MA Geography
MA Geography is a postgraduate degree
course of two years. This course
involves the study of Earth Sciences including physical, regional and economic
aspects through an advanced academic exploration.
The course undertakes both theoretical and the
practical understanding of the earth’s surface, landforms, and the environment
at both regional and universal level.
Around 25,500 students enrol for MA
Geography courses in India every year. The amount of intake varies according to
the colleges and universities. In order to be eligible to apply to this course,
students must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Geography with an the aggregate of at least
50% marks from a recognized university.
Admission to this course will be done
either on the basis of the performance of candidates in the entrance examination
conducted by the admission authorities or based on the candidate’s performance in
the Bachelor degree examination.
The tuition fees for enrolling In MA
Geography courses vary as per universities. The average annual course fees
generally vary between INR 2,600 and INR 1,60,000.
The students of MA Geography can get jobs
in profiles such as Geographer, Cartographer, Agricultural Specialist,
Demographer, Professor, & Researcher with an average annual salary ranging
between INR 3,50,000 and INR 8,50,000.
On completion of this course, students can
pursue higher studies & advanced academic exploration along with research
through M.Phil Geography and PhD Geography courses. This course essentially
provides a solid basis for the further studies and related prospects.
MA Geography: What is it About?
MA Geography is a comprehensive
post-graduate degree course for students who want to study the physical
features of Earth Sciences along with its related human activities through
academic exploration.
This course offers a comprehensive
understanding of the human aspects of understanding about the physical,
regional, and economic features of the earth’s geographical dimensions.
The course focuses on both theoretical and
practical knowledge & understanding.
MA Geography program concentrates on the
social science aspect of Geography. It involved the thorough study of Human
Geography and exploring the relationship of the human beings with the created
environment, management and utility of the space.
This course is essentially job oriented that
a incorporates an overall understanding of the discipline but from the
perspective of social science.
This course involves an advanced academic
exploration of the earth’s surface, essence and composition.
Why Should You Study MA Geography?
There are many benefits of pursuing a MA
Geography course. The main benefits of pursuing this program are as
follows:
Through the comprehensive curriculum, this program
imparts in the students a thorough understanding of the relationships between
human activities and the natural world.
With the help of this course students will
be able to learn, collect and analysed the information before coming to a
reasoned conclusion.
MA Geography provides a basis for higher
studies and opportunities for advanced academic exploration and the research
through M.Phil, PhD courses.
The course is particularly job-oriented.
After completion of this course, students have various options to the pursue a
career in a wide array of fields in both the public & private sectors.
MA Geography degree holders will be able to
find jobs as Agricultural Specialist, Geographer, Cartographer, Demographer
& Forest Manager, Professor etc.
The average MA Geography salary in India
ranges from INR 3,60,000 to 8,60,000 per annum currently.
What is the Admission Process for MA Geography?
The MA Geography Admission Process can vary
as per the university rules and regulations. Some universities grant
admission to students in MA Geography course based on merit. Some of the
top-most Indian universities prefer conducting entrance examinations to grant
admission to qualified candidates.
Course Level |
Post-graduation |
Full-Form |
Master of Arts in Geography |
Duration |
Two years |
Examination type |
Semester System |
Eligibility |
Graduation with Honours in Geography or Geography as
one of the subjects with a minimum aggregate score of 55% from a recognized
Indian College or University |
Admission Process |
Merit/Entrance-Based |
Average Annual Course Fee |
INR 2,500 – INR 1,50,000 |
Average Annual Salary |
INR 3,60,000 – INR 8,60,000 |
Top Recruiting Sectors |
Public and Private sectors, Academic Institutions,
Research Organizations, Mining Industry, Resource Development Industry,
Forest Service, and Agricultural Research Agencies, NGOs etc. |
Job Positions |
Agricultural Specialist, Geographer, Cartographer,
Demographer, Forest Manager, Professor & Teacher etc. |
The admission procedures followed in a Indian
universities for admission to MA Geography course are given below.
Merit-based Admission
In merit-based admission, the universities
offering MA Geography grant admission to students are based on their marks obtained in the graduation level.
Entrance-Based Admission
The steps of the entrance-based admission are provided below:
Registration: Students have to register for
the entrance test by providing their email address, mobile number and the
password after which a login id will be created.
Filling up of application form: On creation
of login id, candidates are required to enter the required information are correctly.
Uploading of documents: In this step,
candidates have to upload the necessary documents such as photograph,
signature, id proof, Class 10 and 12 certificates, Bachelor’s degree etc.
Application Fee: On uploading the requisite
documents, students have to pay the requisite amount of the application fee
online.
Issuing of Admit Card: Based on the details
submitted by the students and the admission authority will issue the admit
cards to the eligible students.
Entrance Examination: After getting the
admit card, Examation dates will be released by different conducting bodies.
Candidates have to sit for the entrance test and then qualify the same to get
admission.
Declaration of Result: In the final stage,
admission authorities will easily release the results of the entrance test they
have appeared for.
Enrolment: Successful candidates will then be allotted seats to the respective institutes.
What is the Eligibility Criteria for Admission to MA Geography?
The minimum eligibility criteria for
students who want to pursue an MA in Geography from Indian universities are given below :
Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Geography or in
any discipline with Geography as one of the subjects.
Must have secured an aggregate of at least
55% marks in the Bachelor’s degree examination.
Which are the Top Colleges for Studying MA Geography?
Several universities across India offer MA in Geography. Some of the top universities among them are given below in the tabulated form along with their respective location, average annual fee, and NIRF ranking :
Name of the College |
Admission Process |
Average Annual Fees |
JNU, New Delhi |
JNUEE 2022 |
INR 1,860 |
BHU, Varanasi |
BHU PET 2022 |
INR 4,660 |
Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi |
JMI entrance exam |
INR 30,180 |
Delhi University, New delhi |
DUET 2022 |
INR 18,700 |
Panjab University, Chandigarh |
PU CET PG |
INR 9,625 |
Visva Bharati University, Birbhum |
Merit-Based |
INR 8,160 |
Banasthali Vidyapith, Jaipur |
Merit-Based |
INR 74,590 |
Mumbai University, Mumbai |
Merit/ Entrance-Based |
INR 34,805 |
Utkal University, Bhubaneswar |
Merit-Based |
INR 2,583 |
Presidency University, Kolkata |
PUMDET 2022 |
INR 3,970 |
What are the Career Options and Job Profiles Available After Completing MA Geography?
The areas of employment for students who
have completed an MA in Geography include opportunities in the academic and
research fields. Both public and private sector undertakings employ post-graduates for advanced research and exploration.
MA Geography degree holders will be able to
find jobs in numerous sectors including Forest Services, Educational
Institutions, Research Institutes & Fas Exploration Companies etc.
What is the Future Scope After Completing a MA Geography Course?
Students who have completed their
post-graduation in Geography have numerous career options. The future scopes
for students of MA Geography are given below :
Higher and advanced education: Students can
opt for higher advanced education and research opportunities after the
completing their MA Geography degree course. The higher education options they
can pursue are :
B.Ed.: For those who want to pursue a
career as a school teacher is either public schools or private schools can
consider enrolling in a B.Ed degree course. This course can provide them with
the necessary insights are required for
teaching at different school levels.
M.Phil.: Post-graduate students can opt for
the pursuing an M.Phil. degree in the discipline. This will present them with a
scope to gain more thorough and the intense knowledge over the subject and will
provide them with opportunities for academic research.
PhD: Students can also enrol in PhD
programs in the discipline as per the area of their liking. Along with in-depth
research and studies on the subject, this provides massive scope for the further
employment with higher pay-scales.
Competitive Exams:Students, after
completing their post-graduation in Geography, can appear in different
competitive exam for government jobs, including UPSC CSE, IFS, and PSC of a
different states.
Junior Research Fellowship: Students can
also appear for NTA-UGC NET-JRF that will grant them eligibility for employment
as Assistant Professor in Indian colleges and universities, and also open up
research avenues in the top universities.
Salary of a MA Geography Graduate
The starting salary of a MA Geography
graduate would be around INR 3 – 6LPA [Source: PayScale]. As skills and
experience increase, so will the salary increment. The salary are varies depending on whether it’s a private or
a public sector and the firm’s popularity. Even the job role of the aspirant is
a factor that is noted while the salaries are discussed
The benefits of MA in geography are :-
After completing a course in MA Geography, the aspirant can work in the public and private sectors depending on the type of work they prefer or the skills they have. They even have an option of further specialization by doing a postgraduate degree like a doctorate or even a further extension by doing other full-time courses. But even the MA degree has a high job scope because of the demand and the industrialization and development happening.