Geography

The Geography program has been recognized for the past 12 years by the WVU Board of Governors as a Program of Excellence. This extraordinary acknowledgement and strong endorsement is based on three quinquennial program reviews and recognizes the research, teaching and mentoring quality of the program faculty, its staff and graduate body, and the outstanding resources available to the program. The Geography Graduate program offers two advanced degrees: the Master of Arts in Geography and the Doctor of Philosophy in Geography. The program has three major research focus areas: Environmental Geography, Human Geography, and Geographic Information Science. The program is supported by 17 faculty along with an active group of professor emeriti and clinical professors. Being part of a combined Department of Geology and Geography, students can also draw upon the expertise of an equally well resourced and attentive 18 Geology faculty with expertise in deep geology, geomorphology, surficial processes, Karst landscapes and hydrology. The department has outstanding teaching and research facilities and is housed in its own extensively renovated Brooks Hall on the Downtown campus of WVU.

The M.A. program offers both a thesis and a project track. The thesis is an in-depth research investigation, whereas the project is a structured, one-semester activity. The choice between the thesis and project is normally made in the second semester of graduate study. An M.A. requires 30 hours of academic credit and normally takes two years to complete.

Career Profile

Geography is a discipline that is at the headwaters of many career paths. from the scientific focus of environmental geography to the social focus of space, place and development, and especially the technology focus of geographic information science. Career opportunities are hot!

Program Application Requirements

Program Application Test Requirements

Application Deadlines

Fall Deadline

Spring Deadline

Summer Deadline

English Proficiency Requirements

All applicants whose first language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency. WVU accepts either the TOEFL or the IELTS for this purpose. Learn more about our English language proficiency requirements.

Accreditation Information

WVU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.