phd in geography syllabus

Last Updated on December 14, 2022

PhD Geography is a research based doctoral course in Geography which is devoted to the study of lands, features, inhabitants and phenomena of the earth & planets. The minimum duration of a PhD Geography course is 3 years, but can be extended depending on research duration. 

The basic eligibility for this course is completing Post Graduation in Geography from a recognized university. Though minimum marks required vary from college to college, most of the reputed colleges demand minimum 55% marks in their masters’ degree and a minimum of 60% marks in their graduation.

PhD Geography includes subjects like Geomorphology, Oceanography, Geography of Transport & Trade, Biogeography, Political Geography etc. The candidates will have to research on any one of the topics of their choice and submit the thesis. Alert: The exam dates of UGC-NET and UGC-CSIR-NET have been postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

After completing this course, the candidates can find jobs as Water Conservation specialist, Geomorphologist, Geospatial analyst, Hydrologist, Oceanographer, Geographer, Professor, Teachers, etc. 

The average starting salary after completing this course generally lies between INR 4,00,000 to INR 8,00,000 depending on the skills of the candidates.

The scope of Geography is very wide, people with a fairly good knowledge of geography are required by the meteorological department & other departments related to predicting the climate & weather conditions. People after gaining a master in PhD degree can also serve as teachers in distinguished institutes.

Which are the Top Entrance Exams for Admission to PhD Geography Course?

Some of the top Entrance Exams for admission to PhD Geography have been discussed below. 

  • UGC NET – The National Eligibility Test (NET), also known as UGC NET is a test to determine eligibility for college and university level lectureship and for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) for Indian nationals. It aims to ensure minimum standards for the entrants in teaching professions and research.
  • Symbiosis PhD Entrance Exam – Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP Test) is the gateway for Post Graduate Programmes of Symbiosis International (Deemed University). Symbiosis Unversity’s entrance test for the PhD program shall be of multiple-choice questions of 75 marks and of 1 hour 30 minutes duration. 
  • JNU PhD Entrance Exam – The Jawaharlal Nehru University Entrance Exam (JNUEE), JNUEE along with JNU CEEB will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Time duration to complete the test is 3 hours and it’s an online mode examination. Further, sources shared that a total of 1,05,000 candidates appeared for the JNUEE 2019 exam in order to secure admission in 131 courses.

Which are the Top Colleges for PhD Geography?

Listed below are some of the best institutes in India that offers Ph.D in Geography:

NIRF University Ranking 2020 College Name Location Fee Structure Average Salary Package 
3Banaras Hindu UniversityVaranasi INR 3,806INR. 7,20,000
5Jadavpur UniversityKolkata INR 8,000
INR 9,00,000
7University of Calcutta Kolkata INR 3,395INR 4,00,000 
10Jamia Millia IslamiaNew DelhiINR 13,870INR 8,00,000 
17Aligarh Muslim UniversityAligarh INR 9,285INR 9,18,000
63Bharati VidyapeethPuneINR 30,000INR 4,80,000
65University of MumbaiMumbaiINR 1,931INR 3,76,000
69Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Marathwada University Aurangabad INR 22,231INR 3,00,000

Which Subjects are Taught in the PhD Geography course?

Syllabus of  Ph.D in Geography  as prescribed by various Universities and Colleges.

Main subjects covered in the discipline are:

Year IYear IIYear III
GeomorphologyPopulation GeographyGeography of India
ClimatologySettlement GeographyCartography
OceanographyEconomic GeographyStatistical Methods
BiogeographyAgricultural GeographyResearch
History of Geographic ThoughtIndustrial GeographySocial Geography
Political GeographyGeography of Transport and TradeRegional Planning
Cultural Geography

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