The faculty has been expanded in recent years to include a number of affiliates in other departments with expertise in such fields as GIS, natural resources, fluvial geomorphology, archeology, cognition, paleo-environments, and urban architecture. Berkeley students are expected to be independent, and we welcome those who have had professional experience and wish to return to deepen their education. Students are encouraged to range freely through the curriculum and to follow their inspiration where it leads, working in tandem with faculty advisors. While faculty have their own research agendas and teaching specialties, and often collaborate with students, we believe students should march to their own drummer. We expect students to read extensively, develop the necessary research skills, and produce well-crafted thesis and dissertation.
Many students publish their findings along the way, as well.
The University of California at Berkeley is the premier graduate research and education institution in the United States, and Geography students can take advantage of a wealth of corollary programs and faculty. The campus is rich with interdisciplinary Centers and Institutes in International Studies, Latin American Studies, Labor Studies, Atmospheric Sciences, Southeast and East Asian Studies, Humanities, European Studies, and many more. Collaboration with the Lawrence Laboratories is also common. Geographers direct several of these centers and students benefit from research programs, grants and symposia organized under their aegis. Geographers also provide core teaching in Development Studies, Environmental Sciences, American Studies, and courses at the University field station in French Polynesia.