Overview

A degree will be awarded to students who demonstrate proficiency within three geographic paradigms (physical, human and technique courses), and the ability to carry out advanced geographic study at the third and, particularly, fourth year level. Examples on the physical side include courses in geomorphology, biogeography, hydrology and climatology; whereas human geographic courses include cultural/population, political, economic and urban geography.

Students will need to understand the theory inherent to these specialized areas of physical and human geographic study and will also be exposed to actual “real life” application. The techniques courses collectively represent the discipline-specific skill set that geographers need to possess. As such, students will gain expertise in statistics cartography, geographic information systems (GIS), air photo and remote sensing interpretation, and geographic research and methodology approaches. These are the tools that geographers use to analyze various geographic phenomena that are more theoretically developed in physical and human courses or more broadly assessed in regional geography classes. Every effort is made to keep the student current in terms of using modern approaches with leading technologies but “tried and true” methodologies are also demonstrated. So that students maintain a world view, regional courses are also offered for various locations including Canada the United States the European Union the Pacific Rim and Africa.

Studies of physical spatial processes (physical geography) or human distribution and interaction over space (human geography) are introduced in the first year with two introductory level systematic courses. A specific subset of physical human and techniques courses constitute core courses in the curriculum and provide the knowledge for subsequent more advanced courses. Students will normally finish their core courses throughout years two and three. With the knowledge attained via these core courses students are ready for more advanced classes. As such it is normal for a student to gravitate towards either a more human or physical geography emphasis and/or pursue more advanced theoretical or technique-oriented studies in their third and especially in their fourth year (which may also include a directed studies or thesis).

• Three and four-year (Honours) programs lead to a Bachelor of Arts

• Students have access to a computer lab with current spatial software packages and a map library

• Students will study not only the physical features of the land, but also the structure of cities, global economies and markets, as well as political climates and changes around the globe

• Students learn to understand the complexity and interrelationships between the human and natural environments

• Opportunity to travel around Canada and abroad – previous trips have been to Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Pickering and Toronto, United States, Cuba, Mexico, Dakar (Africa), China

• Also available: Certificate in Geographic Techniques (in the Honours program)

Admission Requirements

Based on Grade 12 4U/M courses:

• 1 English or 1 Français (depending on language of study)

• 5 other courses

• Minimum average of 70%

Employment Prospects

Cartography, marketing, drafting, aquatic ecology, pharmaceutical industry, claims mapping, geology, civil service, economic development, environmental analysis, graduate studies, land-use planning, management, policy analysis and consulting in industry and government (municipal, provincial, federal and military), real estate, teaching...

Credit Transfer

Credit transfer opportunities are available from other recognized postsecondary institutions and are typically evaluated on an individual basis. Some fast-tracking opportunities also exist.