Program Requirements
The Major Concentration Geography - Physical Geography, which is restricted to students in the B.A. & Sc., is a planned sequence of courses designed to permit a degree of specialization in this discipline.
Required Courses (12 credits)
-
GEOG 201 Introductory Geo-Information Science (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An introduction to Geographic Information Systems. The systematic management of spatial data. The use and construction of maps. The use of microcomputers and software for mapping and statistical work. Air photo and topographic map analyses.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Elrick, Tim (Fall)
Fall
3 hours and lab
-
GEOG 202 Statistics and Spatial Analysis (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Exploratory data analysis, univariate descriptive and inferential statistics, non-parametric statistics, correlation and simple regression. Problems associated with analysing spatial data such as the 'modifiable areal unit problem' and spatial autocorrelation. Statistics measuring spatial pattern in point, line and polygon data.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Mahmud, Mallik (Fall)
3 hours and lab
You may not be able to receive credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar.
-
GEOG 203 Environmental Systems (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An introduction to system-level interactions among climate, hydrology, soils and vegetation at the scale of drainage basins, including the study of the global geographical variability in these land-surface systems. The knowledge acquired is used to study the impact on the environment of various human activities such as deforestation and urbanisation.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Chmura, Gail L; MacDonald, Graham; Knox, Sara (Fall)
Fall
3 hours
Restriction: Because of quantitative science content of course, not recommended for B.A. and B.Ed. students in their U0 year.
-
GEOG 272 Earth's Changing Surface (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Introduction to the study of landforms as products of geomorphic and geologic systems acting at and near the Earth's surface. The process geomorphology approach will be used to demonstrate how landforms of different geomorphic settings represent a dynamic balance between forces acting in the environment and the physical properties of materials present.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Bendixen, Mette (Winter)
Fall
3 hours
Complementary Courses (24 credits)
Courses are selected as follows:
6 credits of analytical techniques are selected from:
-
GEOG 308 Remote Sensing for Earth Observation (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : A conceptual view of remote sensing and the underlying physical principles. Covers ground-based, aerial, satellite systems, and the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible to microwave. Emphasis on application of remotely sensed data in geography including land cover change and ecological processes.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Kalacska, Margaret (Fall)
Fall
3 hours and laboratory periods
Corequisite: GEOG 201 or permission of instructor
-
GEOG 314 Geospatial Analysis (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Overview of both the theoretical and applied aspects of geographic information science and systems. Topics will include spatial analysis techniques, geographic models as abstractions of the real world, spatial data manipulation and management, and conceptual issues related to geographic data and technology. Introduction to a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Pro.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: McKenzie, Grant (Winter)
-
GEOG 351 Quantitative Methods (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Multiple regression and correlation, logit models, discrete choice models, gravity models, facility location algorithms, survey design, population projection.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Harris, Sarah (Winter)
Winter
3 hours
Prerequisite: GEOG 202 or equivalent or permission of instructor
You may not be able to get credit for this course and other statistic courses. Be sure to check the Course Overlap section under Faculty Degree Requirements in the Arts or Science section of the Calendar.
-
GEOG 414 Advanced Geospatial Analysis (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Advanced techniques in geospatial analysis. Geospatial methods and using geospatial information systems. Topics: geodatabases, interpolation techniques, spatial classification methods, data mining and machine learning, including working with a number of leading commercial software including ESRI’s ArcGIS Desktop/Pro.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Sengupta, Raja (Fall)
3 credits of field courses selected from:
-
GEOG 495 Field Studies - Physical Geography (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Field research projects in physical geography. Held locally in Monteregian or Eastern Township regions. The course is organised around field projects designed to formulate and test scientific hypotheses in a physical geography discipline. May Summer session.
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.
2-week field school
Prerequisites: 6 credits from the following list of Systematic Physical Geography courses: GEOG 305, GEOG 321, GEOG 322, GEOG 350, GEOG 372
Additional Dept. fee $579.99 will be charged to student fee account to cover the cost of transportation, accommodations, local fees and all meals for approximately 12 nights, as the course is held at the Gault Estate at Mont St.-Hilaire during May.
**This is a field course, so students won't be taking the holiday.
**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.
-
GEOG 496 Geographical Excursion (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Lecture course on the geography of a region and excursion through the selected country or region including landscape interpretation and field study projects.
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.
Winter
Prerequisites: GEOG 290 and permission of instructor
Instructor's approval required.
A fee of $2729.76 in Winter is charged to all students registered in GEOG 496 Geographical Excursion. The course is held in Barbados, West Indies and is given during the last week of February (Study Break). The fee is used to support the cost of transportation, accommodations, local fees and some meals for ten days. Note that the trip to Barbados is compulsory if you enroll for GEOG 496
-
GEOG 499 Subarctic Field Studies (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An introduction to the geography of the subarctic with emphasis on the application of field methods in physical and/or human geography.
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.
Fall
Instructor's approval required.
A fee of $2,329.11 is charged to all students registered in GEOG 499 Subarctic Field Studies. This course is held at Schefferville, Quebec in late August through early September. The fee is used to support the cost of transportation, accommodations, local fees and all meals. The department subsidizes a portion of the cost of this compulsory activity for each student registered in a Geography Major or Honours program.
9-15 credits in systematic physical geography selected from:
-
GEOG 305 Soils and Environment (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Discussion of the major properties of soils; soil formation, classification and mapping; land capability assessment; the role and response of soils in natural and disturbed environments (e.g. global change, ecosystem disturbance).
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.
Fall
3 hours and laboratory
Prerequisite: GEOG 203 or introductory course in biology or geology
-
GEOG 321 Climatic Environments (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : The earth-atmosphere system, radiation and energy balances. Surface-atmosphere exchange of energy, mass and momentum and related atmospheric processes on a local and regional scale. Introduction to measurement theory and practice in micrometeorology.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Knox, Sara (Winter)
-
GEOG 322 Environmental Hydrology (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Quantitative, experimental study of the principles governing the movement of water at or near the Earth's surface and how the research relates to the chemistry and biology of ecosystems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Lehner, Bernhard; Ali, Genevieve (Fall)
Winter
3 hours
Prerequisite: GEOG 203 or equivalent
-
GEOG 372 Running Water Environments (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : The course focuses on the physical habitat conditions found in streams, rivers, estuaries and deltas. Based on the laws governing flow of water and sediment transport, it emphasizes differences among these environments, in terms of channel form, flow patterns, substrate composition and mode of evolution. Flooding, damming, channelisation, forestry impacts.
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.
-
GEOG 470 Wetlands (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An examination of the structure, function and utility of wetlands. Topics include the fluxes of energy and water, wetland biogeochemistry, plant ecology in freshwater and coastal wetlands and wetlands use, conservation and restoration. Field trip(s) are envisaged to illustrate issues covered in class.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Chmura, Gail L (Fall)
Fall
3 hours
Restriction: Permission of instructor.
Note: A fee of $169.95 is charged to all students registered in GEOG 470. The fee will be used to support the cost of transportation (van rental, parking, and gas) additional cost for accommodations and food will be the students responsibility. The trip is required and will give students an opportunity to conduct field study in at least 3 different types of wetlands.
0-6 credits in integrative and advanced topics selected from:
-
GEOG 302 Environmental Management 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An ecological analysis of the physical and biotic components of natural resource systems. Emphasis on scientific, technological and institutional aspects of environmental management. Study of the use of biological resources and of the impact of individual processes.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Harris, Sarah (Fall)
3 hours
Prerequisite: Any 200-level course in Geography or MSE or BIOL 308 or permission of instructor.
-
GEOG 401 Socio-Environmental Systems: Theory and Simulation (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Conceptual and simulation models of key case studies for developing system thinking, including system stability, threshold dynamics in regime shifts, resilience, and adaptive environmental management.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: MacDonald, Graham (Winter)
-
GEOG 505 Global Biogeochemistry (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An examination of the storage, transfers and cycling of major elements and substances, with an emphasis on the global scale and the linkages between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Roulet, Nigel Thomas; Knox, Sara (Winter)
-
GEOG 506 Advanced Geographic Information Science (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Critically analyse major themes in geographic information science and draw out the practical ramifications for spatial technologies and research. Topics such as spatial interoperability, data quality, scale, visualization, location based services and ontologies are covered.
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.
-
GEOG 536 Geocryology (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Study of the unique geomorphic aspects of periglacial and permafrost environments. The focus will be on processes in cold climates, the impact of human activity on permafrost landscapes and potential impacts of climatic change.
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.
Fall
3 hours
Prerequisite: GEOG 272 and any 300-level geomorphology course approved by instructor
-
GEOG 537 Advanced Fluvial Geomorphology (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : An examination of current advances in fluvial geomorphology: sediment entrainment and transport, alluviation and river channel evolution.
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.
Winter
Prerequisite (Undergraduate): permission of instructor
-
GEOG 550 Historical Ecology Techniques (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : Principles and methods of Quaternary paleoecology and vegetation reconstruction. Examination of ecosystem response to human disturbance and environmental change.
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.
-
GEOG 555 Ecological Restoration (3 credits)
Overview
Geography : A broad overview of ecological restoration. Considers causes of environmental degradation, why and what we restore, how restoration goals are set, and standards in restoration practice, as well as critiques and philosophies of ecological restoration, such as "ecocultural" restoration.
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.
