Mar 28, 2024  
University Catalog 2013-2014 
    
University Catalog 2013-2014 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Geography, M.A.


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The Department of Geosciences and Environment offers two postgraduate degrees: Master of Arts in Geography and Master of Science in Geosciences and Environment (with options in Geology and Environmental Hydrology).

The Master of Arts degree program in Geography is designed to prepare students for teaching at the secondary and community college levels, employment in government and private industry, and further graduate study in geography.

I. Master of Arts Degree in Geography

Admission to the Program

Applicants with baccalaureates in Geography:

  1. Must have attained a grade point average of at least 2.75 (A=4.0) in the last 90-quarter units of undergraduate work attempted, or satisfactory completion of probationary units.
  2. Must have been in good standing in the last college or university attended.
  3. Must give evidence of passing GEOG 395 or its equivalent in another accredited college or university.
  4. Must meet all University admission requirements.

Applicants with baccalaureates in majors other than Geography:

  1. Must have attained a grade points average of at least 2.75 (A=4.0) in the last 90-quarter units of undergraduate work attempted, or satisfactory completion of probationary units.
  2. Must have been in good standing in the last college or university attended.
  3. Must complete GEOG 395 or its equivalent in another accredited college or university plus 12-28 units of approved upper-division geography courses with a minimum B (3.0) average.
  4. Must meet all University admission requirements.

Additional Departmental Requirements for all Graduate Program Applicants

Students are accepted into the graduate program of the Department of Geography and Urban Analysis for fall and winter quarters. In order to facilitate the admission process all prospective students must submit their application through the university online service and follow the established university procedures. Additionally, applicants must submit the following documents directly to the department:

  1. An unofficial copy of their transcripts from all colleges and universities attended,
  2. A statement of intent, and
  3. Two letters of recommendations, in which at least one letter must come from a professor or an individual capable of evaluating the applicant’s qualification for graduate study.

The statement of intent should be between 500-700 words indicating applicant’s purpose in applying for graduate study, any special areas of interest, plans for future occupation or profession and any additional information that may aid the selection committee in evaluating the applicant’s preparation and aptitude for graduate study at CSULA. All documents must be received by the department prior to March 1 for fall quarter admission and June 10 for winter admission. Applications will be reviewed by the department and assessed based on the completed application form and supporting materials. Documents that are submitted directly to the department should be sent to the following address:

The Graduate Study Committee
Department of Geosciences and Environment
4067 King Hall
California State University Los Angeles
5151 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90032
U.S.A.

Requirements for the Degree (45 units)


A total of 45 units is required, with at least 23 in 500-level courses.

Before enrolling in GEOG 599  or taking the comprehensive examination (GEOG 596 ), students must satisfy one of the following requirements, subject to principal graduate adviser approval:

Computer Skills, Statistics, or Foreign Language Requirement


Complete GEOG 468  with a grade of B or higher, or
Complete GEOG 482  with a grade of B or higher, or
Pass a reading examination in a language other than English (ML 901 ) in the geographic literature of a modern language, as offered by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and in accordance with the practice of that department, or

Complete 12 units in a modern language in accordance with the practice of the Department of Modern Languages.

Required Seminar (4 units)


Electives (12 units)


Select 12 units from following


Select elective seminars with the approval of the principal graduate adviser. Students may repeat GEOG 510, 520, 540, and 560 provided the seminar topic is not repeated in the exact subject matter or region.

Electives in Geography and Related Fields (20–29 units)


Select 400 and 500-level GEOG courses. Students who elect the comprehensive examination option must include a minimum of 7 units at the 500 level. With approval of the principal graduate adviser, a maximum of 8 units may be in related fields.

Comprehensive Examination or Thesis (0, 6–9 units)


Students who select the comprehensive examination must include a minimum of 29 units in Electives in Geography and Related Fields above, should expect to take the examination (GEOG 596 ) the quarter they complete all course work on their program, and must comply with college and departmental requirements.

The examination consists of a section about Geographic Thought plus sections about two of the following subject matters selected by the student with approval of the principal graduate adviser: Biogeography, Climatology, Cultural Geography, Economic Geography, Environmental Studies, Geographic Information Systems, Geomorphology, Historical Geography, Locational Analysis, Mathematical Modeling, Medical Geography, Population Geography, Qualitative Research Methods, Remote Sensing, Settlement Geography, Spatial Statistics, Transportation Geography, Urban Geography, and Geography of a particular region.

Students who elect to write a thesis will need to enroll in GEOG 599  for a minimum of two quarters and a total of 6-9 units. In addition to the 16 units of required (4 units) and elective (12 units) seminars, these students need to complete a minimum of 20-23 units of electives (400-or 500-level courses) to satisfy the 45-unit requirement for the master’s degree.

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