Professors: Hansen, Munski (Graduate Director), Rundquist, Todhunter (Chair), Vandeberg and Wang

Program Description

The Geography Department graduate program includes both thesis and non-thesis options leading to the M.A. and M.S. degrees. The principle areas of concentration are community and urban development, environmental geography, geographic education, and geospatial techniques (cartography, GIS, and remote sensing of the environment). The graduate program provides close student-faculty interaction, easy access to current computer technology and field equipment, a broad liberal arts academic setting, and an abundant number of research topics within the American Great Plains and Canadian Prairie Provinces. In addition, the department offers an array of courses in geospatial technologies to allow students to build expertise in GIS, remote sensing, cartography and spatial analysis. Prospective graduate students are encouraged to apply by February1 of each year to receive fullest consideration for acceptance and funding.

The M.A. option in community and urban development emphasizes the background education students need to enter careers in community development, local economic development, land use planning, federal government service, historic preservation, and travel and tourism. This option also provides the background for those students wishing to pursue a doctoral degree in human geography. Students in the M.A. option take a selection of courses in population, economic, social, urban, cultural, historical, and regional geography. They also can take cognate courses in business and public administration, international relations, anthropology and archaeology, sociology, languages, and other fields appropriate to their goals.

The M.S. option in environmental geography reflects a geographic focus on land use, climatology, water resources, human impact, biogeography, geomorphology, and landscape ecology. Students follow a sequence of required and elective courses that reflect an environmental emphasis. The M.S. program prepares students for doctoral study or a professional career in government, industry, or education in a wide variety of environmentally related fields. Students also must take cognate or minor courses in biology, geology, atmospheric sciences, or other related fields.

More complete information regarding faculty, laboratory facilities, recent publications and paper presentations, coursework, and entry level graduate placement can be obtained from our web page at: http://www.und.edu/dept/Geog/mainpage.htm.

Admission Requirements

1. A GPA of at least 3.00 in all undergraduate work.
   
   
2. A minimum of 9 semester credits of undergraduate work in geography with at least one course in each of the following fields: physical, human, regional, and techniques.
   
   
3. Six (6) credits in fields cognate to geography.

Outstanding applicants are evaluated on an individual basis and those with limited backgrounds in geography but a distinguished record in another discipline may be accepted on a qualified basis with the understanding that deficiencies will be met by the end of the second registration.

Degree Requirements

1. Two required courses, Geog 501 and Geog 578.
   
   
2. One required seminar, Geog 541.
   
   
3. A minor or cognate area of study, and a graduate program of study that reflects the student’s focus on physical (M.S.) or human (M.A.) topics.

Thesis

1. A minimum of 30 semester credits, including 9 semester credits for approved minor or cognate courses.

Non-thesis

1. A minimum of 36 semester credits, including 9 semester credits for approved minor or cognate courses.
   
   
2. A minimum of 12 credits that focus upon geospatial skills and techniques which include quantitative methods, computer graphics and mapping, geographic information systems, remote sensing, field methods, and cartography. The non-thesis programs emphasize development of geospatial skills that can be applied to specific problems and projects that may or may not involve research.

Certificate Program

The Geography department also offers a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Science (GISc). GISc is the foundation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which integrate spatial data sets in the form of digital maps, digital aerial photos, remotely sensed imagery, and global positioning system (GPS) coordinates. The goal of GISc is to model landscapes digitally and to enable the mathematical characterization of spatial and temporal processes.

Certificate students must be admitted to UND as either full or part-time graduate students. Application for admission must be made to the UND Graduate School. The certificate is designed to serve: a) non-geography graduate students currently pursuing a graduate degree from UND, and b) non-degree-seeking professionals already holding a graduate and/or baccalaureate degree who seek to “re-tool.”

The courses taken in a previously completed GISc certificate program may be applied to a Master’s degree in Geography.

Certificate Admission Requirements

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited university.
   
   
2. A GPA of at least 2.75 in all undergraduate work.

Certificate Requirements

Successful completion of the 12-credit GISc Certificate requires the following:

1. Completion of the nine credits of core courses (see below).
2. Completion of at least three credit hours of recommended courses (see below).
3. A “B” grade or better in all core and elective courses.
4. Completion time of no more than five years.

Courses

501. Geographic Thought Through Time. 2 credits. Required of all graduate students. A scholarly examination of the scope and content of geography from its inception to the present.

521. Advanced Physical Geography. 3 credits. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. An investigation of an advanced topic in physical geography. May be repeated if a different topic is examined.

537. Graduate Co-operative Education. 1-3 credits. Prerequisites: MS/MA students must have minimum of 12 graduate credits, permission of department chair or co-op coordinator. (Only students in the MS/MA non-thesis option are eligible). Practical experience of applying advanced concepts of geography. Experience will vary from student to student and must be coordinated with co-op host.

541. Seminar in Geography. 3 credits. Prerequisites: Geography 578 and graduate standing in geography. A seminar that includes discussions of selected readings, student reports, and student research projects leading to oral and written presentations.

551. Advanced Human Geography. 3 credits. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. An investigation of an advanced topic in human geography. May be repeated if a different topic is examined.

560. Seminar in Regional Geography. 3 credits.

574. Advanced Techniques in Geographic Information Systems. 3 credits. Prerequisites: Geography 474 or equivalent. An advanced course designed to extend GIS knowledge and experience and to prepare students to become effective GIS analysts. The course follows a hands-on, problem-solving approach that integrates the interests and analytical needs to participating students.

575. Seminar in Remote Sensing. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Geography 475 or consent of instructor. A seminar in the analysis of remote sensing techniques as applied to contemporary research problems in geography.

576. Field Methods and Analysis in Geography. 3 credits. An advanced, intensive approach to the measuring and mapping of cultural and physical features of the earth in the field. Familiarization with the practical problems involved in data collection techniques in rural as well as urban areas and transfer of the pattern of phenomena of an area to a scale suitable for mapping.

578. Geographic Research and Writing. 2 credits. Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Required of all graduate students during the first semester in which they are registered and in residence or the first semester offered. Orientation to methods of research and communication in geography. Emphasis upon research design, identification of bibliographic and geographic source materials, communication skills, and proposal writing.

591. Directed Study in Geographical Problems. 1 to 4 credits.

997. Independent Study. 2 credits. S/U grading.

998. Thesis. 1 to 6 credits. S/U grading.

377. Quantitative Applications in Geography. 2 credits.

377L. Spatial Analysis Laboratory. 1 credit.

421. Selected Topics in Physical Geography. 3 credits.

452. Selected Topics in Economic Geography. 3 credits.

453. Historical Geography. 3 credits.

455. Geopolitics. 3 credits.

457. Urban Geography and Planning. 3 credits.

462. Geography of North America II. 3 credits.

463. Regional Geography. 2 to 3 credits.

471. Cartography and Computer-Assisted Mapping. 2 credits.

471L. Computer Mapping Laboratory. 1 credit.

474. Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. 3 credits.

475. Digital Image Processing. 3 credits.