Doctor of Philosophy
The Doctoral Program in Geography at West Virginia University provides students with cutting edge training in the history and theory of geography, experience with advanced geographic research methodologies and specialized mentoring from faculty experts across three sub-disciplinary fields (Human Geography; Environmental Geography; Geographic Information Science). To earn a Ph.D. in Geography at WVU students must complete 28 credit hours of graduate courses (based upon the curriculum described below), form a committee of graduate faculty to supervise their study, pass a comprehensive exam, write and defend a dissertation research proposal, and finally, write and defend a dissertation.
Degree Requirements
- Credit Hours: Coursework will be selected based on the research area of each student, providing an individualized plan of study appropriate to the field of Human Geography, Environmental Geography, or Geographic Information Science. Students are required to complete a minimum number of 28 graduate credit hours in Geography at the 400 level or above. Coursework substitutions may be approved as appropriate by a student's graduate committee. No more than 6 credit hours of 400-level courses may be counted towards the degree. Students may petition their committee to transfer up to 9 credit hours from another program, including other graduate programs at WVU.
- Grade Point Average: Students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall, and 3.0 in coursework applied to their graduate program.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CORE COURSES: | 10 | |
| Geography Research Colloquium (4 credits minimum) | ||
| Geographic Thought | ||
| Geographic Research-Design | ||
| GEOGRAPHY ELECTIVES* | 6 | |
Two GEOG courses at the 400 level or above | ||
| METHODS COURSE | 3 | |
Select one course from the following list: | ||
| Geographic Information Science | ||
| Qualitative Research in Geography | ||
| Geographic Information Science: Technical Issues | ||
| Environmental Geographic Information Systems Modeling | ||
| Remote Sensing Principles | ||
| Quantitative Spatial Analysis | ||
| SEMINAR COURSE | 3 | |
Select one course from the following list: | ||
| Gender, Society and Space | ||
| Geopolitical Perspectives | ||
| Political Ecology Seminar | ||
| Graduate Seminar | ||
| Graduate Seminar | ||
| ADDITIONAL COURSEWORK | 6 | |
In consultation with graduate committee, select an additional 6 credit hours of graduate level coursework** | ||
| Total Hours | 28 | |
- *
- **
Additional coursework may include Geography courses at the graduate level or, with approval from the student's graduate committee, may include graduate level coursework from related disciplines. Additional coursework also excludes GEOG 780 or GEOG 797.
Note: Students are expected to be involved in research throughout their graduate career and enrollment in in GEOG 797 should reflect this activity. Most students complete 50 credit hours of research.
Major Learning Outcomes
Geography
The graduate program in Geography at West Virginia University trains students at the highest level to assume leadership roles in research, teaching, and applied work in Human Geography, Environmental Geography, and Geographic Information Science.
The Geography Graduate Committee regularly reviews the structure and content of the M.A. and Ph.D. programs to provide the best possible education to students in order to meet the needs for highly trained individuals in Human Geography, Environmental Geography, and Geographic Information Science.
Ph.D. Program
Students obtaining a doctorate in geography will be able to:
- Communicate geographical concepts orally and in writing
- Apply research skills to analyze geographical questions
- Propose, produce and defend original research of publishable quality
- Explain geographic principles as they relate to their area of research
- Effectively communicate the state of knowledge in their research area
- Identify research questions in geography
- Critique and assess peer-reviewed literature