Program Coordinator/Contact
Robert Watrel, Interim Department Head
Darrell Napton, Professor/Graduate Coordinator
Department of Geography
Wecota Hall 109, Box 506
605-688-4511
E-mail: robert.watrel@sdstate.edu
E-mail: darrell.napton@sdstate.edu
www.sdstate.edu/geography
Program Information
The Department of Geography offers graduate students the opportunity to earn a Master of Science Degree. The curriculum, organized through formal courses, seminars, internship experiences, and supervised research, is designed to prepare students for positions in such professional areas as planning, remote sensing, geographic information sciences, government service, research, business, and teaching. The program also is designed to provide students with the education needed to pursue further graduate study. Students seeking this degree are expected to select courses that will provide a sound foundation in geography (philosophical, physical and human, and research techniques) supported, if appropriate, by courses outside the department. Students may also seek out opportunities such as the cooperative program with the EROS Data Center and/or internships, generally available with planning districts, governmental agencies, business, and industry.
Course Delivery Format
Geography is not only a classroom subject but one that also includes laboratory research, fieldwork, and travel, as well as limited online coursework.
Facilities and Services
The department houses the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence and produces its own annual Geography Convention, the longest running such event in the United States.
Student Support and Engagement Opportunities
The department provides numerous opportunities for student engagement. For example, the Geography Club is a student organization centered on both academic and social functions. Membership is open to anyone interested. Additionally, the South Dakota State Geography Convention.
Students and faculty regularly travel including attendance at regional and national geography meetings, as well as travel to other parts of the world in pursuit of their individual scholarly interests. SDSU Geography also has a connection with a university in Romania. The exchanges that result from this relationship provide invaluable international experience for students, which is critical in the increasingly globalized world.
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