Graduate Programs
One of the program's greatest strengths is the close relationship between its students and faculty and among the students themselves. Small class sizes, close student and faculty contact, and a strong sense of community are considered essential components of the learning and teaching environment at UNC Charlotte.
The applied geography program at UNC Charlotte is recognized as one of the best of its kind in the country. Many of its graduates have gone directly into jobs as professional geographers, research and/or marketing specialists, location analysts, planners, transportation specialists, and private consultants. About 10 percent of the more than 100 graduates of the program have gone on to study in Ph.D. programs.
Additional Requirements for Acceptance into the M.A. Degree Program in Geography. In addition to the requirements for admission to the Graduate School, applicants are required to demonstrate evidence of suitability for the program.
They are evaluated in five major areas: grade point average (GPA), letters of recommendation, personal essays, scores on the Graduate Record Exam, and transcripts of college course work. Each of these are weighted equally during the evaluation of applicants. In general, the department would prefer a GPA of at least 3.1 overall or for the last two years and scores of 1000 or more on the combined Verbal and Quantitative portions of the GRE.
Applicants must demonstrate competence in undergraduate subject matter in their area of study. While the department does not require that applicants have a degree in Geography or Earth Science, they must provide evidence that they are prepared immediately to take full advantage of graduate level course work in Geography and Earth Sciences.
Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate their proficiency in English by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Overall scores of 575 with scores of 55 on individual sections (listening comprehension; structure and written expression; vocabulary and reading comprehension) are preferred.
All applicants for admission will be reviewed by the Graduate Advisory Committee. The department will admit applicants on a competitive basis as space in the program allows and grant exceptions to the departmental requirements as deemed in the best interests of the program.
Degree Requirements. The M.A. program in Geography requires a minimum of 36 hours of graduate credit. GEOG 6100, 6200, and 7900 are required of all students. An additional 12 semester hours of coursework at the 5000 level or above is required. Up to 12 hours may be taken in related work. Transfer credits and courses taken at the 4000 level cannot exceed a combined total of 12 hours, including a maximum of 6 hours transferred from other accredited institutions. Coursework pursued in the form of independent studies should be taken as GEOG 6800. The 7900 course is designed as a capstone to the program and should not be taken until all but about one course remains to be completed.
Location Analysis Concentration. This concentration prepares students for jobs in location research with retail companies, real estate developers, consulting firms, commercial banks, and economic development agencies or for continued academic training in economic geography and location analysis. The following courses comprise the location analysis concentration:
GEOG 4155 Retail Location GEOG 4255 Applied Population Analysis GEOG 6000 Selected Topics in Economic Geography GEOG 6030 Topics in Geographic Techniques GEOG 6101 Store Location Research GEOG 6102 Site Feasibility AnalysisCommunity and Regional Planning Concentration. Students who complete this concentration typically become planners in public sector planning agencies. The following courses comprise the community and regional planning concentration:
GEOG 4205 Internal Structure of the City GEOG 4210 Urban Planning Methods GEOG 4255 Applied Population Analysis GEOG 4400 Planning Internship GEOG 5405 Urban Field Geography GEOG 6005 Topics in Urban Geography GEOG 6015 Topics in Regional Geography GEOG 6020 Topics in Environmental Studies GEOG 6106 Urban Planning: Theory and PracticeTransportation Studies Concentration. Students in this concentration can pursue course work in transportation systems analysis, policy formulation, impact analysis, and planning to prepare themselves for jobs in the public and private sector, usually as planners in the public sector and as analysts for transportation providers and for consulting companies in the private sector. An extensive laboratory provides hands on research and practicum opportunities in a GIS setting. The following courses comprise the transportation studies concentration:
GEOG 4160 Geography of Transportation Systems GEOG 5100 Transportation Policy Formulation GEOG 5105 Transportation Analysis Methods GEOG 5110 Evaluation of Transportation Impacts GEOG 5040 Transportation Topics: e.g., GIS ApplicationsIn addition, selected coursework offered by the Civil Engineering and Marketing Departments is available for students in this program. Additional coursework is available through GEOG 6800 (Directed Problems), and the capstone, GEOG 7900 (Individual Research Internship Project).
Environmental Concentration. This concentration encompasses two traditional earth science concentrations -- hydrologic processes and atmospheric studies -- and one interdisciplinary focus on environmental assessment and planning. Each of these concentrations is integrated into the department's GIS technology and supported by field and laboratory equipment. Courses currently being offered in the environmental concentration include:
GEOG 4000 Selected Topics in Geography ESCI 4140 Hydrologic Processes ESCI 4145 Ground Water Hydrogeology ESCI 4150 Climatology ESCI 4155 Fluvial Processes ESCI 4160 Remote Sensing ESCI 5160 Digital Image Processing in Remote Sensing GEOG 6020 Topics in Environmental Studies GEOG 6025 Topics in Physical Geography GEOG 6030 Topics in Geographic TechniquesExaminations. Two examinations are required after 27 hours of the degree requirements have been completed. Any incomplete grades must be removed before a student is eligible to take these exams. All students must pass a comprehensive written examination comprised of questions from the faculty. Questions are generated from faculty responses to the student's thesis/internship committee chairperson's request. While this request is open to the entire faculty, questions typically cover areas within the student's concentration. If exam performances are not satisfactory, students can expect to re-write them or to re-write portions of them. The second exam involves an oral defense of the student's finished research experience. The exam will focus on that project.
Research Experiences. A common research experience is not appropriate for all students. Instead, students should pursue research experiences which are appropriate to departmental faculty resources, individual student's programs, and the availability of opportunities that exist to work with allied agencies or clients on or off campus. One of three options, depending on the previously stated stipulations, will be available: (1) a research experience similar to that of a traditional academic thesis; (2) a research experience which involves a paid internship funded by and arranged with a public or private agency or client; and (3) a research experience involving an internship that is not funded, but arranged with a public or private agency or client. Each of these options fulfills program requirements equally. Each will produce a finished, quality research effort of thesis quality.
Not every student can expect to engage in a paid internship because the number of students frequently exceeds a matching number of opportunities funded in that manner. Unpaid internships provide the same caliber of experience and training in an applied environment. In some cases, that experience may relate student interest with non-profit agencies or social services which simply do not have the resources to fund an internship. In either case, the topic of the internship is defined by the client's problem or needs.
Not every student can expect to develop the thesis option, but it does provide a choice for the student to pursue a research problem in a direction of his/her individual interest. Students who ultimately plan to pursue a Ph.D. degree might be more inclined and encouraged toward that option. The same is true of students who wish to complete their master's program with that kind of individual research activity. In all cases, students must work closely with their advisor and program committee to choose the option which best fits both their particular program and prevailing circumstances.
Continued Enrollment. The department requirements for continued enrollment differ from those of the university in several areas. Students who compile academic records that include either one "U" or two "C's" will be dismissed from the program. Students who consistently show borderline course performance; who are not developing good applied skills in the practice of their chosen area of study; who fail to complete coursework on a timely basis; or otherwise perform unsatisfactorily, or unprofessionally, or in an unethical manner, may be required to complete additional courses or may be dismissed from the program.
Graduate Assistantships. The department currently has arranged financial assistance in the form of assistantships or work situations off campus for more than two dozen students. Assistantships are available to support students involved with faculty in teaching and in research, on and off campus. Students may be involved in teaching labs and/or assisting faculty in the administration of their classes. On campus research assistantships are usually funded through grant or contract work obtained by faculty. Off campus funding opportunities normally consist of part-time work negotiated by the department with private corporations such as banks or major companies. Regardless of where the assistantship is situated, the department makes every effort to assure parity in funding and equal work conditions for all students receiving funding. Students may receive funding for four semesters if there is evidence that academic performance and progress through the program are satisfactory and performance in assistantship duties is satisfactory. All funding options are awarded on a competitive basis. To be considered, students must include a graduate assistantship application with their application to the program. Those planning to begin their work during the fall semester should submit their applications before March 1 especially if they wish to be considered for funding; for entry in the spring semester applications should be submitted by November 1.
Additional Financial Assistance. Additional funding options such as work/study, financial grants, and loans for graduate study are also available. To explore these additional options, applicants should contact the Graduate School (704-547-3371).