Department of Geography & Environmental Management

Geomatics is the fusion of geography and informatics activities and services involved in the collection, analysis, management, and integration of location-based data to enable improved decision and policy making. The Geomatics program will include courses in geographic information systems, remote sensing global positioning and surveying, spatial statistics, and computer science. The computer science component will give graduates the strongest advantage in the field of Geomatics. Students completing this program will be able to go beyond the competent use of existing Geomatics tools to develop applications involving spatial database development and management, data dissemination, spatial analysis, decision support, and modeling. 

The requirements are as follows:
The 40 course (20 units) degree requirements for the Geomatics plan will require a core of 28 courses (14 units). Degree requirements common to all BES academic plans are outlined in the Academic Plan section for the Faculty of Environment. The 28 Geomatics plan core courses include: 18 Geography courses, 2 Environmental Studies (ENVS) courses, and 8 Computer Science courses.

Geomatics Four-Year Honours Requirements (Regular and Co-op)

Year One
GEOG 101 Geography and Human Habitat
or GEOG 102 Geography and Our Planetary Environment
GEOG 165 Computer Cartography: Principles and Design
GEOG 271 Earth from Space Using Remote Sensing
GEOG 281 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
ENVS 178 Introduction to Environmental Research Methods
CS 115 Introduction to Computer Science 1
CS 116 Introduction to Computer Science 2
Three electives, one must be in English, either one of ENGL 109, 129R, 140R, taken in Year One
or ENGL 210E, 210F taken in Year Two.

A student who receives greater than 80% in ENG4U English is exempt from the English elective requirement.

Year Two
ENVS 278 Advanced Environmental Research Methods
GEOG 210 Image Interpretation and Photogrammetry
GEOG 387 Spatial Databases
CS 230 Introduction to Computers and Computer Systems
CS 234 Data Types and Structures
Students must take courses from each of the two following themes.  The student may take more than one course in either theme:
1. Earth Systems Science: one of GEOG 201, 209
2. Development and Environment: one of GEOG 202, 203, and one of GEOG 206, 208
Two Electives

Year Three
GEOG 310 Geodesy and Surveying
GEOG 316 Multivariate Statistics
or GEOG 318 Spatial Analysis 
GEOG 371 Advanced Remote Sensing Techniques
GEOG 381 Spatial Analysis Using Geographic Information Systems
GEOG 393 Approaches to Research in Human Geography
or GEOG 394 Approaches to Research in Physical Geography
CS 330 Management Information Systems
CS 338 Computer Applications in Business: Databases
Three Electives

Year Four
GEOG 471 Remote Sensing Project (1.0 unit)
GEOG 481 Geographic Information Systems Project (1.0 unit)
GEOG 487 Management Issues in Geographic Information Systems
CS 430 Applications Software Engineering
CS 436 Distributed Computer Systems
GEOG 490A/B Honours Thesis (1.5 units)
or Electives to fulfill degree requirements. (see notes below)

(Co-op students, see Note 5)

Notes for the Honours Geomatics Academic Plans

1. Minimum Required Units
Total: 20 units. Geomatics Plan: 14 units (9 Geography, 4 Computer Science, 1 Environmental Studies). All courses for which 1 unit is awarded will count as the equivalent of two courses. All units designated Geography (GEOG) and Environmental Studies (ENVS) are included in the cumulative major average. All Computer Science courses are included in the cumulative overall average.

2. Course Load
No more than 2.5 units may be taken in a term without the approval of the Associate Chair (Undergraduate Studies). Normally, approval for a sixth 0.5 unit will be considered only if the cumulative Geomatics average is 78% or higher.

3. Average Requirements
Students in the Honours Academic Plans must maintain an overall cumulative average of 65%, a Computer Science cumulative average of 60% and a Major cumulative average of 70%. All required courses must be passed.

4. Materials and Costs
For some courses, extra fees may be required to cover field expenses/travel costs, e.g., GEOG 381. Statements on extra costs, where required, will be found with the course descriptions.

5. Honours Co-operative Academic Plan
Honours Geomatics Co-op is a five work term Academic Plan in which four satisfactory work-term reports have to be written. The first work term occurs in the winter term of the second year.  PD2 taken during the first work term requires a work-term report, which will be considered one of the four required work-term reports. 

Enrolment in Honours Geomatics Co-op is limited. Students are admitted to the Co-op Academic Plan in first year based on secondary school grades. Interested students enrolled in first-year Regular Geomatics at the University of Waterloo may be considered for admission to any remaining Co-op positions at the end of first year based on university academic performance, an interview and work experience related to Geomatics.

The Honours Geomatics Co-op Plan has the same course requirements as the Honours Regular Plan.

6. Transfer Courses
It is possible for non-Geomatics students to apply for admission to Year Two. Advanced standing may be obtained through the transfer of courses/units from other Academic Plans and Institutions. However, advanced standing will not be granted to transfer students beyond the Year-One level (10 courses/5 units). All transfer students are required to complete a minimum of three full academic years before being eligible for graduation.

7. Restriction on number of First-Year Courses
For a four-year Honours degree a student must have at least 13.5 units at or above the 200-level.

8. Students may double count courses, i.e., once for the Geomatics Plan and one additional count for a joint honours or concurrent degree, specialization, option, or diploma unless otherwise stated.

Co-op Scheduling Recommendations

Co-op students in the Faculty of Environment are required to complete a minimum of five Professional Development (PD) courses, including an introductory course (PD1) that must be taken prior to the first work term. At least two other of the Professional Development courses must cover non-technical skills. Other than the initial course, these courses are normally taken during Co-op work terms. Students are encouraged to take a Professional Development course each work term until the requirement is met.

Year One
GEOG 101 or 102
GEOG 165, 271, 281
ENVS 178
CS 115, 116
Electives

Year Two
Fall Term 2A
GEOG  210, 387
ENVS 278
Students must take courses from each of the two following themes in Terms 2A and 2B.  The student may take more than one course in any theme.
1. Earth Systems Science: one of GEOG 201, 209
2. Development and Environment: one of GEOG 202, 203 and one of 206, 208

Electives, one of which must be ENGL 109, 129R, 140R taken in Year One or ENGL 210E, 210F preferably taken in spring term 2B. A student who receives greater than 80% in ENG4U English is exempt from the English requirement.

Winter Work Term 1

Spring Term 2B
CS 234, 330
Electives

Year Three
Fall Work Term 2

Winter Term 3A
GEOG 316 or GEOG 318 
GEOG 381
CS 230
Electives

Spring Work Term 3

Fall Term 3B
GEOG 371, 393 or  394 
CS 430
Electives

Year Four
Winter Work Term 4

Spring Term 4A
GEOG 481
GEOG 490A or elective
CS 338
Elective

Fall Work Term 5

Winter Term 4B
GEOG 471, 487
GEOG 490B or elective
CS 436

Minors, Options, and Diplomas

Minors, options, or diplomas are available to students in the Geomatics Plan including: