Geography at California State
Graduate studies at California State University, Long Beach
Please share this announcement with promising undergraduates who are considering master's studies in geography, geoscience, or the geospatial techniques. The Department of Geography at California State University, Long Beach, has a strong program in physical and environmental geography, particularly in biogeography, palaeoecology, and palaeoclimatology, which might be of greatest interest to members of this list. Among our new faculty is Camille Holmgren, a palaeoclimatologist with special expertise in the woodrat midden proxy for vegetation change in the Holocene arid Southwest and eastern California. Our department enjoys numerous collaborations with the Department of Geological Sciences here, including mutual service on master's thesis committees. Similarly, there are ties with the archaeologists in the Department of Anthropology, who specialize in geoarchaeology and environmental change in the Holocene.
Chrys Rodrigue, Chair, Geography, CSULB
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The Department of Geography at California State University, Long Beach, invites applications for its master's degree program. We can accept applications for Fall 2007 admission until 30 June 2007 and for Spring 2008 admission until 30 November.
Geography at CSULB has four main emphases:
* environmental and physical geography, including
palaeoclimatology, biogeography, palaeoecology, hazards, hydrology
and water resources, and arid lands geomorphology (supported by
Geography's affiliation with the Institute for Integrated Research
in Materials, Environments, and Society)
* geospatial technologies and methods, including GIS, remote
sensing, cartography, quantitative methods, qualitative methods,
and field techniques (supported by a remote sensing collection
funded by a NASA Regional Earth Science Applications Center housed
in the Department and Map Lab, which does custom mapping and GIS
analysis for the surrounding municipalities and regional agencies)
* human geography, including economic geography, urban cultural
and historical geography, social geography, feminist geography,
and medical geography (supported by Geography's involvement in the
Center for Behavioral Research and Services, METRANS, and the
Community Service Learning Center)
* global studies, including globalization, regional geographies,
political geography, world urbanization, and gender and
development (supported by affiliations with the CSULB
International Studies Program, Russian Studies Program, and the
Yadunandan India Studies Center)
The degree is suitable for those graduates with one of the following professional goals:
* It prepares those who are interested in professional employment in
the public sector (e.g., GIS analyst in environmental management,
land use planner, hydrologist, remote sensing analyst) or the
private sector (e.g., market area analysis with GIS, corporate
risk analyst, real estate appraiser).
* The M.A. in Geography at CSU, Long Beach, is also very beneficial
to those interested in pursuing a Ph.D. for a career in research
or in teaching at the university level.
* The M.A. in Geography allows one to teach at the community college
level, and it enhances one's background as an in-service K-12 teacher.
* The degree allows those with a passion for exploring a topic of
interest to them to do so with sophistication and depth.
Long Beach is the most frequently requested of the 23 CSU campuses and it features the largest library in the CSU system, as well as easy access to the UCLA and USC research libraries. CSULB is an attractive campus near the beach in a pleasant, livable community. The campus has been deemed the third best value public college in the nation by The Princeton Review and among the top three public master's-granting universities in the West by U.S. News and World Report.
Estimated graduate student fees for the Fall 2007 semester are $1,072 for graduate students taking 6 or fewer units and $1,723 for those taking more than 6 units. For out-of-State students (except teachers, military personnel, children of California residents, and those who graduated from a California high school), there is an out-of-State surcharge estimated at $339 per unit. Limited numbers of out-of-State surcharge fee waivers are available on a competitive basis, however.
Ours is a friendly, cooperative, and student-centered faculty, who work hard to help graduate students define and achieve their educational and professional goals in a timely manner. There is a community of active graduate students. Some research and student assistantships are available, and the Department has a large internship program.
To learn more about the CSULB Department of Geography, please visit
For information on requirements of the master's degree program, please see
A flyer summarizing program highlights is available at
To apply, please send a set of official transcripts and a 1½ -2 page statement of purpose and arrange for three confidential letters of reference to be sent to the graduate advisor. GRE scores are not required. For English as a second language applicants, a TOEFL score of 550 (paper) or 213 (online) is required, or an IELTS score of 6.0. International students should contact the CSULB Office of International Education as a critical first step in the process: http://www.csulb.edu/cie/. Letters of reference and statements of purpose may be sent by e-mail or fax. All materials should arrive by 23 June 2007 to ensure time for review by the 30 June deadline and to make sure that accepted applicants are eligible to take classes in Fall 2007.
Dr. Christopher T. Lee, Graduate Advisor
Department of Geography
California State University
Long Beach, CA 90840-1101
1 (562) 985-2358 or -8432
1 (562) 985-8993 (fax)
Additionally, you must also apply directly to the University itself, which can be done online at http://www.csumentor.edu. Official transcripts must be provided to the campus separately.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
