University of South Florida

Ph.D. GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
Admission Requirements

Background Requirement

Students wishing to gain admittance into the Geography and ESP Doctoral program should have a Masters Degree or its equivalent from an approved college or university. These students are required to take a minimum of 60 hours prior to obtaining the Ph.D. It is also possible to enter directly into the doctoral program without a Masters Degree.  These students must complete the coursework portion of the Masters Degree required in either the Department of Geography or Environmental Science & Policy and complete a minimum of 90 hours prior to obtaining the Ph.D.  Exceptional students already enrolled in the Geography or ESP Masters Programs can potentially move into the doctoral program prior to completing the Masters Degree. In this case, the student's advisor recommends the student for possible entry into the program to the Geography and ESP Doctoral Program Committee. After review of the student's credentials, this committee either approves or denies the student entry. If approved, the student will need to formally apply to the program via the Graduate Admissions application process.
 
Typically, applicants have degrees in geography, environmental science, or earth science. However, applicants with degrees in other disciplines are also encouraged to apply. Those students admitted without a degree(s) in one of the disciplines listed above may be required to take selected undergraduate courses as determined by the Geography and ESP Graduate Program Committee.

Students Moving into the Doctoral Program Without a Masters Degree

Students can apply directly to the doctoral program in his/her original application, or can be in either the Geography or Environmental Science and Policy M.A. program a minimum of one semester, and then his/her advisor/major professor can recommend that he/she apply for the doctoral program. The Geography and ESP Doctoral Program Committee will review the student's credentials and make a recommendation regarding whether the student should apply to the program. If the student applies to the program, the application is then reviewed via the established process of program application review and recommendations are made regarding admission to the program and funding.

Grade Point and Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.2 (on the four point scale) for all work prior to admission, and a GRE score of at least 500 on the verbal portion of the exam and 500 on the Quantitative portion. For full consideration for financial aid the minimum GRE scores should be 600 verbal and 600 quantitative. The GRE must be taken within five years preceding the application and the score submitted regardless of the grade point average. Official copies of GRE scores and all transcripts should be sent to the Geography and ESP Doctoral Program Coordinator.

Letter of Intent

A letter of intent must be submitted to the Geography and ESP Doctoral Program Coordinator. The letter should outline the applicant's specific academic interests and goals.

Letters of Recommendation

The applicant should arrange to have at least three (3) letters of recommendation submitted to the Doctoral Program Coordinator prior to the application deadline. Prospective students should solicit the letters of recommendation from sources who are familiar with the applicant's academic/work history and performance.

Resume

The applicant should submit and complete and up to date resume as part of the application packet.

Please submit the items outlined above directly to:

Dr. Graham Tobin
Department of Geography
University of South Florida
4202 East Fowler Avenue, NES 107
Tampa, FL 33620