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GRADUATE PROGRAM HANDBOOK
Revised June 2005
Contents
1. Graduate Curricula in
Geography
2. Master of Arts (M.A.)
Degree in Geography
3. Doctor of Philosophy
(Ph.D.) Degree in Geography
4. Doctor of Philosophy
(Ph.D.) Minor in Geography
5. Committee Membership
6. Thesis and
Dissertation Formats
7. Department
Admission Requirements
8. Teaching and Research
Assistantships
9. Department Activities
10. Graduate Degree
Mileposts and Forms
1. Graduate Curricula in Geography
The Department of Geography and Regional Development of the University of Arizona offers graduate
programs
leading to the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
degrees in geography. The department's graduate curricula are designed
to encourage
student participation in research seminars and in formal geography
coursework. Heavy emphasis on student enrollment in individual studies
(with exception of thesis or dissertation) is discouraged. The
department offers opportunities for specialization in many subareas of
geography that reflect the teaching and research interests of the
faculty.
The Graduate
Catalog contains formal statements of university and department
minimum requirements for all degrees. Students are expected to be
familiar with these requirements, particularly those relevant to
coursework, scholarship, exams, residency, and deadlines for filing
required documents. The Graduate
Catalog also provides a complete list and brief description of
geography courses that carry graduate credit (courses numbered 500 and
above). The Schedule of Classes,
issued for each semester, provides details on current offerings.
1.1 Courses Offered for Graduate Students
The department offers four types of courses for graduate students: (1)
core courses; (2) graduate credit courses (exclusive of the core
courses); (3) jointly convened graduate/ undergraduate courses; and (4)
individual and other studies. Unless otherwise noted, the courses are
3-unit courses.
1.1.1 Core
Courses
The core courses are pivotal to graduate education. Core course
requirements are as follows:
1. GEOG 689 History
of Geographic
Thought
2. GEOG 500 Research Design
3. An advanced methods requirement of 3 units for the M.A. and 6 units
for the Ph.D. in the student's area of study. These methods units
should be tailored to the needs of each student and can include regular
graduate or jointly convened courses or independent study, within or
outside the department as appropriate.
GEOG 689 and GEOG 500 must ordinarily be
completed during the first year in residence.
GEOG 689 is a reading and discussion seminar concerned with major
changes in the structure of geographic thought, with an emphasis on
developments in the 20th century. In addition to surveying major trends
in paradigmatic approaches, the course also provides students with the
conceptual tools to evaluate these trends relative to cross-cutting
issues of epistemology, ontology, and methodology.
Geography 500 is survey course aimed at familiarizing students with a
range of methodologies, methods and techniques available for research
in both physical and human geography. While it is impossible to cover
all approaches, the course does provide students with exposure to those
that are most widely used and includes both quantitative and
qualitative forms of data collection and analysis.
1.1.2 Graduate
Credit Courses
Enrollment in the following courses and seminars is normally exclusive
to graduate students. With approval of the Director of Graduate
Studies, credit may be applied to graduate degree requirements without
restriction.
GEOG 514 Analytic Methods in Planning and Strategic
Management
GEOG 523 Ecological Plant Geography
GEOG 564 The Arid and Semiarid lands
GEOG 565 Physical Aspects of Arid Lands
GEOG 567 Geographical Analysis of Population
GEOG 574 Introduction to Geostatistics
GEOG 596 Seminar
K. Risk and Society
U. Interdisciplinary Environment‑Behavior‑Design
GEOG 605 Planning Theories and Perspectives
GEOG 611 Projects in Regional Planning [4 units]
GEOG 619 Ecology of Savannas, Shrublands, and Woodlands
GEOG 657 Spatial Analysis
GEOG 658 Critical Methodological Practice
GEOG 696 Seminar
A. Economic Geography
B. Cultural Geography
C. Physical Geography
F. Advanced Methods and Techniques
G. Urban Geography
H. Political Geography
I. Political Ecology: Institutions, Environmental Change and
Development
All seminars (GEOG 696) may be repeated for credit. Usually a number of
these seminars are offered each semester with a specific topic
and description for the semester. The semester’s offerings are
announced prior to the registration period.
1.1.3 Jointly
Convened Graduate/Undergraduate Courses
Some graduate courses are held in conjunction with upper level
undergraduate courses, although graduate students normally complete
additional work. Such classes are typically lecture‑based. There are
departmental restrictions on the number of these courses that may be
submitted to fulfill degree requirements (see sections 2 and 3).
Jointly convened courses currently include the
following:
GEOG 501A Introduction to Planning
GEOG 501B Introduction to Planning
GEOG 503 Applications of Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 507 The American Landscape
GEOG 508 Arizona and the Southwest
GEOG 509 Russia and the Former Soviet Union
GEOG 511 Middle America
GEOG 512 South America
GEOG 513 Africa
GEOG 515 Introduction to Water Resources Policy
GEOG 516A Computer Cartography
GEOG 516B GIS for Geography and Regional Development
GEOG 516C Urban Geographic Systems
GEOG 516D PPGIS: Participating Approaches in Geographic
Information Science
GEOG 516E Geovisualization (GIS)
GEOG 517 GIS for Natural Resources
GEOG 519 Cartographic Modeling for Natural Resources
GEOG 520 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 522 Resource Mapping
GEOG 524 Integrated Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 530 The Climate System
GEOG 531 Global and Regional Climatology
GEOG 538 Biogeography
GEOG 546 Health and the Global Economy
GEOG 553 Locational Analysis
GEOG 554 Regional Analysis
GEOG 555 Advanced Regional Study
GEOG 557 Statistical Techniques in Geography, Regional Development, and Planning
GEOG 559 Land Use and Growth Controls
GEOG 566 The Middle Eastern City and Islamic Urbanism
GEOG 571 Problems in Regional Development
GEOG 572 Exploring Radical Geography
GEOG 576 The Land Development Process
GEOG 578 Global Change
GEOG 583 Geographic Applications of Remote Sensing
GEOG 584 Fire Mapping
GEOG 597B Projects in Regional Development
GEOG 597T Housing and Households
1.1.4
Individual and Other Studies
Some restrictions apply on credit allowable toward requirements for
M.A. and Ph.D. degrees (see Sections 2 and 3). Additional
"house‑numbered" courses are listed in theGraduate
Catalog.
GEOG 593 Internship [1 to 3 units]
GEOG 599 Independent Study [1 to 3 units]
GEOG 695A Colloquium: Current Topics in Geography [1 unit]
GEOG 695B Preparing Future Faculty in Geography: Professional Development [1 unit]
GEOG 696C Preparing Future Faculty: College Teaching [1 unit]
GEOG 699 Independent Study [1 to 3 units]
GEOG 900 Research [1 to 3 units]
GEOG 909 Master’s Report [3 units]
GEOG 910 Thesis [1 to 6 units, maximum 6]
GEOG 920 Dissertation [1 to 9 units, maximum 18]
GEOG 930 Supplementary Registration [1 to 9 units]
1.2 Course Load
Four courses (12 units) per semester constitute a normal "load" for
full-time students. The maximum allowed is 16 units per semester. Under
most circumstances, graduate assistants employed by the department are
expected to register for three courses (9 units) each semester, plus
the 1‑unit 695A Colloquium. Adjustments in student load and sequence of
courses may be made to accommodate the schedules of part‑time students, as long as
consistent progress toward degree objectives is apparent. All graduate
students in residence are required to take one unit of the Colloquium (695A) each semester.
1.3 Advising and Mentoring
Successful graduate study relies on an effective relationship between
the student and the advising faculty member(s). To that end, each
incoming graduate student in the department is assigned a faculty
mentor who guides the student in research and in the related course of
study. Student and mentor typically share congruent research interests,
and in most cases the mentor will become the student's formal thesis
advisor and committee chair. The mentoring relationship is agreed to by
mutual consent through discussion between the student and the faculty
member concerned. A student may change mentors, but the change must
again be by mutual consent; students should consult
with the Director of Graduate Studies before changing mentors.
New students are assigned temporary mentors on arrival (based on their
stated interests), and each student must choose a regular mentor by the
end of the first semester. New students meet with the Director of
Graduate Studies and with their mentor at the start of their first semester to
discuss educational objectives and plan a tentative program of study. New
students are also strongly encouraged to introduce themselves on arrival to the
Department Head, staff, and members of the faculty. New students are to
be available for orientation several days before the beginning of
classes. Students holding graduate assistantships are to be available
at least one week prior to the beginning of classes for training sessions and assisting in course
or laboratory preparation.
Continuing graduate students should consult with their mentor as often
as necessary during each semester, and with the Director of Graduate
Studies at least once each semester (preferably at a time early enough
to ensure appropriate course registration, and to meet any filing
deadlines specified by the Graduate College).
1.4 Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory academic progress towards completion of a degree will be
assessed each Spring semester by the Department's Graduate Committee,
as part of the the annual review of current graduate students and new
applicants to the program. An annual progress report must be filed by every graduate student as part of this process, and
mentors/advisors are asked to evaluate progress toward degree requirements. See the details for the
M.A. and Ph.D. programs for specific requirements and expectations. If
a student fails to make satisfactory progress, the student will be
notified in writing with a statement of necessary corrective action and
a deadline for completion of such action. If a student believes an
assessment of unsatisfactory progress to be in error, the student may
appeal in writing to the Graduate Committee well before the completion
deadline. A student who fails to remediate by the deadline may be
dismissed from the program.
2. Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree in Geography
At the M.A. level, the department offers two types of degrees, the
thesis option and the professional option. In both cases, students must
take a minimum of 33 units of graduate credit including:
Core: 6 units (see section 1.1.1);
Geography Courses:
(a) 6 units of graduate credit courses (section
1.1.2);
(b) 6 units of graduate credit courses (section 1.1.2)
or jointly convened graduate/ undergraduate credit courses (section 1.1.3) or courses taken from
the following list: GEOG 593, 599, 699, 900;
Electives:remaining units
The 33 units offered for the degree may not include more than 9 units
of thesis, internship, or independent studies. In addition to the
33-unit minimum, students are also required to register for 1 unit of GEOG 695A during each semester
in residence.
Most students take two years as full-time students to complete the
M.A., assuming that they are graduate assistants taking 9 units of
credit per semester. The following plan outlines the normal progression
toward the MA degree:
| Semester |
Units
|
Courses |
1
|
3
3
3
|
GEOG 689
Geography Graduate-only Course
Geography Course
|
2
|
3
3
3
|
GEOG 500
Geography Graduate-only Course
Geography Course
|
3
|
3
6
|
Geography/Elective Course
Geography/Elective Units
|
4
|
6
|
Geography/Elective or Thesis Units
|
Total:
|
33 plus 1*
|
GEOG695A (Colloquium) *each semester
|
2.1 Plan of Study
The Graduate College requires that a Plan of Study be filed by the end of the second semester. The Plan of
Study should identify courses the student intends to transfer from other
institutions, courses already completed at The University of Arizona
which the student intends to apply toward the M.A. degree, and
additional courses the student plans to complete to fulfill degree
requirements. The Plan of Study must have the signature approval of the
student's committee chair and the Director of Graduate Studies before
it is submitted to the Graduate College.
2.2 M.A. Committee
By the time the student has completed the core courses, and following
consultation with the mentor, the Director of Graduate Studies and
other appropriate faculty, an M.A. committee will be recommended to the
Department Head. The Department Head will then appoint the committee
(with modifications, as appropriate, arrived at after mutual
consultation). The student should work with the committee toward
preparation of the thesis (including the thesis proposal) or
preparation for the professional master's degree exam. See Section 5. Committee Membership for further
details.
2.3 The Thesis Option
The thesis option is highly recommended for students who intend to pursue the Ph.D. Students choosing the thesis option must present a thesis proposal to their committee by the end of the third semester at the latest. Following approval of the thesis proposal, students are allowed to take the six required thesis units (GEOG 910). Registration for thesis units must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. Students pursuing the thesis option should see Section 6, below, for appropriate format options.
Students who do not have a proposal accepted by the end of the third semester will not be permitted to choose the thesis option track and must instead take coursework to pursue the professional non-thesis option.
When the thesis is completed in final draft form (no matter which format is chosen), it will be presented to the committee (the thesis "defense"), as part of a comprehensive final oral examination. The committee members must each be given a printed paper copy of the thesis with sufficient time for review prior to the exam. The committee decides to approve or deny passage of the exam. Thesis credits are awarded after any changes suggested by the committee are made and committee members have signed the final copy of the thesis. Complete, signed and bound copies of the thesis must be filed with the department and the student's thesis advisor. The student may elect whether or not to submit copies to the Graduate College (for microfilming and for addition to the University Library).
The department expects students to complete the thesis-option within two years (four semesters).
2.4 The Professional Option
The professional non-thesis option is strongly recommended for students
who intend to pursue a professional non-academic career. Thus, in lieu
of thesis units, professional option students typically take courses in
a specialty area of interest. Students electing this option take a
comprehensive examination near the end of their course of study. The
exam is administered by the student's committee and includes two parts:
a four-hour written portion followed by an oral exam. The precise
format of the written exam is left to the committee, but it is a
comprehensive examination of the student's
degree program, and not only an examination of the identified
individual field of specialization or concentration. These examinations may only
be scheduled in the final semester.
With forethought and effort it is possible to complete requirements for
the professional option in two semesters and a summer session, but it
is more realistic to anticipate completion after three or four
semesters. Students holding assistantships or engaged in part-time
employment outside the department tend to fall in this latter category.
In any case, the department expects students to complete the degree
within four semesters or less.
2.5 Optional Certificates and Tracks
Within the constraints of these specifications, students are encouraged
to develop a master's degree program tailored to individual
needs. Students are advised to consult with the relevant faculty
members and the Director of Graduate Studies on tracks of study in
subareas including Critical Human Geography,
Physical Geography, Regional Development/Regional Science, Political
Ecology, and Geovizualization.
The Department is also instituting a number of graduate certificates in
specialized areas. Current and/or planned certificates include GIS,
social statistics, and qualitative methods. These are distinct graduate
offerings that may include considerable overlap with a degree program,
and they may thus be a useful and not too burdensome additional
qualification for some students.
2.6 Important Notes
1. All M.A. students must file a department-approved Plan of Study with the Graduate College by the end of the second semester. Filing deadlines are published by the Graduate College.
2. Graduate credit, to be applicable toward the M.A. degree, must have
been earned no more than six years prior to the completion of the
requirements for the M.A. degree.
3. Electives include independent studies, thesis units, graduate
courses sand seminars, subject to catalog restrictions and departmental
requirements.
4. The M.A. final exam (i.e., thesis defense for students choosing the
thesis option, or written and oral examination for professional option
students) should be successfully completed by the date established by
the Graduate College for such in the 4th semester.
5. Students progressing to the Ph.D. must have completed and passed the
M.A. final examination before the start of the first Ph.D. semester.
Failure to do so will result in the student becoming ineligible for
Ph.D. funding (see section 6).
3. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree in Geography
The doctorate is a specialized, research-oriented degree.
Individualized programs of study are developed under the direction of
the mentor and other appropriate members of the faculty whose topical
and regional research interests coincide with those of the student, and
in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. After the student's suitability to
undertake doctoral study is confirmed through the completion of the
qualifying exam requirements, the mentor and committee members oversee
the student's progress through coursework, the comprehensive exam, and
the dissertation proposal, as described more fully below.
The Graduate College imposes several general requirements to be met by all doctoral students at the
University. Important items pertain to: 1. the qualifying exam; 2. residency and coursework
minima in the major and minor; 3. filing the program of study; 4. the
comprehensive exam; 5. preparation of the dissertation; 6. the final exam.
Residency requirements are particularly contorted and involve various semester
minimum-unit options; students with master's degrees from other universities
and graduate assistants should be especially careful when registering for,
or withdrawing from, courses. Students should consult theGraduate
Catalog, especially the section entitled "Requirements for Doctor's
Degrees: Doctor of Philosophy."
3.1 Coursework Credit
Doctoral students must meet all requirements for the master's degree in
geography. In addition, a minimum of 18 units of coursework in
geography (exclusive of the dissertation and the minor) is mandatory,
and at least 12 of these units must be in courses or seminars exclusive
to graduate students (see section 1.1.2).
Additional coursework may be necessary to ensure proficiency in
specific areas. Graduate credit earned for a master's
degree counts toward the overall graduate college requirement of 36
graduate coursework units for the Ph.D.
The Ph.D. degree must be completed within 5 years of passing the
comprehensive examination (see section 3.9).
Students who do not hold the M.A. in geography from the University of Arizona must complete
the core course requirements (see section 1.1.1)
during the first year of study and credit for these courses may be
applied toward fulfillment of the 18-unit minimum requirement.
3.2 Specializations
Doctoral students must achieve, at a minimum, a high level of competence in either one
topical proficiency and one area proficiency, or two topical
proficiencies. Students will ordinarily complete a minimum of six units of coursework in each
proficiency. This is a minimum requirement and is subject to approval by the
Director of Graduate Studies. Topical and areal proficiencies include those
officially listed by the Association of American Geographers and for which there
is a department faculty member who possesses such proficiency. Approved
topical and areal courses taken in the program are applicable toward
the 18‑unit minimum requirement (see section 3.1).
3.3 ForeignLanguage
A doctoral student who proposes to undertake research in or on a
non-English speaking area is required to demonstrate the necessary
language skills before taking the comprehensive exam (section 3.9).
A language test will normally be arranged by the student's mentor, and
be approved by the student's advisory committee (section
3.8).
3.4 Research Tools
Proficiency in at least one scholarly research tool is required for the
Ph.D. degree. Normally this proficiency will be acquired and
demonstrated through the successful completion of specialized
methods coursework. The appropriate mix and sequence of courses must be
approved by the student's mentor and the Director of Graduate Studies.
3.5 The Minor Program
The department requires a minor in a complementary department or
program on campus. In special circumstances, typically for students
with strong previous qualifications in another discipline and
insufficient background in geography, and with the recommendation of
the student's mentor and the Director of Graduate Studies, a student
may minor in geography in order to acquire necessary breadth. The
minor(s) must be complementary to the student's chosen
specializations and is/are subject to approval by the student's mentor
and the Director of Graduate Studies. The department or program
administering the minor specifies its content, participates in the
student's comprehensive exam, and may
be represented on the student's dissertation committee. The doctoral
minor in most disciplines involves a minimum of four courses (12 units)
of graduate work. At the discretion of the minor department,
appropriate courses taken in the student's master's program may be included.
3.6 The Qualifying Exam and Core Course Performance
The Graduate College requires that a Qualifying (diagnostic) Exam be taken during the first semester of
residence, preferably during the first two weeks. The exam evaluates
student's suitability to undertake doctoral study, and it can determine
areas of study where further course work is necessary. It is waived for
Ph.D. students who complete the master's degree in the Department.
Doctoral students from other programs
meet this requirement via the orientation and diagnostic interview at the
start of their first semester. In order to remain in the Ph.D. program, such
students are also required to: 1. complete the core courses with a
grade of "B" or better; and 2. receive positive evaluations of progress and
potential from their mentor, their core course instructors, and the Director of
Graduate Studies at the close of the first year of doctoral study.
3.7 Plan of Study
The Graduate College requires that a Plan of Study be filed no later than the third semester in residence.
The Plan of Study should identify courses the student intends to transfer from
other institutions, courses already completed at The University of
Arizona which the student intends to apply toward a graduate degree,
and additional courses the student plans to complete to fulfill degree
requirements. The Plan of Study must have the signature approval of the
student's committee chair and the Director of Graduate Studies before
it is submitted to the Graduate College.
3.8 The Ph.D. Advisory (Comprehensive Exam) Committee
Following completion of the core courses (see section 1.1.1), and in consultation with the mentor, other appropriate
faculty from the major and minor departments, and the Director of
Graduate Studies, an advisory committee will be proposed to the
Department Head. The Department Head will then appoint the committee
(with modifications, as appropriate, arrived at after consultation).
This committee will be charged with guiding the student in the
selection of appropriate coursework leading to the
comprehensive exam and with conducting and evaluating that exam.
See Section 5. Committee Membership for further details.
3.9 The Ph.D.Comprehensive Exam
Before admission to candidacy (and essentially after all coursework is
completed), the student must pass a general exam in geography. This
exam is intended to test the student's general fundamental knowledge of
the field of geography and the chosen minor field of study. The exam
includes written and oral portions, whose timing and format are
governed by the Department and the Graduate College. Students
intending to take the comprehensive exam should consult with their
advisory committee regarding preparation for the exam, and with the
Director of Graduate Studies regarding filing deadlines and procedures.
3.10 The Dissertation Committee
Once the comprehensive exam has been completed successfully, a
dissertation committee will be appointed by the Department Head.
Although the composition of this committee may be the same as the
advisory (comprehensive exam) committee, it need not be. This
committee will be charged with guiding the student through the preparation of the dissertation
proposal, the subsequent research and the final dissertation defense.
The rules for composition of the dissertation committee are similar to
the advisory (comprehensive exam) committee. See Section 5. Committee Membership for further details.
3.11 TheDissertation Proposal
The student must submit the dissertation proposal to all members of the dissertation committee who will then
inform the student and the chair of the dissertation committee of suggested
changes. Students are encouraged to present the proposal in an informal setting
(e.g., brown-bag seminar) to gain feedback and inform the department of their work.
After the student responds to committee and other comments, the proposal will
be approved or denied by the committee.
3.11.1 Research Presentation
In order to communicate the nature of his or her
research to the faculty and students of the department, the student
must make a formal research presentation during his or her time in the program,
ideally as part of the departmental colloquium series or a brown-bag seminar. This
should occur at some point between the proposal approval and the scheduling of the dissertation
defense. The student, with advisor approval and coordination with the colloquium
series organizer if needed, arrange an optimal presentation date. The one-hour
presentation must include a 10 to 15 minute question and answer period.
3.12 Advancement to Ph.D. Candidacy
After passing the comprehensive examination, and receiving approval for
the proposal, the student must file a department‑ approved Advancement
to Candidacy Form with the Graduate College. This form must be filed at least six months prior to
the Oral Defense.
3.13 The Oral Defense Examinations
The Oral Dissertation Defense Examination consists of two portions. In
the first portion, the Ph.D. candidate must present the dissertation to
the dissertation committee. The presentation is public, and faculty and
graduate students of the department must be invited. The presentation
should not exceed an hour and may include a question-and-answer period.
The second portion of the defense follows immediately after the
presentation and entails an examination by the dissertation committee. This
examination is not open to the public. The committee members must each be given a
printed paper copy of the dissertation with sufficient time for review
prior to the exam (see Graduate College guidelines). The committee decides to
pass or fail the student.
A grade for dissertation credits is awarded after any changes suggested
by the committee are made and committee members have signed the final
copy of the dissertation. Complete, signed and bound copies of the
dissertation should be filed with the department and the dissertation
advisor, in addition to those copies submitted to the Graduate
College (for microfilming and for addition to the University Library).
4. Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Minor in Geography
The doctoral minor in geography (for Ph.D. students majoring in other
disciplines) comprises a minimum of 12 units of coursework in
geography, including at least one of the Ph.D. core course requirements
(GEOG 500, GEOG 689 or an advanced methods course; section
1.1.1) and a maximum of 3 units of independent study. The program
must be pre-approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. Students
considering the minor in geography should consult with the potential
minor committee member(s) at an early stage, regarding coursework and
preparation for the comprehensive examination.
The participation of the committee member(s) must be agreed to by
mutual consent through discussion with the faculty member(s) concerned. See Section 5. Committee Membership for further details.
5. Committee Membership
The Department, consistent with
Graduate College guidelines for graduate examination committee membership, distinguishes between
the regular faculty who have
full or partial tenure-track appointments within the Department, joint faculty who have tenure-track
appointments elsewhere within the University, and adjunct faculty who have
non-tenure-track appointments within or outside the University. In
addition to the regular faculty, joint and adjunct faculty members may
serve on a committee. An outside committee member from another
institution may serve on a committee; for committee membership
purposes, such an individual will have a status equivalent to adjunct
faculty.
The M.A. committee and the Ph.D. committees for the comprehensive
exam and final oral exam must consist of a minimum of three members for
the major. Joint faculty members may chair (or co-chair) a committee as long as
two regular faculty members of the Department are serving as
representatives of the major on that same committee. However, only one
adjunct or outside faculty member may serve on a committee. Moreover,
before serving on a committee, each adjunct or outside member must be
pre-approved by the Head of Department and the Graduate College. Adjunct
or outside faculty members may not chair a committee but they may
co-chair along with a regular faculty member of the Department.
Graduate students from other disciplines minoring in Geography should
select at least one faculty member, and obtain approval from the
Director of Graduate Studies for minor coursework and committee
membership.
For Ph.D. students, the Graduate College requires at least one minor
member on the comprehensive examination committee. The department
requires the same on the final oral examination (defense). In
exceptional circumstances (impracticality, lack of relevance, etc.) the
student's mentor and the Director of Graduate Studies may excuse the
need for minor participation on the dissertation committee. The minor
committee member(s) may, at their own discretion, waive attendance at
the defense. Selection of minor committee member(s) should conform to
the rules of the minor department.
Given the potential complexity of committee membership, the table below
provides some examples of acceptable and unacceptable committee
memberships, including chair and co-chair arrangements (recall that
outside members are equivalent to adjuncts). Students and
faculty members are advised to read these Departmental and the Graduate College guidelines
closely to avoid misunderstanding. In all cases, the Head of Department (with
advice from the Director of Graduate Studies) will make the final
approval and appointment of graduate examination committees.
| Chair(s) |
Member |
Member |
OK? |
| Regular |
Joint |
Adjunct/Outside |
Yes |
| Regular |
Joint |
Joint |
Yes |
| Regular |
Adjunct/Outside |
Adjunct/Outside |
No |
| Regular
&
Joint |
|
Adjunct/Outside |
Yes |
| Regular
&
Adjunct/Outside |
|
Joint |
Yes |
| Regular
&
Adjunct/Outside |
|
Adjunct/Outside |
No |
| Joint |
Regular |
Regular |
Yes |
| Joint |
Regular |
Joint |
No |
| Joint |
Regular |
Adjunct/Outside |
No |
| Joint
&
Adjunct/Outside |
|
Regular |
No |
| Adjunct/Outside |
Regular |
Joint |
No |
6. Thesis and Dissertation Formats
Students have the choice of preparing the master’s thesis or doctoral
dissertation either in the traditional format (i.e., a series of chapters in book or
monograph style) or in journal paper format as a related set of published
and/or publishable articles. The appropriate format should be chosen after
consultation with and approval by the student's dissertation committee.
Students must follow GraduateCollege guidelines
for preparing and assembling the thesis/dissertation in monograph or
journal paper format, as well as following the departmental policies below.
1. All policies shall be in conformity with Graduate College requirements.
2. This policy addresses only the format of the thesis/dissertation and
related issues pertaining to the inclusion of published/publishable
work. Expectations regarding the content and amount of work toward the
thesis/dissertation are the same for both the traditional and journal
article formats, and are decided by the student's thesis/dissertation
committee.
3. Following Graduate College guidelines, there is no specific
requirement as to the number of articles required for the
thesis/dissertation, and the student's committee should determine the
appropriate number. However, the suggested guideline is at least one
paper for the thesis and at least three papers for the dissertation.
4. The candidate should be the first or sole author on all papers
included in the thesis or dissertation.
5. Acceptable publications are published papers in refereed journals
and publishable papers (i.e., those that will be submitted for
publication in refereed journals, subject to approval by the student's
thesis/dissertation committee). The thesis/dissertation may mix
published and publishable papers. For publishable papers, students must
identify the journal for which the manuscripts were prepared and follow the journal's guidelines for
manuscript preparation.
6. The thesis/dissertation director and committee are responsible for
ensuring that the student does a significant part of the work in the
papers. The student’s proposal will specify the nature of the student’s
contribution. Thesis/dissertation committee meetings and the final oral defense can
also be used to clarify any questions that might arise regarding the
student’s contribution. In the introductory chapter of the dissertation, the
student must identify at least one aspect of the project as his/her own
original contribution. At least one paper in the dissertation must be
sole-authored by the student.
7. A potential conflict of interest arises at the thesis/dissertation
defense in cases where members of the student's thesis/dissertation
committee are also co-authors on one or more of the papers. It is the
responsibility of the Committee Chair to alert the Department Head if
more than one committee member is also a co-author. In such cases the
Department Head may modify the composition of the committee, or may add to the committee a new
member who is not a co-author.
7. Department Admissions Requirements
In addition to application materials sent to the Graduate College, all
applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation,
scores on the general sections of the Graduate Record Examination,
official transcripts, and a statement of intended research, directly to
the department.
Application deadlines are December 1 for international students, and
January 15 for domestic students, for admission to the program in the
following Fall semester. Applicants are advised to check the Application Guide
for precise instructions on where to send the various application
materials. Applicants for whom English is not the native language must
also submit the result of the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL).
Special admission requirements apply to applicants to the doctoral
program. First, the department will not accept applications from
potential doctoral students whose interests fail to coincide with the
topical and regional specialties of the faculty. Second, potential
doctoral students with master's degrees in disciplines unrelated to
geography or with no previous graduate credit in geography – either
from this University or elsewhere – may need to be admitted to the
department's M.A. program. Third, admission to and standing in the
doctoral program is subject to the Qualifying Exam and
Core Course Performance requirement specified above (see Section3.6).
Special requirements also apply to students who are currently in the
Department’s M.A. program and wish to continue into the Ph.D. program.
In the final year of an M.A. degree in the Department, a student is
required to petition the Department for continuation into the Ph.D. program (by
February 1st for the following academic year, or by arrangement at
other times). The Graduate Committee requires a new statement of purpose and
three letters of recommendation from the student's M.A. committee.
8. Teaching and Research Assistantships
Prospective and currently enrolled students are eligible to apply each
year for Graduate Assistant in Teaching (G.A.T.) and Graduate Assistant
in Research (G.A.R.) support. Relevant forms and letters of
recommendation should be on file in the department office by February 1
for the subsequent fall semester. Awards are normally made for one
academic year. Remission of nonresident tuition (a Graduate Tuition
Scholarship) and health insurance are included as part of the award.
A limited number of fee waivers covering nonresident tuition (Graduate
Tuition Scholarships) and in‑state fees (Graduate Registration
Scholarships) may be obtained independent of assistantship awards. The College also maintains
a fellowship program which provides support for one or two geography
students each year.
G.A.T.s are typically offered as half‑time employment, requiring 20
hours of work per week. Quarter‑ and third‑time assistantships are also
offered, requiring an average of 10 or 13 hours of work per week,
respectively. G.A.T.s are assigned to conduct laboratory or discussion
sections, to help individual faculty with course preparation or
grading, and to carry out other teaching duties assigned by the
Department Head. Exceptionally qualified students may occasionally be
assigned to teach a course or section of a course under the supervision
of a faculty member. Selected doctoral students or advanced M.A.
students may be selected to teach courses during the summer and winter
sessions and in the University’s Evening and Weekend Program.
G.A.R.s are offered subject to availability of funding through research
grants awarded to individual faculty. Hourly employment is commonly
available to assist individual faculty with research, professional, or
consulting projects. Some geography graduate students obtain hourly
jobs or assistantships with research units elsewhere on campus,
including the Office of Arid Lands Studies, the Arizona Remote Sensing
Center, the Bureau of Economic and Business
Research, Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, the Water Resources
Research Center, the Southwest Institute for Research on Women, the Udall Center
for Studies in Public Policy, the Latin American Area Center, and the
Drachman Institute for Land and Regional Development Studies.
Renewal of graduate assistantships requires reapplication each year.
Awards are contingent on departmental budgetary constraints, as well as
on satisfactory performance of assigned duties and satisfactory
progress toward completion of degree requirements. A faculty committee meets
each spring to review and rank all applicants. The
probability of receiving an award is thus dependent on the available budget, the
size and quality of the pool of entering and continuing students and the
number of positions available. With satisfactory performance and progress,
M.A. students admitted with funding may normally expect support through
their 4th semester in the program (i.e., typically 2 years); those that
continue on to the Ph.D. program may normally expect support through their 6th semester in the Ph.D.
program (i.e., typically an additional 3 years, for a total of 5 years).
New Ph.D. students admitted with funding may normally expect support
through their 8th semester in the program (i.e., typically 4 years).
9. Department Activities
The department fosters activities conducive to a stimulating
intellectual environment and to professional advancement. In
particular, the department encourages graduate students to disseminate
their research through presentations at professional meetings and
through publication in professional journals.
The department sponsors a series of weekly colloquia.
These meet in Harvill 404, usually on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Speakers include visiting scholars, departmental faculty reporting on
current research, academic staff from other units on campus, and
practitioners engaged in work of interest to geographers. Graduate students are
encouraged to make suggestions of potential speakers to the Colloquium Committee.
Regular attendance at the colloquium is required of all graduate
students, who receive credit for GEOG 695A.
Graduate students organize a “Brown Bag” forum in which graduate
students and faculty present their ongoing research to their peers.
This informal forum provides students and faculty the opportunity to
share research interests, peer review each other's work, and encourage
scholarly interaction among students and faculty.
Graduate students in the
department publish you are here, the journal of creative geography.
The journal is an independent, annual publication that seeks to explore
the concept of place through articles, fiction, poetry, essays, maps,
photographs, and artwork. you are here includes submissions from
geographers, historians, anthropologists, architects, scientists,
writers, and artists.
The Southern Arizona Geographical Association (SAGA) is the department's
graduate student association. SAGA’s main goal is to provide a forum
for graduate students to voice their concerns about professional
development, the department, or teaching experiences. Many activities
are also geared toward encouraging social interaction among the
graduate students. With the broad diversity in research interests and
backgrounds, it is important for all of the graduate students to have
an opportunity to share their views and to develop lasting
relationships that will not only carry them through their years at Arizona,
but also through their careers. Intramural teams are often sponsored by
SAGA, for example, as is an annual campout during the fall semester.
The development of departmental t-shirts is also handled by SAGA. Other
student organization activities have included the 1st Annual Western
Geography Graduate Student Conference in 1997 and an Invited Guest
Speaker Program.
10. Graduate Degree Mileposts and Forms
The mileposts below are a guide to important administrative steps
involving the student at various stages of the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees.
The listing is in chronological order, with deadlines where applicable.
Links are provided to the appropriate Department or Graduate College forms (pdf format and web forms).
| Time |
M.A. Degree
|
Ph.D. Degree |
Start of First Semester
End of First Semester
|
Orientation, diagnostic check and initial advising
Choose regular advisor/committee chair
|
End of 2nd Semester
|
Request appointment of M.A. committee
Submit Plan of Study to Graduate College (check for Graduate College deadlines
|
Check foreign language, specialization, research tools and other coursework planning
Check that Qualifying Exam and Core Course Performance requirements are/will be satisfied
|
End of 3rd Semester
|
Obtain committee approval of thesis proposal (Thesis Option only)
|
Request appointment of advisory committee
Submit Plan of Study to Graduate College (check for Graduate College deadlines
|
4th Semester
|
Arrange M.A. Final Examination (thesis defense or written/oral portions of comprehensive exam)
Prepare Completion of Degree Requirements form
|
Arrange Comprehensive Exam when coursework is essentially completed (includes written portion and
Application for Oral Comprehensive Examination)
Request appointmentof dissertation committee
Obtain committee approval of dissertation proposal
Arrange and make Department research presentation (colloquium)
Submit Advancement to Candidacy Form
|
6th Semester
|
|
Schedule Ph.D. Final Examination (includes Announcement of Final Oral Examination)
|
| |
