Admission to the Geography academic plans in the Faculty of Arts is gained in second year by approval of the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, Geography. Those interested should take the appropriate Geography courses in first year.
Three-Year General Geography
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of at least 60% and a cumulative Geography average of at least 65%.
Eligibility for graduation in the Three-Year General Geography academic plan includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate Program-level requirements. See "BA Degree Requirements."
- Geography Plan-level requirements:
- at least six academic course units (12 courses) in Geography, with a minimum cumulative average of 65%.
Required Three-Year Academic Plan — General
Year One
GEOG 100 On Becoming a Geographer
GEOG 101 Geography and Human Habitat
GEOG 102 Geography and Our Planetary Environment
GEOG 165 Computer Cartography: Principles and Design
3.0 unit electives which should include some Arts Faculty Group A requirements
Year Two
Students must take at least one course from each of the three following themes. More than one course in any theme may be taken.
- Biophysical Systems
- Geomatics
- Society, Environment and Economy
and additional courses so that by the end of the second year a student should have completed ten units. One of these 0.5 units should be ENGL 109, 129R, 140R taken in Year One or ENGL 209, 210E, 210F taken in Year Two. A student who receives greater than 80% in ENG4U English is exempt from the English requirement.
Year Three
Electives
Honours Geography
Continuation in this academic plan requires a cumulative overall average of at least 60% and a cumulative Geography average of at least 75%.
Eligibility for graduation in the Honours Geography academic plan includes successful fulfilment of the following requirements:
- Appropriate BA Program-level requirements. See "BA Degree Requirements."
- Geography Plan-level requirements:
- at least nine academic course units (18 courses) in Geography, with a minimum cumulative average of 75%.
Note: ENVS 178, 195, 200, 278 can be counted as courses in Geography for inclusion in the required nine units.
Required Four-Year Academic Plan — Honours
Year One
GEOG 100 On Becoming a Geographer
GEOG 101 Geography and Human Habitat
GEOG 102 Geography and our Planetary Environment
GEOG 165 Computer Cartography: Principles and Design
ENVS 178 Introduction to Environmental Research Methods or basic statistics course (see list of overlapping courses under Arts Grading Systems)
2.5 unit electives which should include some Arts Faculty Group A requirements
Year Two
Students must take at least one course from each of the three following themes. More than one course in any theme may be taken.
- Biophysical Systems
- Geomatics
- Society, Environment and Economy
and additional courses so that by the end of the second year a student should have completed ten units. One of these 0.5 units should be ENGL 109, 129R, 140R taken in Year One or ENGL 209, 210E, 210F taken in Year Two. A student who receives greater than 80% in ENG4U English is exempt from the English requirement.
Electives
Year Three
GEOG 393 Professional and Scholarly Practice in Geography
Electives
Year Four
GEOG 490A/B Honours Thesis or three Fourth-Year Geography courses (1.5 units)
Electives
Geography Joint Honours
(See Geography in the Faculty of Environmental Studies.)
Geography Honours (Arts and Business Regular)
Students may combine a Regular Honours Geography academic plan with Arts and Business. The requirements in Geography are identical to the Joint Honours requirements. (See Geography in the Faculty of Environmental Studies.) See also the Arts and Business requirements.
Geography Specializations
(See Geography in the Faculty of Environmental Studies.)
Minor in Geography
A total of five academic course units (ten courses) in Geography, with a minimum cumulative average of 65%, is required for the minor.
Note: ENVS 195, and 200 can be counted as courses in Geography for inclusion in the required five units.
Notes For All Academic Plans
- Students are encouraged to take a second-year language course and other Arts courses related to a regional specialization or to consider a Minor or Joint Honours academic plan within the Faculty of Arts. In the four-year academic plans, CS 100 is recommended in Year One for students without computer experience in high school.
- For some courses, extra fees may be required to cover field expenses/travel costs. Statements on extra costs will be found with the course description.
- Students intending to teach in Secondary Schools are advised to take at least four courses in Regional Geography and at least four courses in another teachable subject.
- Up to three course equivalents may be taken as Independent Study courses in Geography.
- All fourth-year Geography courses will be restricted to third- and fourth-year Honours students.