About PhD Program,
Welcome to the UW Department of Geography! We are excited that you are considering the University of Washington for your graduate work. As the director of the graduate program, I look forward to working with you. The pages listed below should answer many of your questions about our graduate programs, but if you have additional questions please do not hesitate to get in touch:
We offer both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Geography and these programs are fashioned at the intersection of several broad research specialties. Following the work of the faculty, graduate students are encouraged to think outside the box of any particular “adjectival” sub-field of human geography. Our programs draw on expertise in the following key areas: critical development and poverty studies; racial capitalism; economic geographies; labor geographies; political ecologies; feminist and queer geographies; carceral and abolition geographies; urban, social, and political geographies; geographic information systems; remote sensing; spatial data science, and critical and humanistic approaches to these technologies and fields. We encourage you to visit faculty members’ websites and explore their recent publications to learn more about how each of us engages these themes.
We have an outstanding record of successful graduates. You can read more about their work in their profiles and find details about our diverse fields of interest. You can also find recent publications by both faculty and graduate students.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
- Success in the department requires that each student work closely with multiple faculty mentors. To ensure that each student will be effectively supervised, admission to the program requires the support of multiple faculty members. Accordingly, interested students are strongly encouragedto read the published work of relevant faculty members prior to submitting an application. Students should then be able to use their application to explain how their plans for graduate study fit with the current work of these faculty members.
- Students who seek admission directly into the Ph.D. program should have either completed an M.A. in geography or done analogous post-baccalaureate work. Such applicants should upload all or most of their M.A. thesis for their writing example. Students who lack a geography M.A. and wish to enter the Ph.D. program should indicate that they wish to do so.
PhD Funding Coverage,
Graduate students in geography receive financial assistance from a variety of sources. The majority of these involve a work commitment, most commonly as a Teaching Assistant (TA). Many students find opportunities in other units at the University of Washington, and many succeed in securing funds from such outside agencies as the National Science Foundation. Tuition fees are waived for students with Teaching Assistant positions, most Research Assistant positions and other forms of on-campus employment, and many outside funding opportunities. The Department of Geography also employs hourly academic student employees. The information on this page is not all-encompassing, but is meant to be a starting point for helping you find graduate school funding.
Application Requirement,
1. Graduate School Application
2. Statement of Academic Direction & Research Interests
3. Curriculum Vitae or Resume
4. Personal Statement
5. Three Letters of Recommendation
6. Transcripts
7. Writing Sample
8. English Language Proficiency
9. Application Fee
Application Deadline,
Dec 15, 2024
Application Fee,
nonrefundable application fee is $85.00 (USD) or $75.00 for Graduate Non-Matriculated applications, beginning with applications for Autumn 2025 the application fee will be $90.00 (USD) and remain $75.00 (USD) for Graduate Non-Matriculated applications,
