General Statement

The Department of Geography and Urban Studies offers graduate work leading to the Master of Arts degree. The program prepares students for further study and for careers in planning and public administration, environmental management, economic development, geographic systems management, community organizing, and social change efforts. Throughout, emphasis is placed on the development of research techniques and analytical skills applicable to problem solving.

The Department's faculty is complemented by faculty drawn from Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, History, Political Science, Sociology and other departments. Graduates from the Department find employment in public sector agencies that deal with environ-mental, planning, land use, and urban problems. They also work for quasi-public social service institutions that address various needs of urban residents, as well as for private sector firms whose business requires an understanding of urban and spatial dynamics.

Areas of Concentration

The Department of Geography and Urban Studies at Temple University offers two different, but related, fields of graduate study: geography and urban studies. Students choose one of these two specialties when entering the department.

The graduate program in Geography emphasizes study and research in the areas of nature and society, urban and economic geography, social theory, gender, and racism. Areas of applied work include land-use planning and management, environmental analysis, regional and international development, and geographic information systems and cartography. The department is noted for its cartographic training and production facilities and offers students a chance to be trained in geographic information systems in a research laboratory equipped with the latest minicomputers.

The graduate program in Urban Studies provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of urban processes, problems, and policy. Research methods for the analysis of urban problems, for monitoring social and economic trends in urban area, and for evaluating urban programs and policies are important elements of the graduate curriculum. Areas of concentration include social policy and theory, urban economic structures, racism, class and gender inequality, poverty, housing, education, child care, and drug dependency. The Philadelphia region receives considerable attention in both the curriculum and the research activities of the department.

It is possible for students in either degree program to select some cognate courses from outside the department, for example, from political science, economics, sociology, African American Studies, or geology. Whatever a student's specific urban interest, the department encourages the development of research skills that can be applied to analysis of contemporary trends.

Application Deadlines

A rolling admission policy makes it possible to apply until May 1 for the fall term and December 1 for the spring term. Students interested in financial aid should apply early in the year if possible, and by April 1 at the latest. Students admitted in the Spring semester will be considered for financial aid for the following Fall semester.

Financial Aid

Outstanding applicants are considered for University awards and departmental teaching assistantships. The department has eight Teaching Assistantships, each of which carries a book allowance, stipend, and full waiver of tuition and fees.

Master of Arts

Admission Requirements

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited school and must submit transcripts from all institutions of higher learning previously attended (including Temple University), as well as scores from the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Along with two letters of recom-mendation from persons in a position to evaluate their past work and/or ability to do graduate work, students must submit a personal statement outlining reasons for pursuing an M.A., as well as a recent writing sample.

Successful applicants have presented an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better (based on a 4.0 scale) and an average GRE score at or above the 66th percentile. Applicants whose native language is not English must present results of the TOEFL Examination. A score of 250 on the computer-based version (600 on the paper-based version) or higher is required for admission. The TOEFL is waived for applicants whose undergraduate degree is from a U.S. college or university.

Degree Requirements

The department offers two separate master's degrees (one in Urban Studies and one in Geography), each with its own set of requirements. For students in the Thesis Track, a total of 33 credit hours are required to complete the MA. For students in the Internship track, 36 credit hours are required.

For the M.A. in Geography, students must complete two core courses: Geographic Methodology (GUS 406), Research Methods (GUS 482). In addition, students are required to choose two skills courses. Students are encouraged to take a statistics course which focuses on multivariate and inferential statistics. In addition, they must take eight more courses (which can include an internship) or six more courses and a master's thesis. Students concentrating in cartography should complete the three required courses noted above; Fundamentals of Cartography (GUS 260), Cartography Research (GUS 469), plus three additional cartography courses. With the department's approval, some courses from other departments can be counted toward the degree.

For the M.A. in Urban Studies, students must complete two core courses: Modern Urban Analysis (GUS 410), Research Methods (GUS 482). In addition, students are required to choose one additional methods course and one policy analysis course. As with the geography M.A., students are encouraged to take courses in multivariate and inferential statistics, and research methods. For the rest of their program, students may choose from a wide variety of courses in African American Studies, Anthropology, Criminal Justice, Economics, History, Political Science, Sociology, and Urban Studies.

Students are expected to maintain reasonable academic progress once they are admitted to the program. Full-time M.A. students in both Geography and Urban Studies should complete their degree within three years. All students should maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 and have no more than one grade below B-. M.A. exams should be completed before the end of the fourth semester for full-time students. Students who are on the thesis option should have selected a thesis adviser and have their topics approved before the beginning of their third semester. Students on the internship option are strongly encouraged to do their internship during the summer between their first and second year. Arrangements for the internship and faculty adviser for the internship paper should be finalized at that time. Failure to maintain reasonable academic progress can result in dismissal from the program.

Every student must submit a thesis or an internship paper based on a field placement or project and must pass a comprehensive examination.

Doctor of Philosophy

A joint Ph.D. degree is offered, linking an Urban Studies M.A. to the departments of Anthropology, History, Political Science, or Sociology. Students may apply for Ph.D. study to one of these departments and designate Urban Studies as one field of specialization.

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