Applied Geography and Geospatial Science

In the United States and around the world, balancing the preservation of the naturalenvironment with the imperatives of economic development along with concerns for social well­being has led to a growing demand for broadly trained individuals who can identify andunderstand pressing social and environmental issues, collect and analyze relevant data, anddevelop and implement innovative solutions. Graduates of the proposed M.A program inApplied Geography and Geospatial Science will have the knowledge, training, and tools tobecome leaders in this rapidly growing field.

The Program’s research focus is human­environment interaction, a longstanding hallmark of thediscipline of Geography. Within this area of critical geographic inquiry, the program emphasizesgeospatial science, a federally recognized STEM subject area that includes geographicinformation systems (GIS) as well as computer cartography, remotely sensed image analysis,and spatial statistics. Students apply their geospatial research skills in the context of hands­on,faculty­led research projects that stress professional development through communityengagement and interactive service learning.​

​The program is offered by the faculty of the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.  Students undertake 36 credit hours over a two-year period.  These 36 hours include required core classes (9 credit hours), a required service learning studio (6 credit hours), and required geo-spatial science coursework (12 credit hours). Students can elect to undertake either of two tracks: the first “coursework” track involves a further 9 hours of elective courses, whereas the second “thesis” track involves 9 hours of electives, and preparation of a written thesis (3 credits).

Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

 The University of Colorado Denver has a minimum requirement of 3.0 undergraduate gradepoint average (GPA) for applicants to the Graduate School. The number of applicants admittedto the MA in Applied Geography & Geospatial Science in any year depends, in part, on space availability. The program is competitive, and we generally discourage applicants whose undergraduate GPA is below 3.0. 

TEST SCORES: TOEFL, IELTS, OR PTE

​SCORE REQUIREMENTS:

TOEFL

Minimum TOEFL Score Accepted: 75 IBT / 537 PBT

IELTS

Minimum IELTS Score Accepted: 6.5

The TOEFL/IELTS requirement can be waived if an applicant has graduated from the ESL Academy. Information regarding other considerations for exemption, including country of citizenship/origin, and special circumstances can be found here. Please note that some graduate level programs will require a higher score on the TOEFL/IELTS and applicants should consult the department for additional details

PTE ACADEMIC

Minimum PTE Academic Score Accepted: 51

TThe Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) is currently in a pilot review at the University of Colorado Denver. We will accept a 51 PTE Academic score with the following subscores:

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

There are three types of financial aid available:student hourly teaching assistantship; researchassistantship positions funded by grants tospecific program faculty; and the regular packageof financial aid (primarily loans) available throughthe financial aid office on the Denver campus.Incoming students will be automatically consideredfor program­distributed assistance at the time ofadmission to the program. Continuing studentswill be regularly apprised of available aid andpositions.