Applied Geography

Master's Degree program

Many problems facing society today have a geographical dimension. By studying Applied Geography at the University of North Texas, you’ll learn how to apply scientific method and spatial and environmental problem solving skills to:

• find sites for industries
• identify cost effective sites for retailing
• identify new sites for public services
• identify pollution plumes
• locate acceptable sites for solid waste disposal facilities

The Department of Geography offers course work leading to a Master of Science degree in Applied Geography and a 15-semester-hour certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). You can also take graduate-level courses without enrolling in the degree program.

Gain new perspectives

Our curriculum trains you in physical and human geography through required course work, research and teaching experience, and numerous internship opportunities. We house several specialized laboratories for studying archaeological science, earth science, physical geology, cartography, hydrology and GIS. Other facilities are housed in the Institute of Applied Science, a center for interdisciplinary research.

You can gain additional insights by interacting and researching with faculty members from the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine and specialists in environmental science.

Many of our faculty members are recognized experts in their fields. They conduct research in:

• ecosystems management
• medical geography and health care delivery systems
• natural hazard assessment
• remote sensing and digital image processing
• soils geomorphology

Our alumni work in geoprocessing, GIS development, environmental analysis, hydrogeologic analysis, remote sensing analysis, market area analysis and demographic analysis in the private and public sector. The U.S. Department of Labor has identified geotechnology as one of the three most important emerging and evolving fields.

Degree tracks

Applied environmental geology focuses on the configuration and evolution of landforms that shape the Earth’s surface and their societal significance. You will study hazards such as flooding, expansive soils, landslides and coastal erosion.

Applied GIS plays a vital role in planning, policy and implementation in urban geography, economic/ business development, environmental science and medical geography.

Business geography integrates geographic analysis, reasoning and technology to improve business decisions.

Environmental archaeology prepares you for cultural resource management positions or doctoral programs in archaeology. You gain a broad geographical, geological and archaeological background.

Health and Medical Geography focuses on theory and techniques that are needed to understand the spatial patterns of health outcomes, environmental risks and exposures, disease spread as well as the distribution of health care services and lack thereof.

Urban environmental management trains you to manage the planning and implementation of compliance and ethical strategies necessary for sustaining the urban environment.

Water resources management prepares you for a role in a research or regulatory agency, municipality, water supply district or environmental consulting firm by studying scientific, technical and political aspects of water resources management.

Facilities and laboratories

The Center for Environmental Archaeology

The center maintains fully equipped laboratories in archaeology, geoarchaeology and zooarchaeology. Research includes projects at Upper and Middle Paleolithic sites in Portugal and Ukraine, the 1.8 millionyear- old site of Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia, environmental impacts resulting from human colonization in New Zealand, and several projects in Texas.

The Center for Remote Sensing

This unit provides opportunities in computer-aided analyses of remote sensing and spatial information data. Research includes monitoring land and water environments, developing information management systems to assist in decisions about natural resources, and ecosystem-level analyses for land management questions.

The Environmental Modeling Lab

The laboratory develops mathematical models and computer simulations to assess the impacts of anthropogenic stressors on environmental and ecological systems. Research topics include linking environmental models to remote sensing and GIS for landscape and regional dynamics, studying how global change affects tropical ecosystems, and integrating modeling with optical sensors and data acquisition electronics.

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

You will need to meet the admission requirements of the Toulouse Graduate School and the following program requirements:

• three reference letters
• self-statement essay
• résumé detailing education and work experience
• Applied Geography Data Sheet
• GRE scores
• official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended

Admission to the program is based on a holistic review of your qualifications. More detailed admission information can be found at our website. Admission requirements for the graduate school are at the Toulouse Graduate School website or in the catalog.

Degree requirements

Non-thesis option

• 9 semester hours of core research technique courses
• 6 semester hours of courses in a minor concentration
• 17 semester hours of course work in a topical area
• 3 semester hours of problems in lieu of thesis
• comprehensive exams

Thesis option

• 9 semester hours of core research technique courses
• 6 semester hours of courses in a minor concentration
• 17 semester hours of course work in a topical area
• 6 semester hours of a thesis course
• comprehensive exams
• oral defense of the thesis

Course offerings are clustered around major tracks in applied environmental geology, applied GIS, business geography, environmental archaeology, urban environmental management and water resources management.

GIS certification

The GIS certificate program provides the conceptual understanding and technical proficiency necessary to apply GIS in various settings. Fifteen hours of course work are required to complete the certificate. More information on the GIS certification is available from the graduate advisor and at our our website.

Financial assistance

Several teaching and research assistantships are available to help you pursue your graduate degree. Teaching assistants work in earth science, geology, GIS and archaeology laboratory classes. Research assistantships are often available through faculty research grants. Private industry and various local governments offer internship and job opportunities. For more information on financial assistance, visit the Financial Aid website or the Toulouse Graduate School site.