Requirements
Recommendations for acceptance and assistantships are based on academic records, experience, statement of purpose, and references.
A BA/BS in geography, environmental science, or a related discipline is normally required for admission into the MS and PhD programs.
Admission also requires a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in previous coursework.
Under exceptional circumstances, admission may be considered if a student satisfies only one of the two scoring criteria but has notable experiences and outstanding recommendations.
Graduate Admissions
Application Process
Find a Potential Advisor
The first step in the application process is to identify a member of the graduate faculty who shares your research interests and is willing to serve as your potential advisor. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact faculty members and discuss their research interests with potential advisors via emails or video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Skype. Students should apply to the program only after receiving approval from their potential advisor. No student applications will be reviewed without support from a potential advisor. Only graduate faculty at the rank of Assistant, Associate or Full Professor may serve as advisers to graduate students.
Complete the Application
Once you have received a commitment from a graduate faculty member to act as your advisor, application materials must be submitted online via the University of Alabama Graduate School application portal:
https://graduate.ua.edu/prospective-students/apply-now/
In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School, applicants to graduate programs in geography need to submit the items on the Geography Application Checklist.
Application Checklist for MS program
1) Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume.
2) Transcripts of the student’s academic record of all undergraduate and graduate studies.
3) Three letters of recommendation, which discuss and evaluate the student’s writing skills, analytical abilities, and potential to excel at graduate studies and research.
4) Academic/professional writing samples. These may include published research papers, conference papers, research or applied project reports, and term papers.
5) A statement of purpose (up to 2 pages). At the beginning of the statement of purpose, include the answers to three separate questions: i) Who is your potential advisor? (full name of the selected faculty); ii) Has this faculty member agreed to serve as your potential advisor? (yes/no); iii) Do you have any funding source to support your studies if no teaching/research assistantship is offered to you? (Private funding/government funding/…). In the statement, applicants should explain clearly and cogently: i) why you wish to earn the MS and what are your academic and career goals, ii) why our department is a good fit for you, iii) which faculty member has agreed to serve as your Advisor, iv) what experiences and background you have that will help you succeed in graduate studies. Note that no students will be admitted, without a potential Advisor from our faculty.
6) For international applicants who do not hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from a university in an English-speaking country, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores are required.
Note that GRE scores are no longer required by our graduate program. Submission of GRE scores is optional.
Application Checklist for PhD program
1) Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume.
2) Transcripts of the student’s academic record of all undergraduate and graduate studies.
3) Three letters of recommendation, which discuss and evaluate the student’s writing skills, analytical abilities, and potential to excel at graduate studies and research.
4) Academic/professional writing samples. These may include published research papers, conference papers, research or applied project reports, term papers, and completed Master’s thesis.
5) A statement of purpose (up to 2 pages). At the beginning of the statement of purpose, include the answers to three separate questions: i) Who is your potential advisor? (full name of the selected faculty); ii) Has this faculty member agreed to serve as your potential advisor? (yes/no); iii) Do you have any funding source to support your studies if no teaching/research assistantship is offered to you? (Private funding/government funding/…). In the statement, applicants should explain clearly and cogently: i) why you wish to earn the PhD and what are your academic and career goals, ii) why our department is a good fit for you, iii) which faculty member has agreed to serve as your advisor, iv) what experiences and background do you have that will help you succeed in graduate studies. Note that no students will be admitted, without a potential advisor from our faculty.
6) A research plan—required of PhD applicants only. For the research plan section, applicants should develop a tentative research proposal/plan up to 4 pages total length. The following is a list of suggested elements to include: a title, research background (brief literature review), research gaps being addressed and/or research questions/hypotheses being posed, a general description of methodological approach(es), and some description of why the research is important and/or its implications. Note that the purpose of the research plan is to evaluate the applicant’s research potential. After admission to our graduate program, students may consult with the advisor to modify, improve, or completely change the research plan.
7) For international applicants who do not hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from a university in an English-speaking country, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores are required.
Note that GRE scores are no longer required by our graduate program. Submission of GRE scores is optional.
Meet the Application Deadline
Students are strongly advised to start their graduate studies in the fall semester in August, which marks the beginning of the academic year. For full consideration for admission and funding for the following Fall (August) semester admission, applications should be received by December 15. Although later submissions may be considered, the likelihood of funding support is substantially reduced.
Our department will consider applications for the Spring semester (January) admission, but very few openings for new students will be available at that time. For admission and funding for the following Spring admission, applications should be received by October 15. Upon applicant’s request, the application for the spring semester admission can be deferred until the following fall semester.
How the Process Works
After the completed applications are approved by the Graduate School, they are provided to the Department of Geography Graduate Admissions Committee for review.
Applications are assessed based on academic records, the statement of purpose, experience, and recommendation letters. No student will be admitted to the program without the consent of a potential advisor.
The Graduate School will conduct the initial review of all applications and check the completeness of the required application materials, the application fee payment, and admission eligibility. Only those applicants who pass the Graduate School initial review will be fully reviewed by the department faculty and graduate committee for the admissions and funding decisions.
Admission Requirements
Admission Requirements for MS program
The decision for admissions will be made on the basis of a holistic review of an applicant’s academic record, recommendation letters, professional experience, statement of purpose, writing and analytical skills, and the overall potential for academic success. The minimum criteria for Regular Admission to the MS program include: 1) a BS/BA degree in geography, environmental science, or a related discipline; 2) a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in previous coursework; and 3) for international applicants, a minimum score of 79 for TOFEL, 6.5 for IELTS, 105 for Duolingo, and 59 for PTE. Please note that TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores must be less than two years old at the time of the application.
A student who does not meet the GPA regular admission requirement may be admitted to MS Geography Program with additional requirement “Permission-to-continue”. The student must have been approved to work with a departmental faculty member as the academic advisor. A graduate student admitted with additional requirement “Permission-to-continue” must maintain a GPA of 3.3 or better in that semester of enrollment, in which at least 9 semester hours of graduate coursework are completed. A student must earn a GPA of 3.0 or better over the first 12 hours of graduate coursework. The evaluation is based on all graduate level coursework completed at the end of that semester. Failure to satisfy either condition will result in the student’s dismissal from the master’s program. A student who satisfies the latter condition will automatically assume the status of a regularly admitted graduate student.
Non-degree student status permits a student to enroll in a maximum of 12 hours of graduate coursework. Non-degree students must be eligible for the department’s conditional admission. Upon the successful completion of a maximum of 12 graduate course credit hours, if the student wishes to continue graduate level coursework, the re-application as a degree-seeking student is required to be filed to the Graduate School and reviewed by the department graduate committee. Non-degree seeking students cannot take GY 500 or GY 523.
Admission Requirements for Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP)
The department offers the Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP), which is intended for gifted and highly motivated undergraduate students in geography and environmental science at The University of Alabama who would like to pursue a Master’s degree. Typically, qualified students may apply to the Graduate School in the final semester of their junior year. At the time of application, they must have overall undergraduate GPAs of not less than 3.5. AMP students must already be working in the research lab of their proposed graduate advisor at the time of the application. Once admitted, an AMP student is approved to take up to 15 hours of graduate courses that will count towards both the bachelor’s and graduate degrees. More details are given at:
/graduate/about/academic-policies/admission-criteria/accelerated-masters-program/
Admission Requirements for Graduate GIS Certificate Program
To pursue the graduate-level GIS certificate, students must have a bachelor’s degree in a field that deals with geographic information, such as geography, natural resources, and land-use management, environmental analysis, regional and environmental planning, civil engineering, or business applications.
Students must apply to the program via the graduate school here:
https://catalog.ua.edu/graduate/arts-sciences/geography/geographic-information-systems-certificate/
Admission Requirements for PhD Program
The decision for admissions will be made on the basis of a holistic review of applicants’ academic records, recommendation letters, professional experience, statement of purpose and research plan, demonstrated writing and analytical skills, and the overall potential for academic success. The minimum criteria for Regular Admission to the PhD program include: 1) an MS/MA degree in geography, environmental science, or a related discipline; 2) a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in previous coursework; and 3) for international applicants, a minimum score of 79 for TOFEL, 6.5 for IELTS, 105 for Duolingo, and 59 for PTE. Please note that TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores must be less than two years old at the time of the application.
Conditional Admission to the PhD program is not permitted.
Funding Decisions
Nearly all our graduate students are funded with paid tuition and stipends. The Department provide merit-based graduate awards in the form of department Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA), and Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA). The University Graduate School offers various fellowships, including the Graduate Council Fellowship (GCF), National Alumni Association (NAA) Fellowship, and McNair Graduate Fellowship (MGF). All applicants, including international applicants, are eligible to be considered for the department GTA and GRA and Graduate School’s fellowships.
The decision for funding support will be made on the basis of a holistic review of applicants’ academic records, recommendation letters, professional experience, statement of purpose and research plan, writing and analytical skills, and the overall potential for academic success. The candidates on the shortlist for funding support will be interviewed by the graduate program committee with a set of standard questions for making the final decisions on the fellowship nominations and department assistantship offers. Fellowship and assistantship awards are normally given for the academic year, and the renewal of the awards is based on funding availability and the student’s on-going academic performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the application deadline for the Fall semester admission?
December 15. We have a rolling admissions process. Although later submissions may be considered, the likelihood of funding support is substantially reduced.
2. Can I apply for Spring semester admission?
Yes, you can. Applications for the following Spring semester admission should be received by October 15. But, very few funding opportunities for new students will be available for Spring semester admission.
3. Do I need to find a potential advisor before admission is granted?
Yes. Applicants are encouraged to contact faculty members and discuss their research interests with potential advisors via emails or video conferencing platforms like Zoom and Skype. No students are admitted without support from a potential advisor.
4. Where do I find out about potential advisors?
Visit our department web pages at: https://geography.ua.edu/directory/
You can email potential advisors whose research matches your desired areas of study. Note that some faculty advisors may not have space in their lab for accepting new students for a particular semester.
5. Can I directly apply for the PhD program with a bachelor’s degree?
Possibly. An MS/MA degree in geography, environmental science, or a related discipline is normally required for our PhD program. Those with only BS or BA are generally not admitted directly to Ph.D program, but exceptional students may be considered with strong faculty support.
6. Am I eligible for your graduate program, if my GPA is lower than 3.0/4.0?
A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in previous coursework is required for regular admission.
A student who does not meet the GPA regular admission requirement may be admitted to MS Geography Program with additional requirement “Permission-to-continue”. A graduate student admitted with additional requirement “Permission-to-continue” must maintain a GPA of 3.3 or better in that semester of enrollment, in which at least 9 semester hours of graduate coursework are completed. A student must earn a GPA of 3.0 or better over the first 12 hours of graduate coursework.
7. Do I need to take the GRE?
No. GRE scores are no longer required by our graduate program. Submission of GRE scores is optional.
8. As an international applicant, do I need to submit TOEFL scores?
Yes. For international applicants who do not hold an undergraduate or graduate degree from a university in an English-speaking country, TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE scores are required for applications. The University of Alabama TOEFL code is 1830.
A minimum score of 79 for TOFEL, 6.5 for IELTS, 105 for Duolingo, and 59 for PTE is required for admission. Students requiring financial support as Graduate Teaching Assistantship must have a TOEFL iBT speaking subtest score of 21 or higher.
9. What information should be included in the Statement of Purpose?
At the beginning of the statement of purpose, include the answers to three separate questions:
i) Who is your potential advisor? (full name of the selected faculty)
ii) Has this faculty member agreed to serve as your potential advisor? (yes/no)
iii) Do you have any funding source to support your studies if no teaching/research assistantship is offered to you? (Private funding/government funding/…)
In the statement, applicants should explain clearly and cogently: i) why you wish to earn the MS/PhD and what are your academic and career goals, ii) why our department is a good fit for you, iii) which faculty member has agreed to serve as your Advisor, iv) what experiences and background you have that will help you succeed in graduate studies. Note that no students will be admitted, without a potential Advisor from our faculty.
10. Do I have to submit a separate research plan? If so, how?
Applicants for PhD program are required to submit a separate research plan, in addition to the Statement of Purpose. The separate research plan is not required for applying for MS program.
You can include your research plan in the same document of your Personal Statement, or you can upload a separate research plan document as part of “Portfilio” in the application portal.
11. Do I have to submit writing samples? If so, how?
Applicants are encouraged to submit writing samples, including published research papers, conference papers, research or applied project reports, term papers, or completed Master’s thesis. No number limit for writing samples. Writing samples can be uploaded as part of the “Portfilio” in the application portal.
12. Can I get the application fee waiver from the department?
No, our department cannot grant the application fee waivers. The Graduate School handles application fee, and you can direct your question about the application fee to the Graduate School.
13. Do I have to apply separately for funding as a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) or graduate research assistantship (GRA)?
No. All applicants, including international applicants, will be automatically considered for funding opportunities.
14. What financial aids or scholarship opportunities are available for new applicants?
The department offers Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) and graduate research assistantship (GRA) to new applicants each year. Applicants can be nominated by the department to compete for the UA Graduate School fellowships, including the Graduate Council Fellowship (GCF), National Alumni Association (NAA) Fellowship, McNair Graduate Fellowship (MGF). These fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis at the university level, and the fellowship recipients do not have teaching responsibilities. The fellowship nomination is decided by the department Graduate Committee, based on potential advisor’s recommendations.
15. What does a GTA, GRA or university fellowship cover?
Typically, Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA), Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA), or Graduate School Fellowship (e.g. GCF, NAA, MGF) will cover full tuition waiver, 9-month stipend, most fees, and single person health insurance allowance.
16. How long does it take to process my application, and when will I hear if I’ve been admitted?
Most decisions are made by mid-March for fall semester admissions, by mid-November for spring semester admissions.
For additional questions, please contact:
Dr. Lisa Davis
Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director
Email: lisa.davis@ua.edu
Application Process
Find an Advisor
Before formally applying to the graduate program, applicants must contact a faculty member who shares their academic interests. Students should formally apply to the program only after receiving approval from their potential advisor. No students are admitted without support from a potential advisor.
Complete the Application
To apply, complete the UA Graduate School’s online application. In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School, applicants to graduate programs in geography need to complete the items on the Geography Application Checklist.
Application Checklist
You can ensure that your application for admission is fully considered by following these steps:
- Contact a member of the faculty who shares your academic interests. Students should discuss the possibility of entering the graduate program with a potential advisor before they submit an application. If the potential advisor recommends that you apply for admission, proceed to step 2.
- Complete the online UA Graduate School application. As part of this application, you will be required to write a statement of purpose. Be sure to clearly explain your academic and career goals and state the name of the faculty member that has agreed to serve as your advisor.
- Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities you’ve attended to the Graduate School.
- Request at least three letters of recommendation in support of your application. These letters can be submitted electronically through the Graduate School’s online application system. Alternatively, hard copies of the letters may be mailed to
Director of Graduate Admissions
Department of Geography
The University of Alabama
Box 870322
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
Either submission option for the letters is acceptable.
Download the Graduate Application Checklist as a printable PDF.
Meet the Deadline
For full consideration for admission and funding, applications should be received by December 15 (for fall admission). Although later submissions may be considered for admissions, applications not completed by the deadline are not typically considered for assistantships.
How the Process Works
After the completed applications are approved by the Graduate School, they are provided to the Department of Geography Admissions Committee for review.
Applications are assessed based on academic records, the statement of purpose, experience, and recommendation letters. No student will be admitted to the program without the consent of a potential advisor.
Questions?
For questions contact:
Lisa Davis Associate Professor, and Director of Graduate Studies