Geography, PhD

Program Overview

The PhD in Geography program at ASU provides specialized training in geography, urban planning, climatology, and GIS. With a focus on location, the program offers a flexible curriculum, state-of-the-art facilities, and collaborative research opportunities with leading experts. Graduates are prepared for diverse careers in academia, consulting, government, and research, addressing pressing environmental and societal challenges.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The PhD in Geography program at ASU equips students with specialized academic and professional training for further specialization or immediate employment in the field of geography, urban planning, climatology, and GIS. The program offers a unique research environment with a focus on location, allowing students to tackle pressing environmental and societal challenges. The curriculum is designed to be flexible, allowing students to create a plan of study that aligns with their personal and professional goals. Students can engage with distinguished faculty through innovative coursework, utilizing state-of-the-art facilities like the Spatial Analysis Research Center and Urban Climate Research Center. The program emphasizes a collaborative research environment where students work alongside leading experts in geography, including four members of the National Academy of Sciences and other rising talents in various fields like climate science, sustainability, urban heat island research, GIS, and others.

Outline:

Program Components:

• 84 credit hours: This includes 72 credit hours of coursework and research at ASU and 12 dissertation credit hours (for students entering with a bachelor's degree).
Students entering with a master's degree complete 54 credit hours, including 42 credit hours of coursework and research combined and 12 dissertation credit hours.
• Written comprehensive exam
• Oral comprehensive exam
• Prospectus
• Dissertation

Coursework:

• Required Core: GCU 585 Geographic Research Design and Proposal Writing (3 credits)
• Electives or Research: Students select 43 credit hours of electives or research in various areas, including methods, statistics, skills, specializations, and other requirements.
• Other Requirements:
• GCU 529 Contemporary Geographic Thought (3 credits)
• GCU 591 or GPH 591 Seminar: Geography Colloquium (1 credit) (taken twice)
• GCU or GPH 799 Dissertation (12 credits)

Areas of Study:

The program focuses on four broad interdisciplinary themes:

• Computational Spatial Science
• Earth Systems and Climate Science
• Place, Identities, and Cultures
• Sustainability Science and Studies

Research Opportunities:

Careers:

The program prepares graduates for diverse career paths in various sectors and industries, including:

• Institutions of higher education
• Consulting firms
• Government agencies
• Research facilities
• Community organizations
Graduates are particularly well-equipped to handle complex real-world problems in fields like geographical data analysis, mapping, and climate science.

Career Examples:

• Atmospheric, earth, marine or space sciences professor or instructor
• Environmental scientist or specialist
• Geophysical data technician
• Geoscientist
• Geospatial information scientist or technologist

Other:

The program emphasizes a strong foundation in cartography and quantitative methods, ensuring students can pursue graduate studies in their chosen area of specialization. Students can also incorporate advanced courses into their curriculum with approval from the program directors. The program welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds, including those with bachelor's or master's degrees in any field from a regionally accredited institution. Students with a bachelor's degree must complete 84 credit hours, while those with a master's degree need to complete 54 credit hours.