Department of Geography & Environmental Management

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

Electives including a course 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 Ontario Academic Credit (OAC) English 4 U (grade 12 university level) is exempt from the English requirement.

Year Two

Students must take courses from the three following themes.

1. Earth Systems Science: one of GEOG 201, 209
2. Geomatics: one of GEOG 271, 281
3. Development and Environment: one of GEOG 202, 203 and one of GEOG 206, 208

If desired, two of the required courses above may be taken in Year Three.
Electives (see notes below)

Year Three

GEOG 391 Field Research (not required for Co-op)
GEOG 393 Approaches to Research in Human Geography 
or GEOG 394 Approaches to Research in Physical Geography
Electives (see notes below)

Year Four

GEOG 490A/B Honours Thesis and one other Fourth Year Geography course (2.0 units) or 2.0 units in Geography at level four
Electives to fulfill degree requirements (see notes below)
(Co-op students, see Note 7)

Notes for the Honours Geography and Environmental Management Academic Plans

1. Minimum Required Units
   Total: 20 units. Geography: 10 units. All courses for which 1 unit is awarded will count as the equivalent of two courses. Outside of the Faculty of Environment: 4 units. Only two units designated Environmental Studies (ENVS) may be counted as Geography units but all units designated Environmental Studies are included in the cumulative major 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 Geography and Environmental Management average is 78% or higher.
3. Average Requirements
   Students in the Honours Academic Plans must maintain an overall cumulative average of 65% and a Major cumulative average of 70%. All required courses must be passed.
4. Secondary School Teaching
   Students intending to teach in Secondary Schools should check with various Teachers Colleges regarding admission requirements. Normally at least four courses of Regional Geography and at least four courses in another teachable school subject are required.
5. Materials and Costs
   For some courses, extra fees may be required to cover field expenses/travel costs, e.g., GEOG 391 Field Research. Statements on extra costs, where required, will be found with the course descriptions.
6. Independent Study
   Up to three independent study GEOG 475 courses may be taken.
7. Honours Co-operative Academic Plan
   Honours Geography and Environmental Management Co-op is a five work term Academic Plan in which four work-term reports have to be satisfactorily 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 Geography and Environmental Management 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 Geography and Environmental Management 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 Geography.

   The Honours Geography and Environmental Management Co-op Plan has the same academic requirements as the Honours Regular Plan with the exception that GEOG 391 need not be taken by Co-op students.
8. Transfer Courses
   Transfer students enrolled will be required to complete a minimum of 50% of their course work and half their geography units at the University of Waterloo.
9. 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.
10. Double Counting
    A course can be used to satisfy requirements for a maximum of two credentials. Double counting of courses applies as follows: once for the plan and once for a joint honours or concurrent degree, option, minor, diploma, or specialization. There is no limit on the number of courses that may be double counted unless otherwise stated.
11. All fourth year Geography courses will be restricted to third and fourth year Honours students. 

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 a Professional Development 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 100, 101, 102, 165
ENVS 178

Year Two

Fall Term 2A

Students must take courses  from the three following themes in Terms 2A and 2B.

1. Earth Systems Science: one of GEOG 201, 209
   
2. Geomatics: one of GEOG 271, 281
3. Development and Environment: one of GEOG 202, 203 and one of GEOG 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

Students should  take Geography theme courses in Earth Systems Science, Geomatics, or Development and Environment in Terms 2A and 2B.

Electives

Fall Work Term 2

Year Three

Winter Term 3A

Electives

Spring Work Term 3

Fall Term 3B

GEOG 393 or GEOG 394
Electives 

Year Four

Winter Work Term 4

Spring Term 4A 

GEOG 490A or level four Geography courses (1.0 unit)
Electives

Fall Work Term 5

Winter Term 4B

GEOG 490B  or level four Geography courses (1.0 unit)
Electives