Postgraduate programs in Geography
Geography at Melbourne is among the top-ranking programs of its kind in Australia and New Zealand. Academic staff enjoy international reputations for their scholarship and engage in collaborative research and consultancies with local and international colleagues. This setting enables postgraduate students in geography to gain practical and relevant experience informed by dedicated staff with the latest knowledge available in the field. A variety of prospective career pathways exist for students of geography who will continue to draw on the analytical skills they acquire in pursuing further professional or personal interests in this field. Alternatively, students are able to expand on their interest and knowledge through an articulated structure of higher degree coursework and research programs at Melbourne.
The postgraduate program in geography allows students the flexibility to pursue interdisciplinary studies in these areas while gaining an essential grounding in the core discipline of geography. Geography seeks to understand the range of environmental and spatial processes that shape the world around us. The intellectual focus of geography is summarised by the following key terms: space, place, landscape, scale and environment. Geography brings to this general set of interests, expertise that spans both the social and physical sciences. Geography provides particular insights into the way in which societies and the people who comprise them are built and embedded in physical environments, spatial relations and place contingencies.
Postgraduate coursework programs
SSEE offers access to undergraduate Geography subjects via the Graduate Certificate in Arts (Geography) and the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Geography) These programs aim to provide a general understanding of key concepts and issues in geography. The Faculty of Arts handles admissions to these programs. One or two Geography subjects can also be taken via the University's Community Access Program (CAP).
Graduates from other institutions who have majored in Geography are eligible to apply for the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Geography) which is equivalent to the Honours program and provides a pathway to higher degree research for students who have not completed a four year BA (Honours) with a research component in Geography. The Faculty of Arts administers entrance to the coursework programs. For more information, please visit Faculty of Arts Future Students website.
Official descriptions of the coursework programs are also listed in the University Postgraduate Catalogue:
Graduate Certificate in Arts (Geography)
Graduate Diploma in Arts (Geography)
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Geography)
Research only degrees
The Faculty of Arts administers the Master of Arts in Geography (thesis only). The Master of Arts degree is designed for students to develop advanced skills in carrying out independent and sustained research. Students produce a 30 000-word thesis dealing with an area of geography and demonstrating the ability to present a coherent hypothesis on an issue in geography, supported by research and analysis.
The School of Graduate Studies administers the Master of Science and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program. This is the major research degree offered by the University of Melbourne and requires the completion of a thesis of about 80 000 words.
Supervision is currently available in the following areas:
Please consult the following websites for information about the research degrees and how to apply:
Faculty of Arts (Master of Arts information)
Faculty of Arts (PhD information)
School of Graduate Studies (PhD information)
University of Melbourne Postgraduate Studies Catalogue - Master of Arts (Geography)
Specific enquiries regarding course content, thesis topics and supervision
Dr Wayne Stephenson
School of Social and Environmental Enquiry
The University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010 Australia
T: 03 8344 9168