Oct 13, 2024  
University Catalog 2017-2018 
    
University Catalog 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Geography, M.A.


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The Department of Geosciences and Environment offers three postgraduate degrees: Master of Arts in Geography, Master of Science in Geological Science (with options in Geology and Environmental Hydrology), and Master of Science in Environmental Sciences (joint program with the Department of Biological Sciences and Civil Engineering).

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.

Admission to the Program

Applicants with baccalaureates in Geography:

A. Must have attained a grade point average of at least 2.75 (A=4.0) in the last 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units of undergraduate work attempted, or satisfactory completion of probationary units.
B. Must have been in good standing in the last college or university attended.
C. Must give evidence of passing GEOG 4950 or its equivalent in another accredited college or university.
D. Must meet all University admission requirements.

Applicants with baccalaureates in majors other than Geography:

A. Must have attained a grade points average of at least 2.75 (A=4.0) in the last 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units of undergraduate work attempted, or satisfactory completion of probationary units.
B. Must have been in good standing in the last college or university attended.
C. Must complete GEOG 4950 or its equivalent in another accredited college or university plus 8-18 semester units of approved upper-division geography courses with a minimum B (3.0) average.
D. Must meet all University admission requirements.

Additional Departmental Requirements for all Graduate Program Applicants

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:

A. An unofficial copy of their transcripts from all colleges and universities attended,
B. A statement of intent, and
C. 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 the 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 Cal State LA. All documents must be received by the department prior to the application deadlines that may be found on the university application website. 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 Studies Committee
Department of Geosciences and Environment
C4067 King Hall
California State University Los Angeles
5151 State University Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90032
U.S.A.
 

Requirements for the Degree (30 units)


A total of 30 units is required, with at least 15 in 5000-level courses.

Before enrolling in GEOG 5990  or taking the comprehensive examination (GEOG 5960 ), students must satisfy one of the following requirements, subject to principal graduate advisor approval:

Computer Skills, Statistics, or Foreign Language Requirement (3 or 8 units)


Complete GEOG 4680  with a grade of B or higher, or
Complete GEOG 4820  with a grade of B or higher, or
Pass a reading examination in a language other than English (ML 9010 ) 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 8 units in a modern language in accordance with the practice of the Department of Modern Languages.

Required Seminar (3 units)


Elective Seminars (9 units)


Select elective seminars with the approval of the principal graduate advisor. Students may repeat GEOG 5100, 5200, 5400, and 5600 provided the seminar topic is not repeated in the exact subject matter or region.

Electives in Geography and Related Fields (12 or 18 units)


Select 4000- and 5000-level GEOG courses; with approval of the principal graduate advisor, a maximum of 6 units may be in related fields. Students who elect the comprehensive examination option must include a minimum of 18 units with a minimum of 3 units at the 5000-level. With approval of the principal graduate advisor, a maximum of 6 units may be in related fields. Students who elect to write a thesis will need to complete a minimum of 12-15 units of electives to satisfy the 30 unit requirement for the master’s degree.

Comprehensive Examination or Thesis (0 or 6 units)


Students who select the comprehensive examination (GEOG 5960) should expect to take the examination the semester 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 advisor: Applied Climatology, Biogeography, Climatology, Cultural Geography, Economic Geography, Environmental Studies, Geographic Information Systems, Geomorphology, Global Climate Change, Historical Geography, Locational Analysis, Mathematical Modeling, Medical Geography, Physical 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 5990 for a minimum of two semesters and a total of 6 units. 

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