WELCOME FROM THE AGGS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Howdy!
On behalf of the entire graduate student body in the Department of Geography (the Association of
Geography Graduate Students, or AGGS), the Executive Committee warmly welcomes you to the
Department and to Aggieland.
Graduate school can be a challenging experience given the academic demands and the need for personal responsibility. Given that the transition into graduate school or living in a new place can be difficult, we believe it is useful that all graduates in the Department have access to a resource that can make this transition smoother. The following pages comprise a Guidebook that provides useful information for you upon arrival in Aggieland and to make your first semester a little less of a headache. Please use this document to supplement the Department Guide for particulars on your responsibilities.
We envision this document as a continual “work-in-progress” as university and department structure and policies change. Therefore, we strongly encourage that the information contained herein be updated on a regular basis to ensure that each consecutive incoming graduate class has access to the most up-to-date and relevant information. This will require contributions from everybody, as each of you have different experiences and advice to offer.
While this Guidebook is intended to be a reference for incoming graduates, perhaps nothing works better than personal interaction with a graduate who has been through the hoops. As of Spring 2011, AGGS established a volunteer Mentor program. Current graduates serve as volunteer mentors to the incoming graduate class for their first semester. Pairings will be made based upon academic interests. The primary role of the Mentor is simply to serve as a “go-to” person for the new graduate in the event she or he has questions regarding courses, departmental affairs, etc.
We hope you find this document useful as you embark on a successful graduate career.
Cheers,
Swann, Steve, Tynan, and Adam
Spring 2011 AGGS Executive Committee

A. Texas A&M in brief
( http://www.tamu.edu/about/facts/faq.html) ).
1.
What does "A&M" stand for?
Texas A&M, the state's first public institution of higher education, was opened on Oct. 4, 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, and at that time the "A" and "M" initials were used to abbreviate the name components. When the institution gained university status in 1963, the "A&M" representation (no periods, no spaces and with an ampersand) was incorporated into the official name in deference to the institution's history and rich traditions, but the individual letters no longer explicitly stand for anything.
2.
What is an Aggie?
An Aggie is a student at Texas A&M University. In the early 1900s A&M students were referred to as Farmers. The term Aggie began to be used in the 1920s and in 1949, when the yearbook changed its name to Aggieland, Aggie became the official student body nickname.*
*Source: Texas A&M Traditions and Spirit , by C.J. Bible
3.
What is the 12th Man?
The 12th Man is the entire student body—past and present. Sprung from the selfless gesture of E.
King Gill at a 1922 football game, the tradition embodies the core values held by the university.
Students still show that 12th Man spirit at each athletic event by standing for the entire game, ready to go in if needed.
4.
What is the mascot?
Reveille VIII, a full-blooded collie, is Texas A&M's mascot. As the highest-ranking member of
Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets, Reveille is part of a rich tradition. "Miss Rev", as cadets address her, is immensely popular and can be seen around campus, in class, or attending a number of events.
5.
What are the official colors?
Maroon and white. The colors are such a prominent part of A&M that they are referred to in "The
Spirit of Aggieland," which was written in 1925. Tied to their alma mater's pride, Aggies sing,
"We've got to fight for Maroon and White." As part of a new tradition for football games, certain games are designated as "Maroon Outs" where fans are encouraged to wear maroon clothing. In
2007, to make it easier to match the maroon color used by Texas A&M and its licensees, worldwide color authority Pantone Inc. created a custom " Aggie Maroon" color.
6.
Where is Texas A&M located?
Texas A&M University is located in the twin cities of Bryan and College Station, Texas. Home to a community of about 170,000 residents, Bryan/College Station is centrally located — only a short drive from Austin, Dallas and Houston.
7.
What is the weather like?
The local weather is fairly temperate and mild with low temperatures in the winter lasting only a couple of months. Typical lows during the winter are in the low 40s, and typical highs during the summer range in the 90s. The humidity for this region can make winter days seem cooler and summer days warmer, and scattered showers or thunderstorms provide relief and rainfall to the area throughout the year. Weather forecasts for the local area are available from the National
Weather Service.

8.
What is the Corps of Cadets?
Texas A&M was established in 1876 as a military institution, and the Corps of Cadets has played an important part in its history and development. While membership is now voluntary, the A&M
Corps of Cadets form the largest uniformed body of students outside the U.S. military academies.
B. Campus map
An interactive map of Texas A&M may be found at http://aggiemap.tamu.edu/ . This site uses Google
Maps as a basis for locating specific university buildings. A search tab on the right allows you to type in the name of the building (either the full name or the four-letter acronym that you will find on your course schedule).
C. Key facilities
Aside from attending the labs you TA or attending a talk, you may not get out of your office too much.
Nevertheless, it is important that you are aware of some of the facilities that will provide you with the resources to be successful.
Computing Services Annex (CSA)
CSA houses the majority of Geography graduate student offices. A computer lab with printers and a kitchen is available on the 3 rd floor. Weekly colloquia are also held in 303 CSA.
Eller O&M Building (O&M)
O&M houses the main office for the department (8 th floor), the 802b computer laboratory with black and white/color printers and a full-size plotter (8 th floor), the department lounge (8 th floor), graduate student mailboxes (lounge), as well as the Biogeography Laboratory (7 th floor) and the department meeting room (Room 712).

Evans Library
Evans Library provides students with vast resources for research. Books and scans of articles can also be requested and acquired via the library website at http://library.tamu.edu/ .
Texas A&M pays subscription fees to access journal publications. These can be accessed either through the library website, the ISI Web of Science, or Google Scholar.
Heep Laboratory
Heep Laboratory houses the main offices for the Applied Biodiversity Science program.
D. Eateries on campus
Visit http://dining.tamu.edu/facilities/ for a listing and map of the dining facilities on campus.
Coffee/sandwich shops are included on this list. Note in particular:
The Commons :
The food court here is the closest cafeteria to the CSA building. Although it is located inside a residence hall, it is open to everyone. Pay a-la-carte (no meal plan is needed) and there is substantial variety to choose from. If you are interested in Mexican Food, be sure to go downstairs. There is also a coffee shop located in this area.
E. Transportation
A car is typically useful in B/CS for getting around, getting groceries, etc. Some of us, however, do not have cars and/or don’t want to pay for on-campus parking. You do have some other options, although they are not as flexible (take it from one of the initial authors).
Bicycles
Although cycling can be fun, proximity to campus and grocery store is still important (particularly if you have no car). College Station is much more bicycle-friendly vs. Bryan given the sidewalks and wide bikelanes along major routes. More undergraduates tend to live in College Station, so noise at nights/weekends could be concern.
There are several stores in town that sell bikes.
Aggieland Cycling
817 Texas Ave, South, College Station, TX 77840
979.696.9490 http://www.aggieland-cycling.com/
BCS Bicycles
309 College Ave, College Station, TX 77840
979.696.6551 http://www.bcsbikes.com/
Cycles Etc.
505 University Drive, College Station, TX 77840
979.691.2453

Bus
The University maintains both on-campus and off-campus buses for students via the Aggie Spirit line.
Bus routes extend deep into College Station and Bryan. Bus route maps and operating times can be found at http://transport.tamu.edu/transit.aspx
. Summer and weekend service is more limited, and weekend service is canceled on home football weekends. If you use a smartphone/mobile phone, you can access information on the routes by visiting http://m.tamu.edu/.
Bryan also offers a shuttle service called the Bryan Transportation District (BTD). Students can buy a semester pass for ~$60 that covers unlimited rides. Maps of the routes can be found at http://www.btd.org/FixedRoutes.htm
. If time is of concern, however, this may not be the best option. The buses only run between 5 A.M. and 7 P.M.
F. Places of interest in B/CS
If you peek between the Best Buys and Arby’s franchises, there are some fun things to do in Bryan and
College Station. Here’s a taste of what the area has to offer:
Recreation:
The A&M Rec center is an invaluable resource, with an assortment of exercise equipment, playing courts, yoga/exercise classes, and a swimming center. The bouldering wall is highly recommended:

Bryan and College Station have extensive park systems with athletic fields, tennis courts, and grassy areas. Many of these parks are connected via bike/jogging paths:

College Station – http://www.cstx.gov/docs/map_06.pdf

Bryan – http://ims.bryantx.gov/park/viewer.htm

Lick Creek Park -http://www.cstx.gov/index.aspx?page=538 http://botany.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/LCP/LCPINTRO.HTML
o This is only 15-20min from campus, and free parking is available. A good place to see wildlife, many native savannah plants, and a variety of ecosystems in miniature. Dogs are permitted to run free as long as they are on voice command, so if you or your pet really want to stretch your legs, this is the place. Plus you meet a lot of friendly people doing the same thing.
If you’d like to see water in a solid state around here, your best bet is to go ice-skating:

Arctic Wolf – http://www.arcticwolfice.com/
There are two artificial lakes within a short distance of town, both of which offer biking, running trails, fishing, swimming, boating, and car camping:

Lake Bryan – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Bryan

Lake Somerville State Park – http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/lake_somerville/
If you like walking, running, biking, picnics, bird watching, outdoor life, etc., Bryan/College Station offers some great parks, like Brison and Hensel Parks. http://www.cstx.gov/Index.aspx?page=507
The TAMU Department of Horticulture also has two gardens, a Holistic Garden (education-oriented) on
West Campus next to the Horticulture and Forest Science Building (HFSC), and the Horticultural
Gardens hidden away on Hensel Dr just north of the Texas Ave-University Dr. intersection. Both make

great places to relax, see a variety of native and exotic plants in bloom throughout the year, or just to provide a neat background environment for study. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/holisticgarden/ http://hortgardens.tamu.edu/
Night Life:
Northgate is the center for socializing in College Station, found directly across University Ave from the school. There are a few good restaurants (particularly Café Eccell) and a number of bars:

Northgate – http://bit.ly/gcZznq
Downtown Bryan is generally the place to go if you’re not satisfied with strip malls and tallboys of Bud
Light. There are a few venues for music. Undergrads rarely stray this far:
 Revolution Café and Bar – http://www.myspace.com/revolutioncafeandbar

Stafford Main St. – http://staffordmainstreet.com

Texas Hall of Fame – http://www.texashalloffame.net
Austin – Austin is a two-hour drive from College Station, but it’s worth a trip once or twice (or ten times) a semester.

Concert listings – c3concerts.com

Events calendar – http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar
Entertainment/Sports:
A&M is renowned for its dedicated “12 th Man” fans. There are certainly a lot of athletic events on campus at which you can see a high level of play—as well as many thousands of people wearing Maroon:

Aggie Athletics – http://www.aggieathletics.com
Bryan has a summer league baseball team with daily ticket/concessions specials:

Brazos Valley Bombers – http://www.bvbombers.com
There are two multiplexes along Hwy 6, though they generally play the exact same films. Go figure:

College Station Movie Theaters – http://www.google.com/movies?near=college+staion%2C+tx
Museums:
The primary attraction in this category is the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, located on campus.

Bush Library -- http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu

A. NetID
Each student requires a NetID. This serves as both your username for accessing secure Texas A&M websites as well as the first part of your university NEO e-mail address (<your NetID>@neo.tamu.edu)
After confirming your acceptance to Texas A&M, you should receive your UIN (University ID Number).
Visit the “Activating/Creating a NetID” HelpDesk Central page at: https://hdc.tamu.edu/reference/documentation/?section_id=667 to do this. Another route is to visit the
Aggie Gateway at http://gateway.tamu.edu/ .
Choose your NetID wisely, as it will become the unique part of your e-mail address. You can set up aliases and change your NetID later (see below), but this can become a hassle later on once many people start getting your original e-mail.
B. NetID password
Each student needs a NetID password that is used in correspondence with the NetID for logging in to the majority of secure Texas A&M websites (NEO, eLearning, etc.). Upon activating your NetID above, you should be prompted to create a password. If you wish to change this password later on, visit Aggie
Gateway ( http://gateway.tamu.edu/ ).
C. E-mail address
All Texas A&M students have an e-mail account through the NEO system. Your default e-mail address is
<NetID>@neo.tamu.edu. For instructions in setting up your e-mail account, aliases, and forwarding addresses, visit http://hdc.tamu.edu/reference/documentation/?section_id=535 .
You will have to access your e-mail via the secure website http://neo.tamu.edu
unless you wish to use your e-mail account specified as the forwarding address (Gmail, Yahoo!, etc.). Here, you can read and send e-mails, set up folders to organize your messages, customize your address book, set up a calendar, and set your preferences (e.g., signature, fonts, etc.).
While you were in the application process, you probably gave the Department your personal e-mail address or your former school address. Often, however, the Department will not know your NEO address

until several weeks into the semester when staff start to develop the student and faculty contact form. By this point, it is likely important messages went over the Geography Graduate Listserve (which requires your NEO addresses) and you will have missed them. The AGGS Executive Committee should make an effort to contact the new graduates several weeks before the start of the semester to get the NEO addresses. These should then be sent to Tim Copple or Zach Cox (the College of Geosciences networking managers) so that they can add them to the listserve.
D. Student ID Card
Each Texas A&M University student requires a university ID card. You should obtain one as soon as possible after moving in. This will have your UIN printed on it and it is important to remember for logging in to your TAMU employment account (SSO) (see below), picking up prescriptions, etc. You will also need the card to check out materials from the library. With proper configuration, the ID card can grant you access to the O&M and CSA Buildings.
You can obtain your ID at:
Suite 2801
General Services Complex (GSC)
Be sure to bring a government-issued form of identification when you go to get your ID card.
Replacements for lost or stolen cards may be obtained here for ~$15. For more information, visit http://finance.tamu.edu/sbs/aggiecard/aggiecardFAQ.asp
.
E. Howdy! Portal
Howdy! Portal ( https://howdy.tamu.edu/ ) is a secure Texas A&M website that provides students access university services. A partial listing includes:
1) checking courses schedule,
2) registering for courses
3) ordering and viewing transcripts
4) updating student and emergency information (address, phone numbers)paying university fees and examining bursar account balance
5) specifying preferences for how to receive 1098-T tax form.

F. SSO
The Texas A&M Single Sign On (SSO) website system ( https://sso.tamus.edu/logon.aspx
) allows you to specify your preferences for health benefits, examine your payroll information, and specify the method of receiving your W-2 tax information.
You will need your UIN to log on. There is a link on the login page for setting up your password. It is highly recommended this password is different from your NetID password.

G. eLearning
The eLearning site ( http://elearning.tamu.edu/ ) grants students access to resources for their specific courses (syllabus, readings, assignments, etc.) and courses for which they serve as a teaching assistant.
You will need your NetID and NetID password to login to this site. The eL site has its own mail system that you can configure to have those messages be forwarded to your NEO account (under the My Settings link).
H. SELL Software Store
H. Office of Graduate Studies Information
The Office of Graduate Studies ( http://ogs.tamu.edu/ ) serves as the primary source of information and administrative needs for the graduate body at A&M. OGS organizes an orientation session for new graduates at the beginning of the Fall semester, as well as a host of workshops related to academic life
(writing thesis/dissertation, publications, grants, etc.). You should receive workshop notifications via email, and you can RSVP via e-mail or Facebook.
Annual Review
Each year, all graduate students are reviewed to ensure they are meeting graduate requirements and making satisfactory progress towards their degree. Dr. David Cairns is the Graduate Program Officer, and he receives and maintains this information. At the beginning of the spring semester, he will send out an
EndNote file and associated XML file that you will need in order to submit your relevant information.
Follow the directions below in order for you to complete this:
Exporting your current reference format:
1.
From your user account, start EndNote.
2.
In Windows, from the Edit menu, choose Preferences. In OS X, from the EndNote menu, choose
Preferences.
3.
Click the Reference Types option in the list of preferences.
4.
Under Reference Type Table, click Export to display a file dialog.
5.
Name the file, select a folder where you will be able to find it later, and click Save. EndNote will append an
.xml suffix to the file name. Then, import the XML file (GradReviewRefTypes.xml).
6.
From your user account, start EndNote.
7.
In Windows, from the Edit menu, choose Preferences. In OS X, from the EndNote menu, choose
Preferences.

8.
Click the Reference Types option in the list of preferences.
9.
Under Reference Type Table, click Import to display a file dialog.
10.
In the file dialog, locate, highlight, and Open the .xml file provided by the Graduate Officer.
Open the attached endnote library (GradProgressReport.enl) and you will find the following types of records:
Award
Conference Paper
Conference Proceedings
Course Taught
General Info
Goals
Proposal
Research Assistantship
Coursework
Degree plan
Grant
Scholarship or Fellowship
Thesis
Please enter your information for the year into the attached Endnote library and then send the library back to Dr.
Cairns. You can use the previous year's review form as a guide for what needs to be filled in.
Some of the forms will only need to be filled out once (e.g. General Info, Goals, Proposal, Degree plan), others will need a separate entry for each individual occurrence (journal articles, coursework, course Taught, Research
Assistantship, Scholarship or Fellowship, Thesis, etc.).
After you are done entering the information into the database, you can reload the original reference types.
Follow these instructions to do that:
Importing the table that you exported above:
1.
From your user account, start EndNote.
2.
In Windows, from the Edit menu, choose Preferences. In OS X, from the EndNote menu, choose Preferences.
3.
Click the Reference Types option in the list of preferences.
4.
Under Reference Type Table, click Import to display a file dialog.
5.
In the file dialog, locate, highlight, and Open the .xml file that you created above in the Export step.
Degree Plan
All graduate students will need to complete a degree plan that specifies their plan for meeting their credit requirements for the degree as per OGS regulations and department policies (which may vary slightly).
Under the guidance of your faculty advisor, you will complete your degree plan fairly early on (end of first semester of your MS: end of your second semester of your PhD). Before you complete the online form for submission to the graduate school, the department faculty will require a hardcopy for approval.
Once the faculty have approved your degree plan, you will be able to complete and submit the online version at http://ogs.tamu.edu/current/degreeplans.html
. After submitting it, OGS will request verification from your committee members and the department chair. After receiving the verification, it will take 4-6 months for OGS to approve your plan.
Doctoral Preliminary Exam
All doctoral students will need to complete a written and oral preliminary exam (aka, comprehensive, qualifying exams), an important step toward PhD candidacy and receipt of the PhD degree. Talk with your faculty advisor for preparation of this.
OGS stipulates several things about when you may take your prelims: 1) early in your fourth semester, and 2) when you have no more than 6 unfulfilled credits remaining on your degree plan at the end of the semester in which you take it. Unfortunately, because the department stipulates 64 credits to receive the
PhD, many students will not have 6 credits left by the end of their fourth semester. A signature from the department head is required in order to waive this stipulation. Forms for completing the preliminary exam process can be found at http://ogs.tamu.edu/current/steps-preliminary.html
.

Please corroborate the information presented in this section with the information provided in the Graduate
Policy Manual at http://geography.tamu.edu/pdfs/manual_aug_07.pdf
.
A. Research Clusters:
Biogeography
Biogeographers are broadly focuses on understanding of the spatial and temporal distributions of plants and animals and their interactions with each other and with their environment. Human activities have altered these ecological relationships. Informed decisions regarding land management practices, conservation, and sustainability requires rigorous and primarily quantitative biogeographic research. The application of geospatial technologies (e.g., GPS, GIS, remote sensing) and computer-based ecological modeling facilitates the generation of knowledge or new hypotheses on these relationships.
Research Topics:
Arctic vegetation dynamics:
The Arctic is undergoing what is perhaps the most dramatic and rapid change of any system on the planet.
These changes (e.g., terrestrial woody vegetation encroachment, sea ice melt) are largely attributable to climate changes. Current research projects in this area include: 1) quantifying and modeling historic expansion of shrubs on the Arctic Alaskan tundra using aerial photographs, GIS-based analysis, and computer simulation modeling, and 2) investigating the influence of herbivory on treeline dynamics in northern Sweden.
Forest and fire ecology in the southern United States:
Salt marsh dynamics in southeastern Texas:
Tropical marine biogeography in the Caribbean Sea:
Associated Faculty:
Dr. David M. Cairns
Dr. Charles Lafon
Dr. William Heyman
Climatology
Associated Faculty:
Dr. Oliver Frauenfeld
Dr. Brendan Roark
Dr. Steven Quiring
Cryosphere:
Associated Faculty:
Dr. Oliver Frauenfeld
Dr. Andrew Klein

Geomatics
Associated Faculty:
Dr. Anthony Fillipi
Dr. Burak Guneralp
Dr. Inci Guneralp
Dr. Andrew Klein
Geomorphology
Associated Faculty:
Dr. John Giardino
Dr. Inci Guneralp
Dr. Chris Houser
Dr. Douglas Sherman
Dr. Vatche Tchakerian
Dr. Michael Waters
Human/Cultural/Geography Education
Associated Faculty:
Dr. Robert Bednarz
Dr. Sarah Bednarz
Dr. Michael Ewers
Dr. Peter Hugill
Dr. Erik Prout
Dr. Jonathan Smith
Human-Environment Research Group (HERG)
The Human-Environment Research Group (HERG) combines quantitative and qualitative approaches to describe and explain the dynamic processes, meanings, and patterns that shape society's use of the world's resources. Interactions between society and environment are at the core of many of the world's most pressing social, economic, and political issues at the start of the 21st Century. The geographic scope of our research is broad and includes Texas A&M University’s home state of Texas, U.S.A., Mexico, Belize,
India, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, and Africa among others. More information is available at http://herg.tamu.edu/ .
Research Topics
Human Impacts on the Environment
Faculty and students draw from a diverse toolkit to examine processes and patterns that underpin human transformations of the environment. Building upon field and professional experience, our research in this area targets land-use and land-cover change in urban and rural environments, environmental conservation, human impacts on marine resources and the geography of energy. Research includes dynamic urban modeling and global environmental change and impacts of urbanization on the environment, science and sustainable management of tropical coastal and marine systems, land-use and land-cover change, impacts of agricultural land uses on the environment, and wind energy.
Political Ecology
Political ecology is a wide-ranging mode of inquiry that explores the complex interrelationship between nature and society which insists on a critical analysis of power, discourses, and control over resources.

Research in political ecology engages contemporary debates in critical development studies, environmental governance, and environmental justice in a variety of social, economic and political contexts. Research includes community participation in water resource management, water and sanitation and gender struggles, water security, and land use and land cover change related to production landscapes.
HERG faculty and students are also affiliated with the Applied Biodiversity Science (ABS) Program of
Texas A&M University. This interdisciplinary program aims to achieve integration between biodiversity research and on-the-ground conservation practices and is maintained by three pillars; integrated research in biological and social sciences; cross-disciplinary research and collaboration with conservation institutions and actors in the field; and application of conservation theory to practice. More information is available at http://biodiversity.tamu.edu/ .
Associated Faculty:
Dr. Christian Brannstrom
Dr. Burak Guneralp
Dr. William Heyman
Dr. Wendy Jepson
Dr. Kathleen O’Reilly
B. After-Hours access:
After 5:30 or 6 P.M. on weekdays, and all day on weekends, the main doors to CSA and O&M are locked. Access to the building is still possible via your ID card. After receiving your UIN and ID card, the university should be able to automatically provide you with the appropriate access. Please see Cathy in the main office (810 O&M) during business hours (8-5 M-F) for information on this if you can’t however.
Expect a couple days before your request can be processed.
C. Information Technology
Computing facilities
Computer labs are available for student use in both O&M (707 and 802b) CSA/Teague (307 and B009) buildings. These are Dell desktops that provide access to a wide variety of software (Office, ArcGIS,
ENVI, S+, SPSS, Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, EndNote, etc.),
In order to use these computers, you will need to complete a computer account application form (sample in Appendix A, page 26) and turn it in to Tim (806 O&M) or Zach (802 O&M).
After Tim or Zach process your request and provide you with a temporary password, you will be able to log in to the department computer system. They will allocate 20 GB of hard disk space to your local H: drive where you may save files. Their systems monitor the size of your space, so you will receive warnings once you are close to meeting or exceeding these limits.
Printers
Black and white and color printers are available in the computer labs, and a plotter is available in 802b.
In order to map the printers to your account, follow the directions below (this assumes that all computers are using Windows 7):
1.
Open the Control Panel by going to the Start menu > Control Panel.
2.
Click “View Devices and Printers” under “Hardware and Sound”
3.
Click “Add printer” in the upper left-hand corner

4.
In the Add Printer dialog, click “Add a network, wireless, or Bluetooth printer”
5.
Your computer will generate a listing of all the printers available on GEOGPRINT, along with their rooms. Select the appropriate printer.
Each student will have a set amount of paper that they can use without charge at the beginning of each semester ($40 for MS, $60 for PhD). When you log in to your department account, you will see a printer account balance in the upper right-hand corner. This will decrease as you continue to print files (color prints cost more). Once you exhaust your balance, please see Michelle in the main office to purchase recharge cards. You have two purchase options: $6 of print credit for $5, or $12 of print credit for $10. These recharge cards will refer you to http://printquota.geog.tamu.edu
where you will log on to with your department computer account information.
Enter the code on the card, and the system will update your printer balance as appropriate for the value of that card. You may also be able to work with Tim or Zach on acquiring additional print credit via your research funds. Any balance you have at the end of a semester will carry over to the next when the initial free credit is restored.
D. Association of Geography Graduate Students
(from http://aggs.tamu.edu
)
The Association of Geography Graduate Students (AGGS) is comprised of the graduate student body in the Department of Geography at Texas A&M University. AGGS is dedicated to providing a forum for the needs and concerns of the graduate students (e.g., financial, quality of life, etc.). AGGS is administered by an Executive Committee of four students (two Ph.D. students and two M.S. students) that organize social events and preside over the monthly meetings. In the best interests of the graduate students, AGGS also maintains representation at the meetings of the Department Faculty, the Graduate Enhancement Fund
(GEF) Committee, the College of Geosciences, and the Graduate Student Council. Unless otherwise noted, AGGS meets bimonthly in 712 O&M Building, from 12:30 - 1:30 P.M. on the first Friday of
September, November, February, and April.
Job descriptions of each of the officers :
Executive Committee: 2 MS students, 2 PhD students
Currently, members have no individually assigned titles or duties. The Executive Committee collectively:
1) develops meeting agendas; 2) organizes meetings; 3) records meeting minutes; 4) organizes department events such as the End-of-Year Party, the Welcome Party, Fall Emeritus Lecture, graduate symposium, and graduate student visits; and 5) maintains the group website.
GEF Representatives: 1 MS, 1 PhD
Meets with Dr. Tchakerian and Dr. Cairns in the Spring to review proposals concerning the allocation of
GEF Funds.
College of Geosciences Representative:
Attends monthly College of Geosciences meeting, organizes nomination packets for teaching awards at the college and university level, and provides reports at AGGS meetings.
Faculty Representative:
Attends all of the Faculty meetings throughout the year and act as an intermediary between the faculty and the graduate students. The Faculty Representative reports graduate student activity to the faculty and faculty activity to the gradate students in the form of a report or at the monthly AGGS meetings.

Graduate Student Council Rep:
Attends semi-monthly meetings of the Graduate Student Council and reports back to AGGS through emails and at the meetings.

:
(compiled by Cairns, Lafon, and Millington)
Required prerequisites for all M.S. and Ph.D. students in biogeography (may be waived if equivalent courses have been completed at another university):
• GEOG 331 – Geomorphology
• GEOG 435 - Principles of Plant Geography (or Intro Biogeography)
Biogeography seminar requirement (M.S. and Ph.D. students) - 6 units from:
• GEOG 624 – Plant Geography (Concepts in Biogeography) - required of all students. Also, at least one of the following:
• GEOG 635 – Advanced Biogeography
Statistics requirement (M.S. and Ph.D. students) - 3 units from the following or geography equivalent:
• STATS 610 – Theory of Statistics
• STATS 637 – Statistical Methods in Ecology
• STATS 652 – Statistics in Research II
Geomorphology seminar requirement for Ph.D. students only – 3 units from:
• GEOG 604 – Process in Physical Geography • GEOG 686 – Quaternary Geomorphology
(Concepts in Geomorph)
• GEOG 626 – Fluvial Geomorphology
• GEOG 670 – Coastal Geomorphology
• GEOG 687 – Geoarchaeology
• GEOG 696 – Geomorphology and Remote
Sensing
Geography seminar requirement – 6 units for M.S., 9 units for Ph.D.:
• GEOG 604 – Process in Physical Geography • GEOG 665 - GIS-Based Spatial Analysis and
(Concepts in Geomorph)
• GEOG 619 – Human Impact on the
Modeling
• GEOG 670 – Coastal Geomorphology
• GEOG 686 – Quaternary Geomorphology Environment
• GEOG 625 – Landscape Ecology
• GEOG 626 – Fluvial Geomorphology
• GEOG 660 – GIS-Based Spatial Analysis and
(Quaternary Environments)
• GEOG 687 - Geoarchaeology
• GEOG 696 – Geomorphology and Remote
Sensing Modeling
• GEOG 661 – Digital Image Processing and
Analysis
Relevant graduate seminars outside of biogeography – 3 units for M.S., 6 units for Ph.D.:
• ANTH 634 – Palynology
• ANTH 637 – Paleoethnobotany
• BOTN 620 – Field Systematic Botany
• ESSM 620 – Plant and Range Ecology
• ESSM 621 – Physiological Plant Ecology
• ESSM 622 – Biogeochemistry of Ecosystems
• ESSM 626 – Fire and Natural Resources
• FRSC 601 – Forest Ecology
• GEOL 648 – Stable Isotope Geology
• GEOL 650 – Paleoecology
• OCNG 644 – Isotope Geochemistry 
• RENR 660 – Environmental Impact Analysis
• WFSC 604 – Ecological Modeling
• WFSC 610 – Evolutionary Ecology
Management
• ESSM 630 – Restoration Ecology
• ESSM 647 – Range Grasses and Grasslands
• ESSM 648 – Wetland Plant Taxonomy
• ESSM 660 – Landscape Analysis &Modeling
• WFSC 612 – Conservation Biology
• WFSC 624 – Dynamics of Populations
• WFSC 628 – Wetlands Ecology

(compiled by Frauenfeld and Quiring, April 2011)
Courses required by the Department of Geography (6 units):

GEOG 610 – Geographic Methods and Theory

GEOG 611 – Geographical Research Design
Required prerequisites for all M.S. and Ph.D. students in climatology (may be waived if equivalent courses have been completed at another university):

GEOG 324 – Global Climatic Regions


GEOS 410 – Global Change
ATMO 324 – Physical and Regional Climatology
Climatology seminar requirement – at least 6 units for M.S. and at least 9 units for Ph.D. from:

GEOG 612 – Applied Climatology

GEOG 689 – Arctic Climates

GEOG 689 – Hydroclimatology


GEOG 642 – Past Climates
GEOG 604 – Processes in Physical Geography:
Synoptic Climatology
Statistics requirement – at least 3 units for M.S. and at least 6 units for Ph.D. from the following or geography equivalent:

GEOG 652 – Quantitative Methods in Geography; plus at least one of the following courses: o ATMO 632 – Statistical Methods in Climate Research o STAT 601 – Statistical Analysis (for engineering, math and science students) o
STAT 652 – Statistics in Research II o BAEN 662 – Statistical Methods in Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Programming/Data Analysis requirement – at least 3 units for Ph.D. students (strongly encouraged, but not required for M.S. students):

GEOG 689 – Environmental Programming for Climatologists (Fortran)

OCNG 657/658 – Data methods and graphical representation in oceanography (MATLAB)

ATMO 321 – Computer Applications in the Atmospheric Sciences (IDL or MATLAB)

CSCE 601 – Programming with C and Java

CSCE 602 – Object-oriented Programming
Relevant geography seminars – 6 units for M.S., 9 units for Ph.D.:

GEOG 619 – Human Impact on the Environment

GEOG 624 – Biogeography Theory and Methods

GEOG 665 – GIS-Based Spatial Analysis and
Modeling

GEOG 625 – Landscape Ecology

GEOG 626 – Fluvial Geomorphology

GEOG 651 – Remote Sensing For Geographical

GEOG 666 – Coastal Geomorphology

GEOG 686 – Quaternary Geomorphology
(Quaternary Environments)

GEOG 689 – Dynamic Modeling of Earth and Analysis

GEOG 660 – Applications in GIS

GEOG 661 – Digital Image Processing and

Environmental Systems
GEOG 696 – Geomorphology and Remote
Analysis
Sensing
Relevant graduate seminars outside of geography – 3 units for M.S., 6 units for Ph.D.:

ATMO 601 – Fundamentals of Atmospheric

Dynamics
ATMO 629 – Climate Change

ATMO 631 – Climate Modeling

ATMO 655 – Satellite Date in Meteorology

ATMO 659 – Tropical Cyclones

CVEN 627 – Engineering Surface Water

CVEN 674 – Groundwater Engineering

CVEN 675 – Stochastic Hydrology

ESSM 620 – Plant and Range Ecology

ESSM 622 – Biogeochemistry of Terrestrial
Global Change
Hydrology

Ecosystems

ESSM 624 – Terrestrial Ecosystems and


ESSM 626 – Fire and Natural Resources
Management

ESSM 635 – Ecohydrology

ESSM 660 – Landscape Analysis and
Modeling

ESSM 663 – Applied Spatial Statistics

PLAN 616 – Analyzing Risk/Hazard and
Public Policy

PLAN 647 – Hazard Recovery and Disaster
Mitigation

WFSC 604 – Ecological Modeling

WMHS 601 – Applications and Problems in
Hydrological Science

WMHS 602 – Contemporary Issues in
Water Resources
Based on this plan, MS students have 24 credit hours of course work plus 6 hours of 691 = 30 hours out of the total
32 hours required for the MS degree (the remaining 2 hours are “free” and can be used as needed).
Based on this plan, PhD students have 39 credit hours of course work plus 18 hours of 691 = 57 hours out of the total 64 hours required for the PhD degree (the remaining 7 hours are “free” and can be used as needed).
• ANTH 604 - Cultural Method and Theory
• ARCH 624 - Theory of Place-making
• ARCH 626 - The Embodiment of Place
• ARCH 646 - Historic Preservation Theory and
Practice
• ARCH 647 - Recording Historic Buildings
• ARCH 676 - Survey of Human Behavior and
Design
• INTA 607 - World Cultural Geography
• RPTS 604 - Principles of Community and
Community Development
• RPTS 605 - Community Organization
• RPTS 646 - Heritage Tourism
• SOCI 601 - Urban Sociology
• GEOG 619 - Human Impacts on the Environment
• GEOG 629 - Cultural and Political Ecology
• GEOG 621 - Land-Use and Land-Cover Change
• GEOG 622 - Environment and Society on the US-Mexico Border
• GEOG 689 - Applied Biodiversity Science
• SOCI 624 - Qualitative Methodology
• SOCI 625 - Seminar in Comparative and Historical
Methods
• SOCI 617 - Comparative Ethnic Relations
• PLAN 415 - Urban Issues
• PLAN 610 - Structure and Functions of Urban
Settlements
• PLAN 623 - Development Planning in Third World
Countries
• PLAN 629 - Neighborhood Revitalization
• PLAN 656 - Housing and Community
• PLAN 632 - Structure and Functions of Cities and
Regions