| Location | Email Address | Program Website |
|---|---|---|
| N431 Ross Building | gradgeog@yorku.ca | yorku.ca/gradstudies/geography/ |
The Graduate Program in Geography offers courses and opportunities for research leading to the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Arts and Master of Science. Research and graduate teaching takes place in the areas of biogeography and biogeochemistry, climatology, cultural and historical geography, development studies, feminist geography, geographies of work and industry, geoinformatics, geomorphology, globalization, hydrology, landscape and literature, migration and immigration, northern environments, political ecology, political geography and the state, postcolonialism, remote sensing and image processing, and social geography.
Cognate Programs and Institutes
Opportunities exist for students to take courses outside the program, both at York and at other Ontario Universities. Courses offered by the Graduate Programs in Environmental Studies, Political Science, and Sociology at York, for example, complement the work of the geography program and are of particular interest to students in urban, economic and resource geography. Courses offered by the Graduate Program in Biology are of particular interest to students in biogeography.
The program has traditionally had a close connection with the Institute for Social Research.
Admission Requirements
Master of Arts Program / Master of Science Program
A full range of geographical study is available at the master’s level.
Admission Requirements
Graduates with a four-year first degree after senior matriculation or an honours degree from a recognized university, or with equivalent qualifications, and with at least a B (second class) standing will be considered for admission as candidates for the MA or MSc degree.
Doctor of Philosophy Program
A doctoral program is offered in two fields of specialization: critical human geography and, biophysical processes. Doctoral candidates are required to spend two years as full-time students.
Admission Requirements
The usual prerequisite for admission to the PhD program in geography is a master’s degree in geography with at least a B+ average. However, the Graduate Program in Geography will consider exceptional students with a master’s degree in other fields.
Students applying to enter the doctoral program should expect to have completed all of the master’s requirements before entering the program. An acceptable candidate is only admitted when an appropriate supervisor is identified. Normal entry is as candidate (PhD I).
Degree Requirements
| MA/MSc Degree by Thesis | MA/MSc Degree by Research Paper |
|---|---|
| Candidates for the MA/MSc degree by thesis must fulfil the following requirements: | Candidates for the MA/MSc degree by research paper must fulfil the following requirements: |
| Colloquium Attendance at and participation in the Graduate Colloquium is mandatory in the first year of study. Students are also required to register in Geography 5011 1.0 during the Winter term of their first year of study. | Colloquium Attendance at and participation in the Graduate Colloquium is mandatory in the first year of study. Students are also required to register in Geography 5011 1.0 during the Winter term of their first year of study. |
| Courses In addition to Geography 5011 1.0, four half-courses, or equivalent, including Geography 5010 3.0 and either Geography 5209 3.0 or Geography 5600 3.0. In addition, MA students must complete Geography 5025 3.0. Elective courses are selected by candidates with the help of their advisors, and at least three of the four half courses must be offered by the Graduate Program in Geography. A reading course may not be counted as one of the three Geography program courses. | Courses In addition to Geography 5011 1.0, students must successfully complete six half-courses, or equivalent, including Geography 5010 3.0 and either Geography 5209 3.0 or Geography 5600 3.0. In addition, MA students must complete Geography 5025 3.0. Elective courses are selected by candidates with the help of their advisors, and at least three of them must be courses offered by the Geography program. A reading course my not be counted as one of the three Geography program courses. |
| Thesis All Master’s theses require original, primary-source/fieldwork research and analysis. An MA thesis in human geography requires research methods from the social sciences (including quantitative methods), humanities and/or creative arts. It may also include scientific methods, but this is not required. An MSc thesis in physical geography requires research methods from the natural, physical and/or geomatic sciences. It may also include methods from the social sciences, humanities and/or creative arts, but these are not required. Switching between the human and physical geography programs after admission requires the support of the student’s committee and approval from the Graduate Executive Committee. The Geography Graduate Program Council has approved length requirements for Master’s theses, as follows: Thesis: Minimum 20,000 words to a maximum of 40,000 words. Acceptable thesis/dissertation formats in the geography graduate program are monograph and manuscript based. Complex digital and multimodal theses may be permitted for MA and MSc students with supervisory committee approval. A monograph dissertation is the preferred and default format for all theses/dissertations. The monograph thesis/dissertation will contain distinct chapters including: an introduction; methodological discussion; review of relevant literature; substantive chapters with original research, and a concluding chapter. A manuscript thesis/dissertation should also be a coherent work. This means that if a thesis/dissertation contains separate manuscripts, there also needs to be introductory and concluding chapters that explain the project’s methodology and how the separate manuscripts fit together into a unified body of research. If this produces repetition in the overall document, an explanation should be provided in the introduction Further, if previously published materials are included, then it should be made clear what exactly is the student’s own work and what is the contribution of other researchers. MA and MSc students may propose a format of the final thesis project other than a monograph or manuscript thesis (e.g. complex digital or multimodal component theses as defined by the Faculty of Graduate Studies). The alternate format must be part of the thesis proposal and expectations must be articulated with specificity, so that expectations of the final document are clear. The same proposal approval process applies. An additional faculty member may be added to a supervisory committee, as appropriate. Whatever the format, the thesis/dissertation project must remain a Geography research project, and no more than one member of the committee should come from outside the geography graduate program. All theses/dissertations are subject to oral examination. | Research Paper A Master’s Major Research Paper (MRP) may include original, primary-source/fieldwork research but it is not required. An MA MRP in human geography requires research methods from the social sciences (including quantitative methods), humanities and/or creative arts. It may also include scientific methods, but this is not required. An MSc MRP in physical geography requires research methods from the natural, physical and/or geomatic sciences. It may also include methods from the social sciences, humanities and/or creative arts, but these are not required. Switching between the human and physical geography programs after admission requires the support of the student’s committee and approval from the Graduate Executive Committee. The Geography Graduate Program Council has approved length requirements for Major Research Papers, as follows: Major Research Paper: Minimum 15,000 words to a maximum of 20,000 words |
| Program Entry The MA and MSc programs can be completed on a full-time basis. Entry is fall term. | Program Entry The MA and MSc programs can be completed on a full-time basis. Entry is fall term. |
| Program Length The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 6 terms. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 6 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 6 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies. | Program Length The expected degree completion time for full-time master’s students is 6 terms. For those students who complete degree requirements earlier than 6 terms, they must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of 6 terms of full-time study. All requirements for a master’s degree must be fulfilled within 12 terms (4 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time master’s student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies. |
| Language and Cognate Requirements Candidates may be required, if it is necessary for their research, to give evidence of proficiency in any of the following: a language other than English; a technical skill (e.g., statistical methods or computer programming); a knowledge of a specific aspect of a cognate subject. | Language and Cognate Requirements Candidates may be required, if it is necessary for their research, to give evidence of proficiency in any of the following: a language other than English; a technical skill (e.g., statistical methods or computer programming); a knowledge of a specific aspect of a cognate subject. |
Doctor of Philosophy Program
Supervisory Committee
This committee as far as possible serves to guide the student through the program. It offers specific research direction to the student, determines, in discussion with the student, the number and type of courses required, and is the comprehensive examination committee and the tribunal for defence of the dissertation proposal.
Colloquium
Attendance at and participation in the graduate colloquium is mandatory in the first two years of study. In the first year, students are also required to attend the Geography 5010 3.0 class following the colloquium, and in the second year they are required to attend the colloquium only. Students are required to register in Geography 5011 1.0: Graduate Colloquium during the second year of study, and to present their proposal in the colloquium before the end of the first semester in the third year of study.
Courses
Students registered as PhD I or II candidates must attend and participate in Geography 5011 1.0. In addition to Geography 5011 1.0, students must successfully complete five half-courses or equivalent. These will include Geography 5010 3.0; either Geography 5208 3.0 or Geography 5600 3.0; and Geography 5025 3.0 if no equivalent graduate level course was completed previously. If a student has already taken Geography 5010 3.0, Geography 5600 3.0, Geography 5025 3.0, or a graduate level equivalent to Geography 5025 3.0, the supervisory committee will recommend alternative courses. If a student does not enroll in Geography 5025 3.0 because an equivalent has been completed in another graduate program, then the student is required to complete an additional elective course to make up the five half courses. Courses are selected by candidates with the assistance of their advisors. At least three of the five half- courses must be offered by the Graduate Program in Geography. A reading course may not be counted as one of the three Geography program courses. Doctoral students may take a maximum of one reading course.
Language and Cognate Requirement
Depending upon the candidate’s qualifications and intended research, a course or courses in a language or a technical skill may be required at the discretion of the supervisory committee. In certain cases, the candidate may fulfil the necessary requirements by special examinations rather than by coursework.
Comprehensive Examination
The comprehensive examination consists of a written and oral examination covering those aspects of geography and cognate disciplines deemed relevant to the general fields in which the candidate is working. The purpose of the PhD comprehensive examination in Geography is twofold: i) to ensure that the student has sufficient knowledge of the broad fields in which their research and future teaching is situated, and ii) to ensure that the student is capable of engaging in a sophisticated way with the current theoretical, methodological or empirical debates that constitute those fields, and is therefore in a position to make a contribution to such debates through their own doctoral research. The examination thus tests both knowledge of the field and the ability to independently critique, synthesize and frame an argument. The range of topics on which the candidate will be examined is determined by the supervisory committee after discussion with the candidate: normally three fields of specialization are included. The topic areas must be specified at least three months before the examination and be agreed to as appropriate by the student.
The written portion of the comprehensive examination usually takes place over a period of no longer than one week and adopts a format that is mutually agreed to by the supervisory committee and the candidate. The oral portion of the examination is to be held within three weeks from the end of the written examination. Comprehensive examinations must be successfully completed before the end of five terms of enrollment in the program, unless prior approval for an extension has been granted by the graduate executive committee. Examiners may require a supplemental examination to be undertaken. Failure to complete this satisfactorily will require withdrawal from the program.
Detailed guidelines for the conduct of comprehensive examinations are available from the program office. These guidelines may be revised from time to time by the Geography Graduate Council.
Defense of the Dissertation Proposal
The defence of the dissertation proposal consists of an oral defence of the dissertation proposal before the candidate’s supervisory committee. After the defence, and before the end of the seventh term of enrollment in the program, a final written dissertation proposal that is acceptable to the supervisory committee must be deposited with the program office for submission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Any extension to this timetable requires the prior approval of the graduate executive committee. Should the candidate fail to produce a dissertation proposal that is satisfactory to the supervisory committee, withdrawal from the program is required.
Appeals of decisions in comprehensive examinations and defences of dissertation proposals may be made to the graduate executive committee within one month of the decision. Such appeals will not be allowed on the basis of an evaluation founded on academic judgement.
Dissertation and Oral Examination
PhD dissertations require original, primary-source/fieldwork research and analysis.
Switching between the human and physical geography programs after admission requires the support of the student’s committee and approval from the Graduate Executive Committee.
The Geography Graduate Program Council has approved length requirements for Doctoral theses, as follows:
A PhD dissertation in human geography should be a minimum of 50,000 words with an absolute maximum of 100,000 words (not including bibliography or appendices). It is recognized that a PhD dissertation in physical geography is often considerably shorter than that in human geography.
Acceptable thesis/dissertation formats in the geography graduate program are monograph and manuscript based.
A monograph dissertation is the preferred and default format for all theses/dissertations. The monograph thesis/dissertation will contain distinct chapters including: an introduction; methodological discussion; review of relevant literature; substantive chapters with original research, and a concluding chapter.
A manuscript thesis/dissertation should also be a coherent work. This means that if a thesis/dissertation contains separate manuscripts, there also needs to be introductory and concluding chapters that explain the project’s methodology and how the separate manuscripts fit together into a unified body of research. If this produces repetition in the overall document, an explanation should be provided in the introduction Further, if previously published materials are included, then it should be made clear what exactly is the student’s own work and what is the contribution of other researchers.
An additional faculty member may be added to a supervisory committee, as appropriate. Whatever the format, the thesis/dissertation project must remain a Geography research project, and no more than one member of the committee should come from outside the geography graduate program. All theses/dissertations are subject to oral examination.
Program Entry
The PhD program can be completed on a full-time basis. Entry is fall term.
Program Length
The length of time required to complete the PhD is normally four years (12 terms). Doctor of Philosophy students must register and pay fees for a minimum of the equivalent of six terms of full-time registration. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be fulfilled within 18 terms (6 years) of registration as a full-time or part-time doctoral student in accordance with Faculty of Graduate Studies’ registration policies.