Skip to main content

Geography  Doctoral

Overview

What is Geography at WVU like?

Description

The PhD in Geography is an advanced degree with a program made up of coursework, comprehensive exams and a major research investigation. Students are expected to be grounded in one or more of the geography program’s three areas of specialization: environmental geography, geographic information science and human geography.

In the doctoral program, we seek a close alignment between an applicant’s proposed area of investigation and faculty expertise. Applicants are required to list the names of potential advisors in their application and therefore should contact faculty in their proposed area of specialization before applying. The PhD requires 28 hours of academic credit and typically takes four years of full-time study.

Application Deadlines

Each graduate program sets their own terms of admission and application deadlines. Applicants can only apply for admission for the terms displayed below. Any questions regarding the application deadline should be directed to the graduate program representative.

Fall: January 15
Spring: August 15

At a Glance

Next Steps

Interested in this major? Here are some suggested next steps:

Apply NowRequest InfoVirtual TourVisit WVU

Requirements

What are the requirements to apply for Geography at WVU?

University Requirements

To be eligible for admission into a graduate program at WVU an applicant must submit official, bachelors degree transcripts from a regionally accredited institution and hold a GPA of at least 2.75.

WVU operates decentralized admissions. Decentralized admissions allows each graduate program to set its own application requirements in addition to the University requirements.

Program Requirements

To be eligible for admission into the Geography graduate program an applicant must submit the following documentation:

  • Letters of Recommendation - Three
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Masters Degree Required
  • GRE

Additional considerations for applicants:

  • The personal statement needs to clearly express the applicant's interests as they align with faculty expertise. Students must indicate a preferred graduate faculty advisor.

  • The GRE is optional.

Certain application requirements may be waived based on a preliminary review of an application by program.

International Applicants must also submit the materials outlined here.

Contact Information

Who do I contact if I have questions?

Like what you see?

Take the next step and become a Mountaineer.

Become an expert in your field.

Your first step to becoming a Mountaineer is applying for admission. Our online application makes the process as convenient as possible.

Apply Now

Visit our beautiful campus.

Visit WVU either in person or through one of our many digital outlets. Be our guest for a few minutes or a day and get a feel for academic and student life.

Visit WVU

Let us tell you more.

Fill out the Request Info form to learn about the opportunities that await you.

Request Information