Advisor: Kathleen Baker
Room 3238, Wood Hall

The goals of the Master of Arts in Geography are: 1) to assist students in acquiring the skills needed for independent geographic research, including organizational and communication skills; and 2) to enable the student to develop a concentration in a particular aspect of the field.

Students select one of three concentrations, namely community development and planning, environmental and resource analysis, and geographic techniques. At the same time, each program is individually designed to suit career or personal objectives. Students may prepare for a geographic career in government, business and industry, or for pursuit of a higher degree. A minimum of 30 graduate hours is required, except in the community development and planning which requires 36 graduate hours.

Admission Requirements

Applicants who possess a bachelor’s degree with a major or minor in Geography OR a related academic discipline such as social science, biological, engineering, health, business, or physical science majors may apply for our master’s program. The application involves two steps:

1. You should follow normal Western Michigan University Graduate College application procedures to complete the online application process.
2. You must send a copy of your purpose statement, a copy of your undergraduate transcript(s), three letters of reference, and score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to our department. International students should submit evidence of English language proficiency such as Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score to The Office of International Student Services (OISS) following standard WMU procedures.
3. Visit www.wmich.edu/geography/academics/graduate/masters.html for additional information.