2017 Geography Graduate Program Rankings

It’s always great to see your rankings Mr. Justin Holman.

Thank you so much, sir for all the information ..one more thing how do we approach the research guide as I have tried emailing them but they never reply back .Please do help me with this as I wanted to do PhD in Geography for the past one year but not getting any positive reply from the guides.

So okay, hrmm….

First of all I suggest splitting the list into several parts categories. The reason for this is that at the graduate level, you aren’t really looking for the best overall geography program (usually). Rather, you should be looking at the best program for the discipline of geography you want to study, e.g. Human/Physical/etc. If you need to list “overall” that could make sense then I’d just doing a matrix approach to your evaluation.

The second problem is that you have ignored all of the international programs. This is a major flaw, particularly given advances in climate studies and Earth-space sciences overseas. Spain has interesting programs in GIS and data viz. England has superior programs. The Benelux has superior programs, as does Japan.
Something to consider.

I do agree this is an important list. I’d encourage you to work with it.

–Ben

Boston University doesn’t have a geography department or degree in geography anymore so it makes sense that BU was not ranked, but it is odd they left out Georgia

Thanks for the interesting post. For clarification, Southern Illinois University (where I serve as chair) participates in an interdisciplinary doctoral program titled Environmental Resources and Policy. We do, however, have a very active Master of Science track in Geography. It would be nice to see a similar analysis focused on the MA/MS programs.

Hi Justin,
I am gonna be a transfer student for fall2018 from college to university. My major is GIS, so what school would you recommend for my undergraduate degree? I am in San Diego region, and one of my options now is sdsu. Thanks!

Hello Justin,
In 2015 you also broke up programs by focus area. Do you know happen to know which of these programs focus on Spatial Analysis/Statistics or using GIS as part of a Data Science program?
Thank you for your insight!
Valerie

Hi Justin, thanks for the great post. I’m a rising senior in high school in Oregon interested in studying geography/GIS and looking for recommendations. I know it doesnt matter too much for the undergraduate level, and that both Oregon state and UofO have quality departments, but between the two which is better. More specifically, I am interested in studying the environmental and human side of geography, so which school better caters to those interests. Also if you have any out of state recommendations please let me know, it’ll really help in my college search.

Hi Justin, these lists have been very helpful! I’m just trying to get a sense of how competitive these Tier 1 programs are… I have a degree in Environmental Studies and Econ and am working at a climate change think tank – interested in human/environmental geography. With a strong CV, recommendations, and GRE but a meh undergrad GPA (3.25), how would you strike a balance between realistic and “reach” programs?

I totally agree with your point that GIS is the past. Obviously, the spatial data visualization and machine learning are the future. Since it is a fascinated post for student applying grad school, I would like to stress your point again who read this post. Dude, GIS is a basic, it was a fancy technic about ten years ago- think beyond.

Hey Justin,
Thank you so much for these guides. They are like a lighthouse in a storm. When I first was looking at Master’s programs, I turned to your blog first for some insight into the Geography Master’s game as I had no idea what schools were good or bad as I was coming from an International Relations Bachelor’s program from a small program up North.

Now that I’m nearing the end of my master’s program and considering a PhD. I was wondering if I could get your insight on which PhD programs focus on primarily the application of GIS technology to social problems. I have looked at various programs (most notably UCLA and GMU) which have professors which seem to either exclusively focus on the qualitative end OR on further working on GIS techniques (like using machine learning methods).

Thank you for all the advice you’ve posted on your website !

-H

Hi Justin. My son and I have been reading your blog the last few years. William has been very interested in studying geography in college and now, as a senior in high school, he is more excited than ever to get on campus. My sister lives in Boston so we went there for spring break this year. Fortunately, William discovered that the AAG conference was there at the same time and signed up. He loved it. He met tons of students at the poster sessions and sat in at least 10 or 12 presentation sessions. There are a number of colleges he wants to consider based on what he learned at the conference. I have a couple questions for you as I try to be helpful in his process:
1) How should a potential undergraduate be thinking about studying in a geography department with a strong graduate program? Seems like it would be great to get exposure to the graduate students and faculty at these top-notch schools. Any particular comments/advice on this question? Are there benefits to studying in an undergraduate-focused geography department (for example, Macalester, George Washington Univ., and Vermont are ones he has talked about) and then going to one of these great places for graduate school? At the AAG conference, he really enjoyed the transportation geography-focused presentations he attended that were led by folks from the University of Denver. He visited Clark while we were in Boston and he liked it a lot. He commented that the guy from Clark who led the information session “should be paid a million dollars per year” because he might be “the best in the country.” Minnesota was one of the first schools he visited a year ago when I took him along on a business trip and he has had it on his short list ever since. He tends to compare any large school to Minnesota. So far, despite many comparisons, it has stood the test of time. The last time we went to UCSB it was before he was really thinking about colleges, but my grandparents went there so it has been on his radar for a long time and he would love to visit the next time we are out there seeing relatives. We are going to drive down to UNC to check it out in a couple weeks. There is one professor he really likes at Illinois, but we have never been there. I am just making the point that most of the schools he has on his list are leaders from the graduate perspective. And so as to not leave out the undergraduate programs, he attended several sessions at AAG that included people from Macalester and GW. He was very impressed by the people he met at the conference and was bummed that he could not go to every session.
2) Not to tax your expertise too much, but any thoughts on undergraduate schools he should consider that he might not know of? He would like to go to a school in a city. He seems very interested in how people interact with cities and how that influences transportation, politics, and the human experience. He loves cartography. He will lay on the floor and draw maps all day – mostly networks like subway, train, or air travel networks. If I had to pin him down, I’d say he approaches geography more from a social perspective than a scientific perspective. Thank you in advance for any comments you might offer.

Hi Justin,
Thanks so much for your help with this excellent site!

I am an international student whose major is Geographic Information System (both M.S. and B.S.) in China. I got my master degree in 2011 and has been worked for several years with several different jobs. Right now, I am a Java Developer for the back end of website for around 1 year. I really wanna pursue a doctoral degree in the field of big data, spatial analysis, or health geography in U.S.. And My GRE score is 155verbal+170Quantitative+3Writing. My TOEFL is 91 in total (19 in speaking section). My GPA is 3.4 for B.S. and 3.75 for M.S.. Besides, I have one publication about agricultural and environmental geography (first author published in 2014, sci). Can you give me some suggestions on choosing universities? I really got confused on which universities I can qualify. Can you suggest universities both on the website you list and others you don’t list here?

Thanks a million!
Best wishes!!

Hi Justin,

Firstly, thank you so much for compiling such a comprehensive list after all these years, they’re wonderful. I once considered doing it myself, but then I found yours!

I applied last year to a few top schools, and I got into one but was unsuccessful with the others. I decided to wait a while, build up some experience and reapply a little later down the line. I’m now very well-versed in the world of US Geography PhDs etc!

My issues is that I have a real niche research area, and I’m really struggling to find an appropriate home for me at the graduate level. My research interest lies in Disaster Risk Reduction/Response/Recovery, Drones/Remote Sensing and Humanitarian/development initiatives. I’m also a competent physical Geographer. I have a BSc in Geography from a top UK school, and I have the option of doing a MSc at UCL next year, but my heart is really set on US universities.

I don’t suppose you can think of a good home for me? I considered the Stanford IPER program, and I heard Colorado Boulder has a disaster focus, but other than that I’m really stuck!
Thank you for your time!

Hi,

My name is Kyle and I am a recent graduate with a BA degree in Latin American Studies. I am thinking of going to graduate school in human geography. I was wondering what my chances would be for a tier 1 school? I have a 3.76 gpa, am near fluent in Spanish, and can very likely get good recommendation letters. I am also currently employed in a small research position in a Latin American country and my research now would be similar to what I would want to study. The only problem is the GRE — I have not taken the GRE yet but I know that I am terrible on standardized tests like the SAT and would probably not do as well on the GRE. What type of scores would I need on the GRE to have a good chance with tier 1 school (mixed with the rest of what I wrote) and if I get bad GRE results, do I still have a chance?

Aside from that, what schools that you listed would be best for human geography (most likely would study something related to fair trade and rural social movements, Latin America focused).

Thanks 🙂
Kyle

Dear Justin,

my name is George Floros and I am currently attending my 2nd MSc., which is in the field of Geographic Information Science at University College London. I am exploring my options, since I would like to pursue a PhD and I would appreciate your opinion. I am interested in 3D GIS, which as I recall from our previous conversation 1 year ago, it is not that well-known in the states. I would like to ask you if the situation remains the same, or there is a developed interest towards the field of 3D. In fact, I am also working with Building Information Modelling (BIM), IFC and the integration between IFC and 3D GIS for the development of AR applications. In case any of the above sound like they could be interesting for a university at the US I would appreciate your comment.

Kind Regards,

George Floros

Hello Justin

Thank you so much for making this list and answering all these questions.
I came from a business administration background and I have decided 2 years ago to switch my career from administration to scientific research as I’m working in a research institute that focus in solar energy, water and climate change, I had the chance to work with scientists in those fields, I did an MS in GIS from UK, however I still feel that I’m not confident yet to do the work and always I’m working under supervision. I need to do a PhD that gives me the fundamentals/principals of Geosicence/Geography/Geophysics .. etc. I don’t want to go back and study an undergraduate degree again, I would like to pursue what I have already started with my MS but in more detailed way. I’m interested in data science/wireless monitoring system/gathering real-time data.
I appreciate if you can recommend me some universities/programs to apply for.
Thank you so much once again.

Regards,
Alen

Dear Justin,
Many thanks for your imformation!
I am a senior undergraduate student from China, major in Physical Grography. I has been to America for several times in the past but know little about the academic situation in Geography. You help me a lot by drawing this list!
I am interested in physical geography, plant ecology, and biodiversity…….and I want to find the point which combines the geography and ecology, but I am not clearly sure about the perspective I should choose. I am good at GIS but I also look forward to the field trip in the natural world.
Could you give me some advice about the university?

Best wishes! ))
Canace

Hi Justin,

Thank you for the work you put in making these lists and answering so many comments!

I am an undergrad pursuing a triple major in Geog, GIS, and Global Studies, with a Spanish minor. I love human geography and am specifically interested in cultural geography, food systems, and sustainable community development. From your list I have researched faculty and current students and identified Minnesota, Georgia, UC Davis, Syracuse, Wisconsin, and Arizona as schools that seem to be a good fit for me. I am also curious about U of Missouri who is not on your list , and has an oddly small program, but is strong in human geography.

I have a GPA of 3.8 and have a good cv and recommendations, but do not come from a major university, and am wondering if it is even possible for me to be accepted into one of these major programs, and on top of that recieve funding.

Do you have any suggestions on schools that would be a good fit for me, or any advice?

Thanks again!

I am looking at going back to school to get my masters after a decade of being in the work force as a GIS Tech. My first of two problems is that many programs I’ve been looking at want letters of recommendation, many of them with requirements that they come from the professors from my school where I got my BA. Since it’s been so long, I’m doubtful that my old professors will be able to give me a good letter, if they remember me at all. Some will allow former supervisors to send LORs, I can get maybe one, but the others I’ve had were those who I worked for a short amount of time many years ago and am out of contact and won’t remember me, or those who I had problems with at work and may not give me a good review. So is there a way around this for me, like apply with one or no LORs and take my chances or are there programs that don’t require LORs or place a heavy emphasis on it? My other problem is that the school where I got my BA no longer has a Geography program, it was never big to begin with and was discontinued a few years ago, is this a detriment?

Also, while my GPA overall was a 2.87, my last year’s GPA was 3.516 and my major GPA was 3.595, and my GRE verbal/quantitative/writing scores are 157/158/4.5, I know these are good, but are they enough to get me in? Thanks!

Hi there!
Thanks for all of the helpful info you’ve provided. I have recently moved to Massachusetts and have been trying to find a good Grad program to get into. I noticed that Boston was on the list and then someone commented that they aren’t offering it anymore. In doing some online research, I found a program at Salem State University. Can you offer any info or feedback on them?

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for this work, Justin! Been really helpful in my grad school research. Just compared your 2015 and 2017 lists. Both super helpful. One thing I’d love to see again that you did in your 2015 list is a breakout of the best places to go for different types of geography. I’m looking specifically into Human Geography programs, so the 2015 list was most helpful for that reason. The tiering is helpful, generally, but I see that many of the Tier 1 programs focus heavily on physical geography or data science/GIS-type stuff and I’m really looking for the strongest human geography programs. Thanks again for all your work and just wanted to share this bit of feedback! Cheers.

How is the LSU program?
I am coming from a masters in environmental justice at Michigan but am interested in studying and being located in the Gulf Coast. Any others? Thanks for this list!
Thanks!
Eloise

Hey Justin,
I’ve benefited a great deal from considering and contemplating the options provided in your present and past rankings, and I thank you for them.

I have a question I’d like to throw by you, to get your perspective. What do you think of programs that offer students a unique regionally-specific education, but aren’t necessarily represented in ranking schemes? I’m interested in Arctic geography (with all the trimmings; environmental/sustainability science, human geog., cartography, etc.), and I’ve felt a logical option along these lines is the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, especially with its attractive Resilience and Adaptation Program in sustainability science, which I’ve been eyeing for quite a while now. I’ve thought about pairing this with either (mostly) the Arctic and Northern Studies Master’s degree or (possibly) their natural resource management MS, because while UAF does offer a whole host of geography courses for students to choose from, there is no formal graduate program in geography (beyond, say, an individualized interdisciplinary concentration). I’m just a bit concerned that taking a leap into a degree that could limit my options going forward if employers or PhD programs outside Alaska wouldn’t consider my degree legitimate or ‘sexy’ enough given its unranked status (which, in articulating this in writing, seems a tad ridiculous, but that’s how I feel). By the same token, I feel that UAF could offer a specialized educational and research experience that may benefit me greatly going forward, especially in getting experience that many universities don’t offer elsewhere. What do think about all this? Would it be wise to note where alumni with these degrees have worked or pursued further education? Even if you have never heard of any of the programs I’ve mentioned, I would still appreciate the input.

Thank you!

P.S. – two important filters to add might be: 1) I do not have a geography undergraduate degree (humanities), and while I am driven to break into the field, I’m generally limited in my options for grad. programs due to a lack of prerequisite courses, and 2) I’m not hooked on UAF to the extent that I would be unwilling to consider other options (esp. given UAF’s recent budget crises).

I’ve greatly enjoyed, and appreciated, your rankings over the years – they have been very informative. Thank you! I have an academic background in geography (B.S. in Geography and Global Studies and M.Ed. in Geography Education). I have participated in a range of research studies as an undergrad and grad student, which has provided me invaluable experiences and cemented my love of geography. I have taught middle school science the past seven years and wish to make a career change and continue my education. I have always been fascinated by public health, especially where it connects to the broad field of geography. I am debating pursuing a MPH with an emphasis in GIS at University of North Texas Health Science Center or going the traditional Geography/GIS route. My limitations are financial and time. The MPH program at UNTHSC is very affordable and online, which will allow me to work full-time while pursuing the degree. Choosing, and especially attending, a traditional geography program “may” not be that feasible in my current life-stage. Also, I do not want to limit myself to only a public health job or only a traditional geography job – I have broad interests and want to keep my options open as I’d be happy doing many things. Do you see any serious limitation of choosing either route and being singled into only one type of career (ie can only get a public health job with MPH or will not be able to work in the field on public health with a Geography degree)? Or could I be able to work for a variety of organizations on a variety of projects with either degree? I understand this is a broad question, but I value your input. I thank you in advance for your time and assistance!

Hi Justin,
You are doing a wonderful job in sharing all the expertise and your analysis on GIS and Geography field.
How i wish i had come across your blog earlier. 🙂
I’m a Civil Engineering graduate with 5years of work experience in construction cost estimation in India.Now residing in Boston from a year.I’m exploring new career opportunities in the field of GIS /Geo spatial science and related fields.Since, I do not have any background study or work experience in GIS ;What would be the best way to start a career in GIS? .Is Online Masters/graduate certification from a good university like Penn State help me gain good knowledge and land a job? Or Regular university course better.Please help me decide.
I wanted to best utilize the time so i joined a graduate certificate course on Green building and community sustainability in Harvard extension schools where i m planning to take online courses on Intro to GIS,Web GIS technologies,Intermediate geographic analysis and sustainability for building and community.
Prior to registration i had not read your blog.Now that i have read i m in dilemma to go with the course registered or take up a regular course from Salem State university or Clark University.
P.S (I have Very Good GPA,Avg TOFEL score,Low GRE Score)
Thanks in Advance!
Prachi

Hi Justin,
I have been lurking among your posts for a couple years now. I am a contract archaeologist working in Illinois for five years. I enjoyed studying anthropology and archaeology in undergrad at Illinois State University, but am looking for training to become a more specialized geographer. I was able to get a job right out of university with a great company (ISAS) and in a small office, where I have been able to get much more hands-on experience than I could have ever dreamed. While working there I fell in love with GIS and mapping and now want to further my studies. Although I work for University of Illinois, I am not sure if this is the school I would like to study at. I have been looking for a GIS program that features human geography but will be able to give me the technical skills I will need to succeed within my field (I have not been too impressed with “GIS” programs within archaeology grad programs – it doesn’t seem like anyone really learns anything substantial). What schools, off the top of your head, would you suggest that would be appropriate for what I am looking for in a program?

Hi Justin, thanks for doing this annual ranking. I just noticed that North Texas (where I teach) is ranked in your listing. We always appreciate recognition, but in our case I should note that UNT does not have (and has never had) a doctoral program in geography (in 2017 we actually won the AAG’s inaugural program excellence award for terminal master’s programs). Since we don’t have the resources (and obviously, students) that a doctoral program would have, I would put it out there that ranking UNT Geography with doctoral programs does not represent a fair, apples-to-apples comparison. So, for future annual rankings, would it be possible for you to omit UNT (as long as your ranking is one of doctoral programs)? Thanks and all the best.

You did not mention Claremont Graduate school for GIS Data Science? you graduated there for undergrade Your thoughts
Thank you

Hi Justin !

Thank you very much for your kind information over the Geography graduate programs in USA.I have been following your posts from my undergrad.Recently, I have completed my bachelor.My CGPA is 3.45 out of 4 and My GRE score is 303(q=156;v=147) and AWA=3.5. I know my score is not that good.However, it will be very kind of you if you could suggest me some universities with major on quantitative GIS within my profile.

Thanks again for your valuable time.

Hi Justin,
Thank you very much for your insightful information.

The way that the AAG published their most recent guide is certianly an oddity, many programs with Geography degrees were dropped out of the guide. Georgia certianly is the most shocking omission!

I am confused about UWM being ranked in your lowest tier, it is a highly repected program in the East and West Lakes regions. Their department has high admissions standards, and their phd graduates often end up on the tenure track. I would make the argument that you have LSU and Texas State ranked too low for similiar reasons. LSU grads are scattered in tenure jobs across the country, and Texas State is practically a household name in the Geography world for all the right reasons.

I cant say I disagree with your top tiers, but I think that some of these programs are going to face stiffer competition in the coming years.

I think you should, at a minimum, separate human geography out from your overall ranking. You have Berkeley ranked as a third tier university. That is ridiculous.

Dr. Holman,
I was wondering if you knew anything about Virginia Tech’s Geography Department and master’s program. I noticed Tech wasn’t listed in the AAG Guide.
Also, do you think it’s more important to have a good mentor I connect with or go to a top tier school?
Thanks,
Macy

Hi Justin !

Could you please suggest some universities which offer admission for Spring semester.Actually I am interested to apply for my masters in Geography in the Spring 2019.
Thank you very much for your valuable time.Looking forward to your kind reply.

Regards !
Ashik

Hi Justin !

Thank you very much for our kind reply.

Regards !

Hi Justin !
Would you please give me some ideas about the MS in Geography program at the Marshall University ?

Thank you very much for your valuable time.

Best Regards !

Hi Justin, I realize your rankings are for graduate studies, but I have found your insights helpful as my daughter is selecting an undergraduate program. She has been accepted at Oregon and Clark and is leaning toward Clark because of their scholarship offer. If she likes both places equally, would the reputation and/or academics at one or the other tip the scales? Also, I am not sure how far she might go into graduate school. If she chose to venture into the corporate world would one school’s program be better than the other. Conversely, would one program give her better options for grad school? Thanks very much for your opinion.

Hey Justin,
I’m looking into returning to school for my Masters in GIS. I’ve been working in GIS for the last couple years. I did well as an undergrad especially when it came to my GIS courses. My only issue is that I’m a horrible standardized test taker. I’d rather not take the GRE so I was wondering if you know of any good programs that don’t require that exam? Any help would be much apprecated!
All the best,
Sam

Hey Justin!
First off, I’ve been following your annual graduate school rankings for a while, and this year it helped a lot when it came time for me to apply to graduate programs.
Anyways, I’ve gotten into two of my top-choices: Univ. of Oregon and Penn State for the M.S. programs. It’s awesome news, but I’m also stuck in making a decision! I intend to complete a PhD after the masters, and I’m hoping to remain within the same program and complete both degrees in a timely manner. I know that Oregon has a smaller program compared to Penn State, which could be considered both a bonus (tight-knit, more guidance, etc.) and a pitfall (potentially less funding, especially considering I want to do field work on another continent, etc.). There’s also pros and cons to large and prestigious departments like Penn State’s, such as a larger network of students and professors (they actually have a Supporting Women in Geography group!), but there’s also the issue of feeling lost in the crowd.
I really just wanted to seek your advice and gauge your thoughts/opinion on this decision. Appreciate the help!
Best,
Bianca

What is the difference between a degree in Physical Geography and Geosciences, at least at most grad programs? It seems like most of them are a combination of some physical geography and geology, at least the ones I’ve investigated. Are they good for degrees in GIS?

Hi Justin – Great website! I’ve been following you for awhile. I have two questions – What do you know about Canadian programs? I’m looking at Toronto, UBC and Simon Fraser. I plan on teaching geography at a private school – and eventually jump into the international school circuit. That said – what programs focus on Geography Education? Thanks!

Hello Justin. Been looking at your site/ranking since I planned to take PhD in Geography in 2016. Was finally able to get a Fulbright scholarship and accepted an offer from FSU for the coming Sem 2018. I noticed that they were never on your list until the 2017 one, I was wondering what changed? Actually, It was IIE not me who decided to apply to the University and they gave the “best offer” to Fulbright. Just want to get you thought regarding this. – Ef from the Philippines

Hi Justin,

I am finishing up my undergrad at UCLA next year and I just had a question regarding funding at different grad schools. At least concerning geography, I know that here at UCLA the master’s portion of grad school is funded as part of the PhD program because master’s studies are structured as an “on the way” degree as opposed to a terminal one. Do you know if this is the case in schools that consider the master’s and PhD completely separate achievements (e.g. Oregon, Colorado), or is it generally the more traditional expectation that the master’s student will find the money from other sources and then receive funding for his or her PhD research?

Thanks,

Hunter

Hi Justin,
I saw these rankings last summer when you first released them and I agree with most of them, but there is one thing that I don’t agree with. I definitely think George Mason University should be ranked higher than you have them (like Tier 2 or 3 in my opinion). I didn’t think much of this last year when I first saw your rankings because I had no knowledge of George Mason, but I recently had the chance to go to Fairfax and visit their geography department (it’s actually called the Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science) and I have to say it’s really an excellent department with top-notch programs. I’ve also recently visited other geography departments in the DC area (University of Maryland and George Washington University) and I honestly think George Mason’s department is the best in the DC area. In my opinion, the geography department at George Washington definitely trails behind George Mason’s and Maryland’s, but seeing George Mason ranked as a Tier 5 when Maryland is ranked as a Tier 3 doesn’t make much sense to me. I wanted to share my thoughts with you because I recently visited those three geography departments and explored their programs, and I definitely think George Mason’s department is the better of the three. Have you ever visited George Mason?
Kind Regards,
John

Justin,
I previously commented about how I think George Mason should be ranked better than Tier 5. My comment was deleted soon after I posted it for some reason though. Would you mind telling me why you think George Mason belongs in Tier 5? From what I experienced, their department seemed top notch.
-John

Hi! I have been thinking about getting a GIS Certificate and I was really surprised by your dismissal of them. I understand where you’re coming from… but what about those of us who can’t relocate/afford to attend a Graduate program? You talk about just working on GIS on your own instead, but is that really a better option than any kind of certificate? Would the certificate be the middle ground between “I’ve self taught GIS and volunteered somewhere” and “I have a MS?”

I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, your site has been very helpful. I graduated with a BA in Geography (Social Geography track) from Ohio State back in 2009, and have been working more on community side and studying herbalism and not at all with GIS. I’ve been thinking about going back to it, with a dream of being able to GIS on contract/remote to give myself a higher payscale and flexibility, but this might be a wake up call/reality check that I won’t get much past the grunt work of a GIS tech for a county government… Just some thoughts. Thanks!

One other question… my interest in GIS comes largely from this thinking about it like graphic design for spatial data. If someone has no interest in programming and coding, would you be inclined to say don’t bother?

Justin,

Thanks for your informative write up on geography programs. I’m a rising junior at American University majoring in international relations and music history. My mom got her BA and MA in geography from Wisconsin in the 90s and I’ve recently come to the realization that I similarly want to pursue geography at the graduate level.

So far, I’ve identified a few phd programs (and faculty) I’m interested in studying with, namely UCLA, Berkeley, Wisconsin, Colorado and UBC Vancouver.

Where do Canadian programs rank? Any other notable ones besides UBC? I’m interested in human/cultural geography, and environmental politics— are there any other programs you might suggest? How many programs do you suggest applying to?

I grew up in rural MN and the east coast was a huge culture shock to me! I’m hoping to move west after I graduate. 🙂

Thanks for your help,
Oliver

Justin,

Thanks for sharing your expertise. I’m a rising junior at American University in D.C. studying international relations and music history. After a couple govt internships, I’ve come to the realization that I would like pursue a PhD in geography (like my Mom). I would be applying in Fall 2019.

So far I’ve been studying for the GRE and started a list of potential programs and faculty members. I’m interested in cultural/historical geography, indigenous geographies, and environmental politics (specifically first nations water rights in Canada). How important is it that I have some undergrad research published (if I’m applying to places like UCLA, Berkeley, Wisconsin and Boulder)? I saw that AAG is in Washington in April 2019– is that something that would significantly help my applications? Is UBC Vancouver considered a premier program (is it recognized enough that I could get a job)? You mentioned that the GRE is very important (fair or not) for applications– do admissions committees take in to account things like service/campus extra curriculars, or is it most efficient to just focus on indicators academic achievement?

Best,
Oliver

Dear Justin,
Thank you so much for your insight and attention to so many questions! Your site has been a great help as I start looking into graduate geography programs.
I’m currently studying anthropology and geology at Smith College, and I’m looking into geography programs focusing on political ecology or related fields.
I was wondering what criteria you used to divide your tiers, and what factors might cause you to rule out a school?
Best,
Abigail

Hi Justin,
I’m currently a high school junior looking to study geography in college, and your rankings are really helpful in understanding which schools have strong programs. Do you recommend studying geography as an undergrad, or just for grad school and beyond? Furthermore, would you say these schools ranked have a solid undergrad geography department, or are there some schools missing or some you would take away?
I know that your rankings are for graduate schools, but I’m finding very limited information on what are some good undergrad geography programs.
Thank you so much!
Spencer

Hi Justin,

I’m looking into CSU – Long Beach and CSU – Northridge for my masters. I need to stay in LA ( family reasons ). My GPA is 3.2 – not high enough for UCLA. I’d like to teach rather than dive into research. Do you know anything about these programs?

Thanks!
Amy

Not sure about your bias to online education – you get out what you put in. I had a great experience getting my Master’s in Geospatial Surveying Engineering from Texas A&M Corpus Christi; I even defended my thesis over the web. I did not have any options for taking a program locally, I was working in Afghanistan the entire time. Now that I am working on a PhD I wish their Geospatial Computing program had an online option because I am extremely unhappy at CUDenver. So an online program can be very good but you need to be able to communicate well and advocate for yourself.

Hi Justin,
Thank you for your postings. I have an undergrad in anthro, master’s in public health and have been working in public health, community development for 8 years. I am applying to phd programs in geography this fall, retaking GRE’s, etc. My GPA is 3.2, 3.5 graduate, I’m applying to tier 1 and 2 schools, how helpful is my work experience? And would it help to be more competitive if I took graduate courses in geography this fall or more work experience? thank you!

Hey there! Have you heard any good things about the University of Illinois-Chicago program? The Environmental and Urban Geography masters program looked pretty good! I haven’t heard anything in specific about it though.

Hi Justin,
Your site has been very helpful to me. I’m a Canadian with a BA in Anthropology and am looking to expand my Geography MA program search into the United States. My GPA sits at about a 3.0. I do have pretty solid personal/family reasons for this which can be blamed for the poor GPA in my last two years. I have internship experience in Ghana and Bolivia and I’m currently taking a GIS Certificate course. Would you have any suggestions on what schools would be the best for me to apply to considering these factors and also how I can possibly improve my chances of acceptance with such a low GPA? I’m interested primarily in Political ecology and Political Geography in relation to “green” grabs, fortress conservation and wildlife crime. I’m currently looking at UC Boulder and the University of Washington, but would like to spread my search wider. Any advice you may have will be very much appreciated!

Best wishes,
Maia

Hi Justin,
Your site is super helpful. I’m hoping for some wisdom regarding my interests, and if you know of any programs that make sense. I’m still in a contemplation stage and don’t have a whole lot of information— any advice or ideas are helpful.
In an idea world I’d love to combine Geography and GIS with law, specifically immigration. MA or PHD in Geography would both be enticing.
1) Do you think this makes sense as a combination, or is it too far of a stretch to try and bring these studies together?
2) Do you know of any universities where this combination could be possible? Preferably in California?
Thank you for any guidance you can offer
Best,
Addie

Hi Justin,
I am looking into Graduate Geography programs in the United States for Human geography. I’m interested in the militarization of conservation areas, wildlife crime, dispossession and biosecurity issues. The majority of schools on your list do not really have professors studying these topics. Most of them seem to be studying physical geography and GIS. I was wondering if there are any other programs that you would recommend for these interests; other than CU Boulder, Washington and UCLA. As they are the only Universities that I see that have faculty covering these topics.

Thank you for your assistance!
Alexis

Hi Justin,
I’m a 2nd-year student studying Geomatics Engineering at a Canadian university. I’m thinking of going for a master’s degree after finishing the bachelor’s. There are quite a few universities here such as UBC, Calgary, Toronto, McGill and funding is guaranteed if I can find a supervisor. I’m interested in GIS/Remote Sensing but worry about job opportunities in this field. I’d love to know your idea about employability with an MSc Geography. How do American firms perceive Canadian credential? Speaking both academic quality and employability, do you think MSc from McGill, Toronto comparable to US universities? I appreciate if you could answer my questions.

Thanks,
Leo

I know this is a year and a half after the fact, but in case you do an update for 2019; if you were to include San Diego State and their Ph.D. program (a joint affair with UC Santa Barbara – but distinct and separate from the UC SB program) in which tier would you rank it? Thanks.

Hi, JUSTIN
Thank you for your information related to the program. I am an international student and I plan to get master degree for GIS/RS in USA. I received admission from OSU(geodesy in civil engineering, their research is related to computer vision and GIS)、buffalo(GIS)、UIUC（Professional Science Master in GIS – 18 months study）、Boston(RS&GIS) 、Minnesota(MGIS) . I am planning to find a job after graduation. Could you tell me which city/state in my university list has great job market related to GIS. Note: I am interested in programming and I want to use GIS knowledge to solve some environment problem or to enhance the function of Map based on Huge Geographic Data

Justin,
I appreciate your program rankings and insights. When will the next rankings be released? Also interested in your opinion about graduate programs in Ohio. I know that Ohio State is top tier but wandered how the other programs rank. At this point I plan on pursuing a master’s but unsure if I will go on for a PhD. I need to narrow my scope of interest so I know that this is a very broad based question. Thanks for any insight.

2017 Geography Graduate Program Rankings

Justin

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