Frequently Asked Questions

We in the Department of Geography and Geology believe that asking questions and seeking knowledge, either for practical reasons or out of curiosity, is one of the most worthy of all intellectual pursuits. Therefore, we offer the following answers to questions we commonly receive. We hope that you will come to share the spirit of inquiry which informs our daily teaching and research and we welcome your questions, great and small.

1. How do I contact the Department and where is it located?
The Department of Geography and Geology is in Environmental Sciences and Technology Hall (EST) (the building opposite the planetarium) on the third and fourth floors, with the main office in room 304. The G.I.S. Spatial Technology Lab is located in the Industrial Education Building, 3rd floor. You can contact us at the addresses listed below:

2. How do I find out what course of study I can pursue at the graduate level?
You can discuss your graduate program options with the Department Head or with any faculty member. Different options for the MS in Geoscience can be viewed on the website at: Program Details. No matter which option you choose, a 12-hour core is required of all students (GEO 500, 502, 520). All incoming students must have taken an introductory GIS course and a basic spatial statistics course. Otherwise, students must take GEOG 317 and GEOG 391 as deficiencies.

3. How do I contact an individual faculty member and what are their office hours?
See the Faculty List for all contact information. Contact the main office by phone or email to get faculty office hours, which change each semester depending on the class schedule.

4. Where are the Geography and Geology mailboxes located?
The mailboxes are located in the main office, 304 EST, in the far right corner as you enter (turn right inside the office and right again). Note that faculty names are posted below their box. Be sure to get your note in the correct box! The office is open from 8:00am-4:30pm, Mon-Fri in term and 8:00am-4:00pm in the summer. Graduate student mailboxes are located in the same area. 

5. Can I leave a voice-mail message for a faculty member?
Usually yes. Most faculty have voice-mail, but some of our phones automatically forward incoming calls to the main department office, where you may leave messages with the office staff.

6. A detailed program schedule and timetable worksheet is available online for graduate students to complete. If you do not have a free Adobe file reader on your computer, you can download the free software online.