Northern Arizona University

   

MASTER OF ARTS IN RURAL GEOGRAPHY

The Master of Arts in Rural Geography provides an advanced degree for geographers who will work in the area of rural, environmental, and small town analysis. The strength of the program and the faculty are in the areas of:

• Rural, small town and Native American planning and development
• Natural resource development in rural areas
• Climate and geomorphology of arid lands and mountain regions
• Geographic and public planning education
• Recreation and tourism geography
• Area studies: West and Southwest U.S., Colorado Plateau, East and Southeast Asia

There is a growing need for professionals with skills that are particularly applicable to the needs of small towns, rural and natural areas, and Native American reservations. Graduates of the program will be able to fill positions in city, county, state, and regional planning and economic development agencies, and federal agencies such as the Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Land Management, National Parks Service, and U.S. Forest Service. The program also provides a solid background for students considering advanced professional or doctoral degrees.

Three Emphasis Areas are offered in the Rural Geography M.A. Program. Click on the links below to see the academic plans for each program.

• Human Geography (nonthesis and thesis)
• Physical Geography (nonthesis and thesis)
• Community Planning (nonthesis and thesis)

Read the listing Geography Graduate courses

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Special Programs: The Department has close working relationships with local city and county planning agencies and Native American reservations in Arizona. Opportunities for paid internship positions with these agencies are often possible. Opportunities also exist for cooperative projects with the USGS facilities located in Flagstaff and the numerous National Park Service facilities located throughout northern Arizona. An outside minor is required as part of the M.A. in Rural Geography program. The following graduate programs at Northern Arizona University are particularly suited for minor coursework: Liberal Studies, Anthropology, Biology, Education, Forestry, Geology, Political Science and Public Administration, Quaternary Studies, and Sociology.

In addition, Public Planning courses that are taught within the Department of Geography, Planning and Recreation can be applied to the student's minor. An interdisciplinary geographic information systems minor/concentration is available for rural geography graduate students.

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Application Forms

Download & Print the NAU Rural Geography Department Application Forms  

The NAU Graduate College Online Application Form

Both Department and Graduate College forms must be submitted to complete the application process.

Graduate Assistant Benefits

Coursework Pre-requisites

Mininmum coursework pre-requisites for admission to the MA in Rural Geography program include:

• Undergraduate Degree with a Major or Minor in Geography; OR
  
• Undergraduate Degree with a Major in another discipline, PLUS

  a physical geography class, a human/regional/introductory geography class, and a technical geography class
  

• An undergraduate statistics class within three years prior to first semester in Rural Geography
  

• An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4 point scale

• A combined GRE Score of 1000 on the Verbal and Math sections
  

  Students with deficiencies in any of the areas above will be admitted on a provisional basis until the deficiencies are satisfied, which must be done within the first year of graduate study at NAU. In addition to the student's coursework, the department evaluates applicants based on a combination of undergraduate grades, GRE scores, Letters of recommendation, the student's Statement of purpose/objectives, and past experience and accomplishments.

Teaching and Research Assistantships

TA and RA funding is limited. Students are encouraged to apply by February 15 to be considered for assistantship support for the following Fall semester. Students are also encouraged to apply for work-study aid through the NAU Office of Student Financial Aid.