Graduate Programs

The University of Oklahoma Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability (DGES) offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Geography, and the M.S. degree in Environmental Sustainability. This page includes overviews of the M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. programs, admission requirements, the application process, and information about financial aid and assistantships.

Students in the Department’s M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. programs are admitted through the University of Oklahoma’s Graduate College and must comply with all admission requirements, policies, and procedures of the Graduate College in order to be considered for admission. Questions or concerns regarding any of this information should be directed to the DGES Graduate Liaison, Dr. Tom Neeson.

Funded Graduate Student Positions at the University of Oklahoma

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Graduate Program Guide

The Graduate Program Guide provides an overview of the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability degree programs. It also provides the current procedures and expectations for DGES graduate students.

GRADUATE PROGRAM GUIDE

Advising Agreement between Graduate Students and Faculty

The DGES Advising Agreement between Graduate Students and Faculty is a document that DGES grad students are expected to carefully read and then discuss with their academic advisor. Both the student and their advisor must sign the advising agreement, and then the student submits the form online before the end of their first semester of study.

ADVISING AGREEMENT BETWEEN GRADUATE STUDENTS AND FACULTY

Graduate Student Progress and Scholarship Report

The DGES Graduate Student Progress and Scholarship Report self assessment must be submitted by February 15. Your final signed form is due March 8.

GRADUATE STUDENT PROGRESS AND SCHOLARSHIP REPORT

Degree Programs

The Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability offers several different degree programs and an embedded Graduate Certificate:

Deadlines

Application materials must be submitted by the following deadlines (please note that these deadlines are prior to the Graduate College’s deadlines).

January 15 for U.S. and international applicants seeking admission and assistantship funding for the following fall semester
April 1 for international applicants seeking admission and not seeking assistantship funding for the following fall semester
April 15 for U.S. applicants seeking admission and not seeking assistantship funding for the following fall semester
September 1 for international applicants seeking admission for the following spring semester
September 1 for U.S. applicants seeking admission for the following spring semester

Application Process

An applicant to the M.A., M.S., or Ph.D. program must apply to the Graduate College using the Graduate College's on-line application system. The application to the Graduate College must include unofficial transcripts from all colleges and universities attended previously. International applicants whose first language is not English must also include the TOEFL result report.

Applicants must also submit the following documents as part of the application process:

A statement of interest in which the applicant describes his or her interests and goals, showing how these interests and goals are related to current faculty expertise;
Names and contact information of two professors who can be contacted to submit letters of recommendation on behalf of the applicant;
A resume or c.v.;
A writing sample such as a publication, thesis, or major research paper, written in English.

All of these documents are submitted to the Graduate college as part of the application. To apply on-line and to submit these documents, click the following link: https://gograd.ou.edu/apply/. Additional information may also be found by visiting the Office of Graduate Admissions website.

The Department only admits applicants who have identified potential advisors who express willingness to advise them once admitted. Prospective applicants are encouraged strongly to familiarize themselves with the current research interests of Departmental faculty and to contact faculty members with whom they have common interests.

Application Checklist

Identify and contact a potential faculty advisor.
Apply to the Graduate College at https://gograd.ou.edu/apply/. Utilizing the Graduate College's electronic application system, complete the following steps:
- submit TOEFL result report, (This requirement applies only to international applicants whose first language is not English.)
- submit unofficial transcripts,
- submit a statement of interest,
- submit names and contact information for two professor who will be asked to submit letters of recommendation,
- submit a writing sample in English.

Graduate Assistantships

The Department offers several teaching and research assistantships to highly qualified students each year. Stipends are for nine months of each academic year along with tuition waivers and health insurance. Assistantships can be renewed for up to two years (M.A. and M.S. program) or four years (Ph.D. program) pending satisfactory academic progress and satisfactory work performance. Assistantships are offered on a year-to-year basis. Applicants who wish to be considered for graduate assistantships must signify their interest in being considered on the Departmental graduate application form. All graduate assistants must comply with the Graduate College’s policies and procedures concerning graduate assistantships and with the Department’s policies and procedures concerning graduate assistantships.

Graduate Programs

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