Program Requirements
**This program is currently not offered.**
The Master of Arts in Geography; Thesis — Environment is a research-based program of 45 credits. This program is offered in collaboration with the Bieler School of Environment (BSE). The program focuses on the role of science in informed decision- making in the environmental sector, and its influence on political, socio-economic, and ethical judgments. The thesis must be on a topic that relates to both the environment and geography.
Thesis Courses (24 credits)
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GEOG 697 Thesis Research (Environment Option) (18 credits)
Overview
Geography : Independent research under the supervision of a research director.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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GEOG 698 Thesis Proposal (6 credits)
Overview
Geography : Preparation and evaluation of thesis proposal.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Required Courses (9 credits)
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ENVR 610 Foundations of Environmental Policy (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : Analysis of current environmental policies to reveal implicit and explicit assumptions regarding scientific methods, hypothesis testing, subject/object, causality, certainty, deities, health, development, North-South concerns for resources, commons, national sovereignty, equity. Discussion of implications of such assumptions for building future environmental policies.
Terms: Summer 2025
Instructors: Umana-Kinitzki, Carmen (Summer)
Restriction: Enrolment in the Graduate Environment Option or enrolment in the Neotropical Environment Option (NEO) or permission of the instructor.
**Due to the intensive nature of this course, the standard add/drop and withdrawal deadlines do not apply. Add/drop is the second lecture day and withdrawal is the fourth lecture day.
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ENVR 650 Environmental Seminar 1 (1 credit)
Overview
Environment : Interdisciplinary environmental research seminars with the goals of appreciating both the breadth and interconnectedness of environmental research questions.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Open to students registered in Environment Option.
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ENVR 651 Environmental Seminar 2 (1 credit)
Overview
Environment : Environmental seminars and workshops focused on critical thinking, critical review of articles, team work, effective public speaking, grantmanship.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Open to students registered in the Environment Option.
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ENVR 652 Environmental Seminar 3 (1 credit)
Overview
Environment : Final research seminar.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: ENVR 650.
Restriction: Open to students registered in Environment Option.
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GEOG 631 Methods of Geographical Research (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : General research seminar in human and physical geography.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: McKenzie, Grant; le Polain de Waroux, Yann (Fall) McKenzie, Grant; le Polain de Waroux, Yann (Winter)
Complementary Courses (12 credits)
9 credits of courses at the 500 level or higher selected according to guidelines of the Department. GEOG 696 can count among these complementary credits for students with an appropriate background.
3 credits, one course chosen from one of the following:
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ENVR 519 Global Environmental Politics (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : How the problem of environmental degradation is dealt with at the international level. The scope and nature of global environmental protection issues that cross boundaries, both physical and conceptual. Actors, structures and processes of international society. Consideration of global commons and transnational resources and of environmental externalities.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: ENVR 201 or ENVR 203 or permission of instructor
Restrictions: Open to students in the Environment Graduate Option (available to other students with permission of instructor). (Not open to students who have taken ENVR 580 -- section 001 -- in Winter 2002, Fall 2003, or Fall 2004
Note: This course has been offered three times as a Topics in Environment Course
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ENVR 544 Environmental Measurement and Modelling (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : Utility of geographic information systems, remote sensing and spatially-explicit modelling for environmental planning in conjunction with analytical frameworks used in the decision-making process (e.g., cost-benefit analysis, life-cycle analysis and multi-criteria decision making).
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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ENVR 620 Environment and Health of Species (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : How major environmental problems affect the health of human and non-human species, and how environment and health interact at different spatial and temporal scales and with different components of the ecosystem. Immediate, chronic and evolutionary consequences on health. Uncertainty and causation.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Open to students in the Environment Option (available to other students with permission of instructor).
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ENVR 622 Sustainable Landscapes (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : Tools and knowledge needed to evaluate landscapes for sustainable management. Processes that shape landscapes, consequences of alternate landscape patterns on ecological flows, implications of management choices on biodiversity and sustainability, and need for social innovations.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: Students registered in Environment Option, or permission of instructor.
Note: An understanding of ecological principles is required to take this course. Comparative case studies will be used.
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ENVR 630 Civilization and Environment (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : Considers ways to reduce the human impact on Earth's life support systems through variables such as population size, wealth, technology, and conduct. Critically describes ethical frameworks for judging personal and policy choices, including post-collapse scenarios.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor
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ENVR 680 Topics in Environment 4 (3 credits)
Overview
Environment : Seminars and discussion of advanced, interdisciplinary aspects of current problems in environment led by staff and/or special guests.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restriction: students taking the Neotropical Environment Option.
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor
or another course at the 500 level or higher recommended by the Advisory Committee and approved by the Environment Option Committee.
