In order to be admitted to the Ph.D. program, students must have completed a master’s thesis. Ph.D. students who do not have a prior degree in geography (either at the bachelor’s or master’s level) must have completed a course in (1) physical geography (2) human geography (3) quantitative methods, and (4) geospatial technology. If these courses were not been taken previously, they must be taken while in the degree program at MSU.
Ph.D. students in Geography must complete at least 56 credits in the courses and areas listed below. Courses below the 400-level may not be counted toward the 56 credit requirement for the Ph.D. degree, but may be used to fulfill methods course requirements. Ph.D. students may count no more than six credits of coursework in independent study or research problems toward their degree.