Contact Information
Dept. of Geography, Geology and Anthropology
Indiana State University
159 Science Building
Terre Haute, IN 47809
Phone:
812-237-2444
Fax:
812-237-8029
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A student must have a baccalaureate degree with the equivalent of a minor
in geography or geology before being admitted to the Master of Arts
(Geography) or the Master of Science (Geology) programs.
MASTER’S DEGREE GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS
All candidates for the master’s degree in geography are required to submit
a thesis or its equivalent in research reports as one of the requirements
for the degree. All candidates for the master’s degree in geology are
required to submit a thesis or complete the non-thesis option as described
in this catalog.. A course or program established early in the first
semester of participation as a graduate student will be followed. A list
of courses making up the core program of 18 semester hours for each
departmental degree will be provided by the advisor. A minor outside of
the department of not more than ten hours may be counted toward the
degree. Students should expect to take two years to complete the Masters
program in geography or geology unless they enter the program with
advanced standing.
Master of Arts--Geography
Master of Science‑‑Geology
(Thesis and Non-Thesis Options)
Master of Arts in
Geography For Teacher Certification
Urban-Regional Studies
Ph.D in Geography Degree
Admission Requirements
Ph.D in Geography Degree Completion
Requirements
Sample
Plan of Study for Geography Graduate Programs
Sample Plan
of Study for Geology Graduate Programs
Evaluation of In-Residence
Graduate Students
(32 semester hours minimum)
Research: Geography 699‑‑6 hrs. or 629‑‑6 hrs. or 649‑‑6 hrs.
Major: Geography 512‑‑3 hrs.; 610‑‑3 hrs.; 611‑‑3 hrs.; 612‑‑2 hrs.; and 7‑9 hours of geography electives.
Other Requirements: 6‑8 hours in geology or in a discipline outside the department; 3 hours of departmentally approved statistics (or proficiency).
Culminating Experience: Successful defense of thesis or other research projects.
As required by the Graduate School, at least one-half of the credit hours must be earned in courses numbered 600 or above (i.e., at least 6 three-credit classes).
Master of Science‑‑Geology (33 semester hours minimum)
Thesis Option
Research: Geology 699‑‑6 hrs.
Major: Geology 588--3 hrs. and 9 hours from Geology 657--3 hrs., 661--3 hrs., 664--3 hrs., 666--3 hrs., 668--3 hrs., or 685--3 hrs..
Electives: 9 hours in geology.
Other Requirements: A 6‑hour minor in another discipline, such as chemistry, geography, life sciences, mathematics, or physics.
Culminating Experience: Successful defense of thesis.
As required by the Graduate School, at least one‑half of the credit hours must be earned in courses numbered 600 or above (i.e., at least 6 three-credit hour classes).
Master of Science‑‑Geology (33 semester hours minimum)
Non-Thesis Option
Major: Geology 588--3 hrs.; 697--3 hrs. and 9 hours from Geology 657--3 hrs., 661--3 hrs., 664--3 hrs., 666--3 hrs., 668--3 hrs., or 685--3 hrs..
Electives: 14 hours in geology.
Other Requirements: A 6‑hour minor in another discipline, such as chemistry, geography, life sciences, mathematics, or physics.
Culminating Experience: Presenting project results at a departmental seminar or regional/national conference.
As required by the Graduate School, at least one‑half of the credit hours must be earned in courses numbered 600 or above (i.e., at least 6 three-credit hour classes).
Master of Arts in Geography (For Teacher Certification‑‑32 semester hours minimum)
Research: Geography 699‑‑6 hrs.
Major: Geography 512‑‑3 hrs.; 610‑‑3 hrs.; 611‑‑3 hrs.; and 612‑‑2 hrs.
Other Requirements: 3 hours from Social Science Education 606 or Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology 660 or 662; 3 hours from Educational Foundations 605, 607, 608, or a departmental course approved by the Teacher Education Committee; 3 hours from Educational Psychology 521, 522, 625, Curriculum, Instruction, and Media Technology 611, or a departmental course approved by the Teacher Education Committee; and 3 hours of departmentally approved statistics (or proficiency).
Electives: 3‑6 approved hours.
Culminating Experience: Successful defense of thesis or other research project(s).
This program is designed for individuals who have completed a teacher preparation program; it does not lead to an initial teaching license.
The specific program leading to the degree will be proposed for the candidate by his or her advisor in conference with the Geography Graduate Committee during the first semester of course work. In general, one‑half of the credit hours must be taken in courses numbered 600 or above.
Ph.D Degree Admission Requirements
1. Meet the criteria for admission to the School of Graduate Studies; all requests for admission to the program will be screened by the Graduate Committee and the Chairperson of the Department of Geography, Geology, and Anthropology. Meeting the minimal standards listed below does not guarantee admission. The Chairperson will make recommendations to the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies as to the approval or denial of each applicant to the program. Official notice of admission will be sent to the student by the School of Graduate Studies.
2. Attain a minimum score of 500 on each of the sections of the General Tests of the Graduate Record Examination. (See GRE or GMAT section of chapter concerning admissions.)
3. Possess an undergraduate average of at least 3.00 or better on a 4.00 scale, or if an international student, be in compliance with the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies. Students entering with advanced standing or with the master's degree from another institution must possess a graduate average of 3.25; and
4. If entering with a master's degree, have written a thesis or be able to provide evidence of the ability to write original material.
The Department of Geography, Geology, and Anthropology offers work leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in two areas, economic geography and physical geography. The completion of the degree prepares the individual for university teaching or for work in one of the many research and applied fields in geography. Each candidate's program is built upon the candidate's prior preparation so that all essential requirements for the degree are met. The candidate is expected to complete 65 to 70 semester hours of course work beyond the baccalaureate degree. In addition, the candidate must write and successfully defend an acceptable dissertation. There is a core program of fundamentals in the field as listed below.
Core Course Requirements (16‑19 semester hours minimum)
Research Methods in Geography (611) 3 hours
Advanced Quantitative Methods in Geographic Research (645) or statistics course‑‑3 hours
Advanced Cartography (512) 3 hours
Field Geography Techniques or Field Geography Summer Camp (610) 3 hours
Fundamentals of Remote Sensing (505) 3 hours
Development of Geographic Thought (612) 2 hours
Recent Geographic Thought (613) 2 hours
Students must declare either physical geography or economic geography as a Ph.D. study area. Within these general categories, students and their advisors have the ability to create a program of study that integrates the students' interests with the areas of faculty expertise. An ancillary field should be selected to complement the candidate's major interest and to support the development of the dissertation. All candidates must complete all required courses for the degree with a grade of “B” or better (known as the research tool proficiencies requirement) to proceed with scheduling preliminary examinations. Our required courses are specifically selected to provide the student with an education that utilizes the research tools necessary to complete a dissertation.
The candidate will, at all times, be guided by his or her advisor and committee to the program best suited for his or her needs.
Diagnostic Examinations
In the first semester of residence toward the doctoral degree, the applicant will be asked to submit to an oral diagnostic examination, the results of which will be used in planning the program of the student. The examination is prepared by the department.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy is based upon successful completion of (1) minimum residence requirements (a normal load for two consecutive semesters), (2) research tool proficiencies, (3) written preliminary examinations in five substantive areas within the major field, and (4) a general oral examination in the major and minor fields.
Sample Plan of Study for Geography Graduate Programs
First year
Fall
GEOG 611 Research Design 3 hours
GEOG
505 Fundamentals of Remote Sensing 3 hours
(required of Ph.D.
students)
Spring
GEOG 512 Advanced Cartography 3 hours
GEOG 610 Field Techniques 3 hours
A course from the minor discipline 3 hours
GEOG 645 Advanced
Quantitative Methods 3 hours
(required of Ph.D.
students)
GEOG 612 Geographic
Thought 2 hours
(required of Ph.D. students)
Second year
Fall
A course from the minor discipline 3 hours
GEOG 613 Recent
Geographic Thought 2 hours
(required of Ph.D. students)
Spring
For thesis option: GEOG 699 (Master’s Thesis) 6 hours
For non-thesis option: GEOG 629 or 649 6 hours
Sample Plan of Study for Geology Graduate Programs
First year
Fall
Major course, such as GEOL 664 (Regional Geology), GEOL 657 (Advanced Geomorphology), GEOL 666 (Early Earth History)or GEOL 668 (Remote Sensing: Geologic Applications 3 hours
GEOL 588 (Computer
Methods in Geology)
3 hours Elective in Geology, such as GEOL 518 (Soil Genesis and
Classification), GEOL 554 (Intro to Hydrology),GEOL 583 (Economic
Geology), GEOL 597 (Seminar in Advanced Geology), or GEOL 661 (Advanced
Research in Geology)3 hours
Spring
Major course, such as GEOL 661 (Advanced Research in Geology) or GEOL 685 (Sandstone Petrology) 3 hours
Minor course from the minor discipline 3 hours
Elective course, such as GEOL 552 (Quaternary Environments), GEOL 555 (Groundwater Hydrology),GEOL 565 (Fundamentals in Tree Ring Research), GEOL 581 (Geochemistry),GEOL 582 (Volcanology) GEOL 597 (Seminar in Advanced Geology), or GEOL 661 (Advanced Research in Geology) 3 hours
Second year
Fall
Major course, such as GEOL 664 (Regional Geology), GEOL 657(Advanced Geomorphology), GEOL 666 (Early Earth History)or GEOL 668 (Remote Sensing: Geologic Applications 3 hours
Minor course from minor discipline 3 hours
Elective in Geology, such as GEOL 518 (Soil Genesis and Classification), GEOL 554 (Intro to Hydrology),GEOL 583 (Economic Geology), GEOL 597 (Seminar in Advanced Geology), or GEOL 661 (Advanced Research in Geology) 3 hours
For non-thesis option: GEOL 697 (Research Seminar in Geology)1 hour
Spring
For thesis option: GEOL 699 (Master’s Thesis) 6 hours
For non-thesis option: Elective course, such as GEOL 552 (Quaternary Environments), GEOL 555 (Groundwater Hydrology),GEOL 565 (Fundamentals in Tree Ring Research), GEOL 581 (Geochemistry),GEOL 582 (Volcanology) GEOL 597 (Seminar in Advanced Geology), or GEOL 661 (Advanced Research in Geology) 5 hours