Preparing Leaders in Geography and Planning
Our graduate programs prepare students to lead research, policy, and practice addressing today’s most pressing global and local challenges—from climate change and urban development to migration, public health, and environmental governance.
Through advanced coursework, interdisciplinary research, and close faculty mentorship, students develop specialized expertise and practical skills that support impactful careers in academia, government, and the public and private sectors.
Program and Degree Options
The Department of Geography and Planning offers a Master of Arts, Master of Science and PhD program with areas of study in Human Geography, Physical Geography (Earth Systems Science), and Geographic Information Systems. Our comprehensive programs are based on innovative research and strong collaboration between faculty and graduate students.
Two-Year Program
- Completion of three (3) elective graduate term-length courses, including GPHY 868 and GPHY 801/857
- Completion of a full thesis
One-Year Program
- Completion of five (5) elective graduate term-length courses, including GPHY 868 and GPHY 801/857
- Completion of a half thesis
Possible formats of the half thesis are listed in Section D of our MA and MSc Requirements and Regulations [PDF 161 KB].
Two-Year Program
- Completion of four (4) graduate term-length courses, including GPHY 801/857
- Completion of a full thesis
One-Year Program
- Completion of five (5) elective graduate term-length courses, including GPHY 801/857
- Completion of a half thesis
Possible formats of the half thesis are listed in Section D of our MA and MSc Requirements and Regulations [PDF 161 KB].
Admission is based upon the completion of a Master's degree or its equivalent at a superior level at a recognized university. In exceptional circumstances, resident Master's students may be accelerated into the PhD program.
The program involves satisfying the following requirements:
- Course work: Satisfactory completion of a minimum of three graduate one-term courses including GPHY 801 (a one-term equivalent PhD Research Seminar) beyond the Master's degree.
- Qualifying Examination: Undertaken upon completion of all coursework, usually during the fall term of the second year of study. The examination focuses on the preparation and defence of a thesis proposal and its field of study.
- Dissertation: Completion and oral defence of a doctoral dissertation.
The program may be completed within three years of full-time study. Students are eligible for funding for the first four years of the program.
Areas of Study
The Department of Geography and Planning is characterized by a wide spectrum of interdisciplinary research that promotes innovative and impactful scholarship across the social sciences, humanities, and earth system sciences. Graduate Students can choose from one of four areas of study.
For a full list of courses, visit the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs Academic Calendar.
The broad emphasis in the field of Human Geography is on exploring the evolution of a multitude of human systems. The focus is on the interactions and linkages between systems that operate at different scales, ranging from local (work, place, bodies, gender, health and healthcare, urban areas) and increasing through regional and national scales (citizenship, justice, governance, post-colonialism, indigenous peoples) to global systems (globalization, development, economies, sustainability). Unifying themes include identity and place.
The broad emphasis in the field of Earth System Science is on developing an integrative understanding of the Earth as a physical system of interrelated phenomena. The focus is on the interaction and linkages throughout the environment - the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere - and on physical, chemical, and biological processes operating at a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Areas of faculty interest include forest systems, cold regions, energy production, and planning around resource use. Measurement, integration, and modelling of earth system elements to understand these linkages are key foci of research and graduate training activities. Field measurements and sample collection are matched with laboratory and data analysis, and modelling.
The broad emphasis of research in GIS encompasses the theoretical, technical and applied aspects of cartography, geographic information systems, remote sensing and image processing, and modeling of human and natural systems. Specific areas of research focus relate GIS to aspects of human geography (disease modeling, mapping of human impacts on the environment, resource optimization, contemporary and historical cartography), physical geography (biophysical remote sensing, image processing, geo-visualization), and urban and regional planning (land use planning, cartography, social engagement).
The broad emphasis in the area of Urban and Regional Planning is on the planning and development of cities and regions, and the relation between development and public policy concerns. Research in urban and regional planning seeks to integrate the latest knowledge related to environment and society with real-world planning challenges. Areas of focus include health and social planning, environmental services, and land use and real estate planning.
What I value most about the Geography and Planning program at Queen’s is the intellectual community it fosters. From the beginning of my PhD, I was encouraged to pursue a project I care deeply about, examining the privatization of water infrastructure in Brazil, my home country, and how processes of financialization reproduce racialized and regional disparities in access to essential services. Mentorship from my co-supervisors, Dr. Carolyn Prouse and Dr. Dan Cohen, has been central to my development. They encouraged me to take intellectual risks, think historically and critically about infrastructure and finance, and pursue questions that matter beyond academia. I’ve also benefited a lot from conversations with scholars across the university, particularly in Gender Studies and DEVS, which pushed my work in new directions and helped me think about my research in a more interdisciplinary way.
Monique Carneiro Assunção, PhD Student
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Admission Requirements
An applicant must secure a potential supervisor before starting the application process. The best way to find a graduate supervisor in Geography and Planning is to reach out directly to faculty whose research interests align with yours. Geography and Planning faculty are always interested in hearing from prospective graduate students, so please consult the Faculty page for individual research/teaching areas and contact information. Confirming a potential supervisor's availability and interest is a necessary component of our application process. Prospective students should reach out early to faculty members with whom they may wish to work.
Prospective students in the MA or MSc program should hold a Bachelor’s degree (Honours) or equivalent, with a minimum B+ average of all courses (equivalent to 77-79.9% or 3.3 GPA out of a 4.3 grading scale at ³ÉÈË´óƬ). When you apply, we consider your transcripts from all courses.
Prospective students in the PhD program should hold a Master's degree with a minimum A- average of all courses (equivalent to 80-84.9% or 3.7 out of 4.3 grading scale at Queen’s University). When you apply, we consider your transcripts from all courses.
Required Documentation
You will be required to include a Statement of Research Interest and a Curriculum Vitae within your online application.
If English is not your native language, will need to earn satisfactory standing in an English Language Proficiency Test as part of the application process. You will need to provide one of the following tests:
- TOEFL iBT with minimum scores of:
- writing (24/30);
- speaking (22/30);
- reading (22/30), and
- listening (20/30)
for a total of 88/120. Applicants must have the minimum score in each test as well as the minimum overall score, or
- IELTS: minimum overall score of 7.0, academic module, or
- Pearson Test of English Academic(PTE Academic) – minimum overall score of 65, or
- Canadian Academic English Language (Computer Edition) (CAEL CE) – minimum overall score of 70
Funding and Awards
View available Funding and Awards for Graduate Students.
Deadline
³ÉÈË´óƬ graduate applications are done online via the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (SGSPA) . For more information on the application process, please visit the SGSPA website.
We typically only accept graduate students for a September intake. The deadline for applications (Domestic and International students) is January 31, which must include all supporting documents. Late applications may be considered on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Notification of acceptance begins in March.
Questions?
Contact the Graduate Programs Advising Coordinator:
Kristina Fennell
Email: gpplgrad@queensu.ca
Phone: (613) 533-6000 ext. 77056
Office: Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room B410
Contact the Associate Head, Geography Graduate Programs:
Dr. Julia Christensen
Email: julia.christensen@queensu.ca
Phone: 613-533-6000 ext. 75756
Office: Mackintosh-Corry Hall, Room D319