MS in Geography

The Master of Science in Geography degree program trains young professionals in areas of human and physical geography, while building on students’ working knowledge of geospatial techniques. With a faculty-to-student ratio of 1-to-2, our graduate students have exceptional mentorship and research opportunities.

Students supplement required coursework in geographic methods and basic GIS with elective courses that match their specific interests. Possible elective topics include Arctic climate systems, methods for analyzing mortality and birth rates, water resource policy and city planning.

Recent graduates have gone on to prestigious PhD programs and jobs at the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, the Brookings Institution and more.

Join the Graduate Programs Virtual Open House: October 17–27

Registration is open for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences 2023 Open House! The online event includes program-specific information sessions and opportunities to engage with current graduate students, faculty and our admissions team.

The Geography Department is hosting an information session for prospective graduate students on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. EDT. 

Registration and Details

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"The professors are incredibly approachable, and I've made good friends. They do a lot of social events, which really contribute to making the department feel like a little family."

Natalie Armstrong
MA '16

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Thesis and Capstone

To fulfill degree requirements, MS students choose either a thesis option (30 credit hours) or non-thesis/capstone option (36 credit hours). Students taking the non-thesis option must complete a geography capstone course, which can take the form of either an original research project supervised by a faculty member or a research and analysis assignment completed during an internship for an external client.

Capstone research can be considered for the department’s Campbell Graduate Research Grants. The grants fund travel and other costs associated with graduate research.

Funding Opportunities

Campbell Graduate Research Grants

The highly competitive Campbell Graduate Research Grants are awarded to several graduate students each summer. Past awardees have applied their funding toward research projects in the Arctic, Ghana, Panama, Alabama and around Washington, D.C. Recently, two students received Campbell funding for their capstone research project based out of Mixco, Guatemala. Their project used open-source mapping tools to help vulnerable communities reduce disaster risk and adapt to disasters.

Each March, the department puts out a call for Campbell Research Grant proposals to fund summer projects. Students are encouraged to submit research proposals at the end of their first year in the MS program.

Fellowships and Assistantships

The Geography Department offers a number of graduate student assistantships as well as student “grader” positions. Applications for assistantships and grading positions are evaluated following admission to the program, and awards are made on the basis of academic qualifications. Awards are granted for one year, with the understanding that if assistantships are available and if the student maintains good academic standing, the award will be renewed for a second year.

Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships

Other CCAS Graduate Student Funding

Columbian College offers additional funding options, including research grants, scholarships and military education benefits.

CCAS Graduate Student Funding

Course Requirements