MPhil Geography: Admission Syllabus, Top Colleges 2024

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Note: As of December 2023, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has declared that MPhil will not be considered a valid degree in India. Learn More

M.Phil in Geography is a two-year postgraduate course. This course covers an introduction to geography, followed by giving insights on the physical characters of the earth.

MPhil geography requires candidates to complete their post graduation in MSc Geography, MA Geography, or relevant field with at least 55% aggregate to get admission.

Admission to this course is selective and is done by both merit and entrance tests. However, some institutions might take an interview before giving admission.

The major topics that will be covered in this course include population growth, urbanization, resource allocation, geopolitics, economic development etc. Candidates who opt for an MPhil in Geography can look for opportunities in the academic field, Colleges and universities as a professor or a teacher, Wildlife conservation agencies, Fertilizer industries, Dairy farms, Agriculture sector, National parks Institute, etc.

Check: Full Form of All MPhil Specializations

The starting salary for a freshman is about 3 lakhs to 9 lakhs LPA. Candidates who want to become Geography professor, Associate geographic technician, Geography subject matter expert, Geo analyst trainee, Geography content developer etc usually go after this course.

Table of Content

M Phil Geography: Course Highlights
Why Study?

2.1 Course Advantages

M Phil Geography Admission Process

3.1 Eligibility Criteria

3.2 Entrance Exams

M Phil Geography: Top Colleges

4.1 College Comparison

M Phil Geography: Syllabus

5.1 Recommended Books

M Phil Geography: Course Comparison
M Phil Geography: Job Prospects

7.1 Future scope

M Phil Geography: FAQs

M Phil Geography: Course Highlights

Course Level	Postgraduate advanced
Full-Form	Master of Philosophy in Geography or M.Phil. in Geography
Duration	2 Years
Examination type	Semester Wise
Admission Process	Entrance exam
Course Fee	INR 10,000 to INR 15000 for two years
Average Salary	INR 4,25,000
Job Positions	Geography professor, Associate geographic technician, Geography subject matter expert, Geo analyst trainee, Geography content developer, etc.
Top Recruiting Areas	Colleges and universities as a professor or a teacher, Wildlife conservation agencies, Fertilizer industries, Dairy farms, Agriculture sector, National parks, etc.

Why should you do M Phil Geography?

Cartography - Specialization in this subcategory allows the student to make maps, charts, globes and models. This specialization allows the student to work on the globe and gives an opportunity in developing new ways of observing maps and aby technology related to it.
Urban and Regional planning - This specialization is concerned with planning, housing and development of projects with respect to location and utilization of available land. A degree course is available in this category. While planning any construction or any change in the infrastructure on the land there is a need for a geologist to examine the land and submit a report.
Town planning - Many universities offer a diploma course in this field. Many public and private sectors need the students from this subject for urban planning and design.
Climate change and analysis - It is a professional field where the geographers are required to analyse scientific data and conduct research concerning climate and climate change and make predictions regarding the earth's future.

M Phil Geography: Course Advantages

Students of this subject are useful in ascertaining areas, where natural gas and petroleum are found inside the earth.
Geology also helps in the engineering level as the course is of much higher level, these students can be consulted in location, design, construction, operation and maintenance of engineering works.

What is the M Phil Geography Admission Process?

Admissions in Bachelor courses are also done through both merit and entrance exams.

Direct Admission

The admission process of M Phil in Bioinformatics may depend on the respective Institutes. However, the general admission procedure is mentioned below :

Application form: The candidates ought to apply for the course online or offline.
Reading the instructions: The candidates should go through the instructions before filling the application form.
First cum first serve: For the most cases, they will be selected for admission on a first cum first serve basis due to limited availability of seats.
Documents verification and fee payment : The final process of admission would require the candidates' verification of all the documents and payment of fees, as per the rules of the institutes.

Entrance Exam Based Admission

Most of the reputed colleges, provide enrollment on the basis of scores obtained in entrance examination followed by a counselling process.
Based on the combined marks, students get enrollment. In counselling, there are two rounds including group discussion and personal interview. In both rounds, the general aptitude and knowledge of the candidate is examined.
Accordingly, a merit list is then issued by each college or universities announcing the qualifying marks or name of desired candidates.
Enrolling for entrance exam based admission have to sit for the entrance exam and they should qualify for the exam as per the qualifying merit list provided by the institution.

What is the M Phil Geography Eligibility Criteria?

Applying candidates must have done a Master of Arts in Geography with a minimum of 55% aggregate score.
Apart from graduation some universities take a personal interview round to give admission.

What are the top M Phil Geography Entrance Exams?

Top M Phil Geography Entrance Exams are:

MPhi Entrance Exams	Exam Dates
JNUEE	Check JNUEE Exam Dates
CUCET	Check CUCET Exam Dates
LPUNEST	Check LPUNEST Exam Dates
GATE	Check GATE Exam Dates
IIT JAM	Check IIT JAM Exam Dates
VITEEE	Check VITEEE Exam Dates

M Phil Geography: Entrance Exam Preparation Tips

Divide your schedule: Studying without a deadline isn’t something that candidates can afford, therefore they must assign their days to certain topics and finish them within the deadline.
Revision is the Key: Candidates should not keep revision for the last minute. They should keep revision sessions for regular intervals. They should make some crisp notes for the last minute reading and avoid unnecessary panic before the exam.

M Phil Geography: Tips to get Best College

Candidates aspiring for a career and admission in a good M.Phil college should have secured at least 55% marks in Master of Arts in Geography.
Maintain a good performance record while pursuing a Master's Degree in a related subject.
Shortlist some colleges/ universities you wish to take admission to. Not all states have top colleges in MPhil Geography. Thus, be prepared to relocate.
Since M.Phil is mostly a 2-year course, keep a watch on courses that can be completed to boost career options.

M Phil Geography: Top Colleges

Many colleges are offering this course in India. Some of the top colleges offering this course are listed below –

Name of the College	Average fees (INR)
Himachal Pradesh university	INR 3,000
Kurukshetra university	INR 13,000
Madurai kamaraj university	INR 44,100
Maharaja ganga singh university	INR 40,000
Maharshi dayanand university	INR 62,800
Tilak Maharashtra university	INR 1,65,000
University of Delhi	INR 22,000

M Phil Geography: College Comparison

College Comparison between University of Calcutta, Kurukshetra University and Utkal University.

Parameter	University of Calcutta	Kurukshetra University	Utkal University
Objective	The University of Calcutta offers an M.Phil program in Geography. The institute ranks 7th in the country.	Kurukshetra University That is ranked 99 in India according to NIRF has a 1-year M.Phil program. Candidates have to clear their entrance test to gain admission.	Utkal University is ranked 96 in India. Admission to the M.Phil course is done via entrance exam.
Location	Kolkata	Kurukshetra	Bhubaneshwar
NIRF Ranking	7	99	96
Average Annual Fee	Rs. 4000	-INR 5200	INR 3000

M Phil Geography: Syllabus

The table shows some of the topics taught in the course throughout the 2 years of education.

Semester -1
S.No	Study Subject
1.	Research methodology
2.	Geography of regional development
3.	Advanced social geography
Semester -2
S.No	Study Subject
1.	Spatial aspects of Infrastructure and development
2.	Population urbanization and migration
3.	Dissertation continue after till the fourth semester
Practical
1.	Thesis and field work

M Phil Geography: Recommended Books

Some of the important reference books are mentioned below:

Name of The Book	Author
Prisoners of Geography	Tim Marshall
Physical Geography	Richard H. Bryant
Geography of India	Husain
Researching Geography	Gopal Krishan, ?Nina Singh

M Phil Geography: Course Comparison

All these degrees may sound similar. But these are different courses. Below is mentioned the comparison of all these courses:

See More: M.Phil. in History Colleges in India

Parameters	M.Phil. in History	M.Phil. in Geography
Level of Study	Pre- Doctorate Degree	Pre- Doctorate Degree
Duration	2 years	2 years
Course Overview	MPhil Geography is a more general geographical study, but also serves as training for candidates aiming to continue doctoral research.	MPhil Geography is a specialized research-based program on one aspect that is ancient Indian history and culture.
Eligibility	Post-graduate degree in Geography	Post-graduate degree in history, archaeology.
Admission Process	Entrance exam/ Merit-based	Entrance exam/ Merit-based
Average Course Fees	INR 1000 to 2,00,000	Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000
Job options	Geography professor, Associate geographic technician, Geography subject matter expert, Geo analyst trainee, Geography content developer, etc.	Teachers and Researchers, Conservator, Museum curator, Archivist, Geographist etc.
Salary Offered	INR 2,00,000 - 8,00,000	INR 4,25,000

M Phil Geography: Job Prospects

Top Job Profile and Average Salary are given below:

Job Profile	Average annual Salary
Geography professor	INR 4 LPA - INR 9 LPA
Associate geographic technician	INR 3 LPA - INR 12 LPA
Geography subject matter expert	INR 3 LPA - INR 6 LPA
Geo analyst trainee	INR 4 LPA - INR 7 LPA
Geography content developer	INR 2 LPA - INR 4 LPA

Future scope after M Phil Geography

With the help of an M.Phil in Geography, students will be able to make their careers in the field of History and can get a job as an Geographer.
Postgraduates who have cleared their NET/SET can start a teaching career as a History teacher in colleges/ institutes.
Government Jobs: If you are interested in working in the government sector, then pursuing an M.Phil can be a good career choice.
Candidates who are interested in doing further research can opt for a PhD in Geography.

M Phil Geography: FAQs

Ques. Is NET necessary for M.phil?

Ans. NET or any kind of entrance examination is mandatory for courses like M.phil and PHD at top universities.

Ques. Is M.Phil. higher or PHD higher?

Ans. M.Phil means Master of philosophy and PHD means Doctor of Philosophy. PHD is higher than the M.Phil course. However a person can do PHD without having done a M.Phil.

Ques. Has MPhil been discontinued?

Ans. As part of the National Education Policy (NEP), MPhil has been discontinued and interested students can directly opt for PhD after their post-graduation. This is with a view to aligning a higher degree with Western models of education. However, some universities are still offering the MPhil programme as a new education policy is yet to be implemented.

Ques. Can M.Phil. degree make you a doctor?

Ans. No, an M.Phil degree cannot make you a doctor. Doctor is a person who have a PHD

Ques. Where can I get previous year questions of NET geography?

Ans. There are so many books available in the market that sell previous year examination papers, You can refer to them. Also no a days we get everything online, there are many websites that provide the previous year papers for free in just a few minutes.