Graduate Programs

We are very glad you are interested in graduate study at Virginia Tech. We welcome applications from students with diverse academic backgrounds. 

Students can focus their degree program in specialized areas of study by selecting coursework and thesis or dissertation research problems in specialized subject areas. Matching your area of degree interest with a faculty member working in that area is a sure way to gain skills and knowledge in the particular subject under the umbrella of the general degree requirements.

Our department is one of the leading programs in North America. We have a diverse faculty with a variety of research and instructional interests. Learn more about our faculty. We have a long history of graduate education, completing more than __ Ph.D.s and many more M.S. degree candidates since formal establishment of the department more than 45 years ago. Graduates of our program are in high demand by universities, public and private research organizations, government, industry, and non-profit organizations.

The Department of Geography is one of four departments within the College of Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE) at Virginia Tech. Faculty and staff have appointments in the CNRE, the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, and Virginia Cooperative Extension. We provide instructional and research opportunities in the areas of GIS, remote sensing, human geography, physical geography, envirnomental health, climate and disease, wildlife-human interactions, and biodiversity conservation. 

Excellent laboratory and classroom resources are available for education, research, and outreach in Blacksburg, Virginia, and other locations across Virginia. Currently, faculty, staff, and student researchers have access to research laboratories in several locations, principally Wallace Hall and Cheatham Hall.

Three degrees are offered our program:

• Master of Science in Geography
• Accelerated Masters of Science in Geography
• Doctor of Philosophy in Geospatial and Environmental Analysis (Ph.D.)

The Master of Science has the option of being thesis-based or non-thesis. Students electing to pursue the non-thesis option combines more extensive coursework with an abridged faculty-guided geographic research project that culminates in a faculty-approved written project report. The vast majority of graduate students in our program elect the M.S. thesis option.

The accelerated M.S. degree program is specific to Virginia Tech undergraduate students. This degree program allows for overlap of the final year of undergraduate study and the first year of graduate study, conceivably yielding undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years. Students pursuing the accelerated degree may choose either the thesis or non-thesis option.

The degree is designated as a STEM program. International students maintaining F-1 status are allowed to apply for up to 12 months of post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) following graduation from the degree program. Currently, the degree program is also designated by the United States Department of Homeland Security as an eligible degree for the F-1 STEM OPT work authorization extension; students who secure qualifying employment may be eligible to apply for the STEM OPT extension for a cumulative total of up to 36 months of F-1 OPT work authorization.

All applicants must meet the requirements for admission to the Graduate School at Virginia Tech. Details about the Graduate School, the online application process, transcripts and letters of recommendation, TOEFL and GRE requirements, deadlines, and other areas are available from the admissions office of the Graduate School.

Admission is contingent upon receipt of a bachelor of science degree or bachelor of arts degree from an accredited college or university and the presentation of evidence of potential to pursue graduate work. Major factors considered in the evaluation are scholastic record, professional experience, three letters of recommendation, awriting sample and scores on standardized tests. Admission categories and graduate status classifications are shown in the Graduate School’s Graduate Catalog. 

Files of applicants who do not meet Graduate School requirements will be notified by the Graduate School directly of the decision to reject the application. The department has no authority to overrule requirements of the Graduate School.

The applicant is responsible for providing all supporting documents and payment of the required application fee. Degree-seeking applicants must pay an application fee. 

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is not required by the Department of Geography, but are considered if submitted. In addition, all applicants whose undergraduate degrees were obtained from an institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must provide the Graduate School with the score of the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL scores are not required of U.S. permanent residents and U.S.naturalized citizens. Official test scores should be sent to the Virginia Tech Graduate School, institution code 5859. Do not enter a department code.

When an application is complete, the Graduate School moves the application to the Department Review bin in the Slate system.  The department then circulates the application among selected faculty to obtain input into the final decision. After all faculty members have had a chance to rate the application, the department head makes a recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School to admit or reject the application. The Dean of the Graduate School informs the applicant regarding the outcome of the application. Please allow six to eight weeks for a decision to be made.

If an applicant is admitted, they should then contact the faculty member(s) in their area of interest regarding financial support and specifics about availability of research areas, course requirements and other pertinent information as soon as possible.

Financial support from the Department of Geography is limited to the number of available Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA). Typically, the program supports 18 GTAs, with approximately nine awarded each academic year. Each GTA includes tuition, a stipend for the period of mid-August to mid-May for 20 hours per week of teaching assistance, and a health benefits option. These stipends (a form of payment or salary) are granted for a specified period of time provided that the recipient's progress toward their degree is satisfactory. Each year a decision based on the results of the annual performance review is made regarding continuation of the stipend. At the end of each academic year, the stipend is discontinued if the student's overall grade point average (GPA) falls below a 3.00. Discontinuance may also be considered at the end of an academic semester on the basis of the student's performance in research.

Graduate research assistantships (GRAs) are periodically available through individual faculty that have secured research funding support. Terms for GRAs vary depending on funding sources.

Assistantships

One of the most common sources of funding is the graduate assistantship. Assistantships can be in support of general administrative duties, teaching assignments, or research projects.

We routinely evaluate graduate admission applications for the possibility that the student can fill an available assistantship position. Current students in search of funding should check with us to discuss the availability of assistantships and assistantship eligibility requirements. The Graduate School also keeps a list of students in need of tuition or an assistantship.

a) Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Graduate research assistants are graduate students conducting academically significant research under the direction of a faculty member, who is generally a principal investigator on an external grant or contract. Graduate Research Assistantships are awarded by departments and professors who are engaged in research projects. Research assistantships offer exciting opportunities to participate in our department's research program.

b) Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate teaching assistants provide academic program support under the supervision of a faculty member. GTAs may assist faculty in the department in teaching undergraduate courses, including laboratory teaching assignments, or in providing other appropriate professional assistance, including grading examinations, problem sets, and/or lab assignments, setting up displays for lectures and laboratory sections, and preparing or maintaining equipment used in laboratory sections.

c) Assistantship Agreement Contract

Students offered an assistantship must sign a Graduate Assistantship Agreement form (aka, Grad Agreement), which is a contract between the student and department. The agreement will stipulate the beginning and ending dates of the contract, the type of appointment, the amount of the monthly stipend, whether the student is expected to work during school breaks, and any other special conditions. The agreement also indicates whether a tuition scholarship, academic fee, and engineering fee will be paid by the department, and whether or not the out-of-state portion of the tuition will be waived.

d) Academic Eligibility to Hold a Graduate Assistantship

Assistantships may be offered to degree seeking graduate students admitted to Regular (GPA of 3.0 or greater). To continue to be eligible for an assistantship, a student must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be making satisfactory progress toward achievement of a graduate degree. The Graduate School may allow a student one semester on probationary status to remedy grade deficiencies while holding an assistantship. Students on assistantship must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours per academic year semester. Audited courses do not qualify in satisfying this minimum.

e) Graduate Assistantship Workshop

All graduate research and teaching assistants in the Department are required to attend and be enrolled in the GTA Workshop (GRAD 5004, 1 cr., P/F) in the semester of their teaching appointment. Other students who hope to qualify for an open assistantship in the future should take the workshop in their first semester. The workshop is managed by the graduate school and is held the week prior to the start of classes.  Visit this site for more information.

Fees and Taxes

Comprehensive/Technology/Capital Fees: Students are responsible for comprehensive fees, each semester. Out-of-state students must also pay a Capital Fee. See the Bursar's web page for a description of fees. The Capital Fee requirement cannot be waived and is not part of the tuition charges.

Taxes: Federal and state taxes, if applicable, are withheld from the assistantship stipend check, which is issued semi-monthly at approximately the first and sixteenth of each month. Students on summer assistantships who are not enrolled will be taxed at a higher, non-student rate.

Because of the possibility of serious illness or injury requiring treatment beyond the services of the Schiffert Health Center , students are encouraged to purchase medical insurance for themselves and their families.

Graduate assistants who maintain at least a 50% assistantship (10 hours per week), may be eligible for health insurance benefits. Visit the Graduate School's insurance benefits web page for additional information.

At Virginia Tech, domestic students are encouraged, but not required, to have personal health insurance.  International students are required to have health insurance either through the school Student Health Insurance Plan or a comparable plan.  Eligible Graduate Assistants wishing to use the health care subsidy must enroll in the Virginia Tech Student Health Insurance Plan.

It should be realized that graduate research and teaching assistants are funded by research grants and contracts and university funds and are therefore considered half-time employees. The major professor will determine the work to be performed. Usually, the student willbe expected to work a minimumof 20 hours a week. The time spent on meeting other academic requirements IS NOT considered part of the 20 hours.

Students on assistantship are expected to observe office hours established by the Graduate School, with exception for class attendance and pursuit of scholarly activities. Students not employed by the University should make their schedule known to the major professor and be available for cooperative work on research and teaching projects. Holidays are established and published annually by the University Registrar. Students observe the same holidays as other University personnel.

As part-time employees, students are not eligible for benefits such as accrual of annual vacation and sick leave. As a result, no right to vacation is associated with a GRA or GTA. Graduate students should schedule anticipated absences with their major professor to ensure that this will not conflict with their research and teaching activities. If a student wishes to take a vacation or leave of absence, the student must make arrangements with the major professor in advance. It is expected that any time lost during such a break will be made up prior to or after return from work.

Students entering a graduate program should understand that there might be occasions when extended working hours will be required for completion of academic and research responsibilities. Research and teaching preparation and data collection may require extended hours during the week, some weekends, and occasional holidays during periods of greatest activity.

The Graduate School has created several virtual tour videos of the Virginia Tech Blacksburg Campus.

If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a documented disability, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities office located in the Kent Square building, 250 S. Main Street, Suite 300.