Masters Plan I (Thesis) and Plan II (Comprehensive Examination)
The Geography Graduate Group offers both a Plan I and Plan II option. For details on the requirements of each plan, see course requirements below.
Course Requirements - minimum 36 units
GGG Core Courses – 16 units
- GEO 200AN – Geographical Concepts (4 unit, fall quarter)
- GEO 200BN – Theory and Practice of Geography (4 units, winter quarter)
- GEO 200CN – Computational Methods in Geography (4 units)
- GEO 200DN – Methods of Socio-Spatial Analysis in Geography (4 units)
Students are encouraged to take the first four of these core courses in their first year in the program. The graduate adviser will not waive these core courses unless the student has transcript notation and a syllabus from a similar graduate-level course taken at another institution.
Geographic Depth Courses – 12 units
Every student is required to take at least 12 units of Geographic Depth Courses from a pre-approved selection of courses that cover a sub-disciplines of Geography. There is a list of pre-approved courses by four broad Areas of Geographic Depth; but students will make their own set of courses based on their interests and needs.
Seminar Requirement – 4 units
GEO 297 – Seminar in Geography
Electives – variable units
Elective courses may be required to reach the minimum number of units required.
Summary
Both Plan I and Plan II students take a minimum of 36 units. For Plan I students: This plan requires 36 units of graduate and upper division courses (the 100 and 200 series only) and a thesis. Only 4 of these units may be from 299 courses. For Plan II students: This plan requires 36 units of graduate and upper division courses (the 100 and 200 series only) and a comprehensive exam. Only 4 of these units may be from 299 courses.