography education, while the M.S. is suitable for students interested in GIScience and/or physical geography. Both the M.S. and M.A. degree options prepare the graduate for professional employment or advanced work at the doctoral level. In coordination with their advisor, students may choose to either: 1) complete a capstone course GEO679 focusing on Career Advancement, Reflection on the degree completion experience, and a Comprehensive Exam or 2) write a thesis GEO681. The majority of our majors pursue the capstone course GEO679 option. The thesis option is the best choice for students wishing to engage in geographical research projects or in preparation for entrance into a doctoral program. Thesis students must pass GEO615 and GEO616 with grades of A and then must get permission from a potential thesis advisor before enrolling in GEO681 Thesis.

The Master’s degree in Geography (M.A. or M.S.) requires 34 credit hours and is offered on campus or 100% online.

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Master’s degree applicants should follow the admissions process described at www.marshall.edu/graduate. In addition, applicants must:

• Submit a curriculum vitae (CV) and/or résumé with the graduate application;
• Submit two letter of recommendation (either from employers or faculty members) with the graduate application.

Want to learn more?

Contact Dr. James Leonard about a graduate degree in Geography.
“God and my Master’s degree from Marshall landed me the position (GIS Analyst/Manager near Portland, OR).” ~ Mike, 2018

Master’s Degree in Geography Core Courses

Students must complete the following core courses in Geography (see course descriptions or rotation schedule):

• Any GEO GIScience course, typically GEO523 Cartography and GIS (3 credit hours) or GEO526 Principles of GIS (4 credit hours)
• GEO615 Geographic Thought (3 credit hours)
• GEO616 Geographical Research Methods (3 credit hours)
• (MS only) GEO540 Spatial Statistics and GIS (4 credit hours)
• GEO 679 Applied Projects (3 credits) or GEO681 Thesis (6 credits)

Plan of Study:  When students complete 12 credits in Geography Master’s program, they must complete this Plan of Study form.

Master’s Degree in Geography Tracks

Here are some suggested tracks you could pursue, or you could always mix and match to suit your interest! In each case, choose enough courses to get to 34 credits minimum (including your core courses) with at least 17 credits at the 600-level.

Graduate Minors in Geography

Graduate students pursuing degrees in other disciplines can choose from four different Graduate Minors in Geography. See a Geography department advisor for more information.

• Regional Geography
• Physical Geography
• Human Geography
• Geographic Information Systems/Remote Sensing