MA Geography Syllabus & Subjects 2024

MA Geography syllabus provides a detailed and in-depth study of the physical aspects and properties of the Earth and correlation between humans and the Earth. The syllabus and subjects of MA Geography course cover everything from Geomorphology to Population and Human Development, this makes sure that the students pursuing this course receive an in-depth understanding of Geography and its principles.  MA in Geography course also explores the relationship of human beings with the environment, utility and management of the space. 

MA Geography is a two year postgraduate degree course which provides subjects on practical and theoretical information of the different Landforms, the Earth’s Surface, Regional Level Environment and also Universal Level Environment in MA in Geography syllabus. 

• About the Course :  MA Geography is a two year postgraduate course which provides a detailed study of the earth, the correlation between humans and the Earth. The MA Geography syllabus is divided into two semesters.  Students pursuing this course can work in Forest Services, Research Institutes, Educational Institutions, Fas Exploration Companies etc. also offer MA Geography jobs to candidates after successfully completing this degree.
   
• Eligibility Criteria : To be eligible for MA Geography admission, the candidate must give the following entrance exams CUET, CUCET, TISSNET, AUAT, IPU CET.
   
• Course Fee :  The MA Geography course fee ranges from INR 20,000 to INR 1 LPA. 
   
• Job Profile :  After completing the MA Geography successfully, the graduates can get jobs as a Demographer, Forest Manager, Geographer, Agriculture Specialist, Cartographer etc. 
   
• Salary : The salary that MA Geography graduates can receive ranges from INR 2 LPA to INR 4.80 LPA. 

The yearwise MA Geography syllabus and subjects are listed below for students to get a better understanding. 
 

MA Geography First Year Syllabus

MA Geography first year syllabus and subjects are listed below: 

• Geomorphology
• Economic Geography
• Nature of Geography
• Quantitative Techniques and Digital Data Processing
• Soil -Water Analysis, Surveying and Field Report
• Climatology and Soil Geography
• Geographical Thought
• Biogeography
• Geohydrology and Oceanography
• Cartographic Techniques and Map Projection
• Thematic Mapping and Geographical Information System
• Historical and Political Geography
   

MA Geography Second Year Syllabus

MA Geography second year syllabus and subjects are listed below: 

• Regions and Regional Entity of India and West Bengal
• Social, Cultural and Settlement Geography
• Population and Human Development
• Applied Statistical Techniques in Geography
• Regional Planning and Development
• Resource Planning and Development
• Land use Planning and Rural Development
• Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System

The semester wise MA Geography subjects are listed below for the students to get an idea of what they will be studying during the duration of this course. 

The core subjects of MA Geography course are : 

• Climatology
• Biogeography 
• Geomorphology
• Political Geography
• Oceanography
• Human Ecology and Ecosystem
• Cartographic Techniques
• Systematic and Regional Geography of India with special reference to NE India
• Map Projection
• Quantitative Techniques and Digital Data Processing
• Statistical Techniques in Spatial Analysis
• Human Geography

The elective subjects of the course of MA Geography are: 

• Analytical Physical Geography
• Population and Development 
• Techniques and Methods of Regional Analysis
• Geographies of Gender and Development in South Asia
• Regional Geography of World Part I & II
• Geography of Tourism
• Agricultural Geography with special reference to North-East India

The MA Geography course includes practical subjects as well. The practical subjects are mentioned below. 

• Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System
• Digital Image Processing
• Geographical Information System
• Cartography
• Applied Climatology
• Field survey 
• Statistical Methods in Geography

The following is the MA Geography course structure: 

• IV Semesters
• Core Courses
• Elective Courses
• Practicals
• Seminars
• Guest Lectures
• Conferences
• Field Trips
• Project Work

The MA Geography course main focus is on job-related skills and employs a range of teaching methodologies, including those listed below:

• Action Based Learning
• Classroom Based Learning
• Projects
• Seminars
• Regular Lectures

Here are some of the best MA Geography books that the students can refer to while pursuing the MA Geography course: 

• The Nature of the Environment by Goudie
• Geography and Man’s Environment by A.N. Strahler & A.H. Strahler
• Economic Geography of Asia by S.P. Chatterjee
• India: A Regional Interpretation by C.D. Deshpande
• Philosophy and Human Geography by R.J. Johnston

To make the course of MA Geography more accessible to everyone , various universities have introduced different ways of pursuing this course. The different types of MA Geography courses are given below.

Full Time 

The full-time MA Geography program normally lasts two years, during which time students must attend classes in person, submit assignments, and write tests on campus. A full-time MA Geography course provides students with far more exposure, experience, and understanding through direct engagement with their peers and teachers

Part Time 

The part-time MA Geography program is intended for students who are unable to attend regular classes. Depending on the sort of course, part-time courses may include weekend, night, or online classes. The advantage of the part-time MA Geography course is that students may follow it while working, doing research, or other activities.

Distance Learning Program 

The Distance MA Geography program is offered by several institutions and colleges in India. This course is intended for students who cannot afford to attend on-campus classes or who are working and cannot take time off to complete a full-time course. 

For MA Geography admissions into colleges and universities across the nation hold their own entrance exams. These exams have questions related to the concept of Geography and various other subjects. The MA Geography entrance exams are : 

• BHU PET (CUET PG) - Banaras Hindu University Postgraduate Entrance Test (Note that the CUET PG score is taken into consideration for BHU admission).
• PU CET PG - Panjab University Common Entrance Test Post Graduate