The field of aviation has evolved significantly over the past 50 years and increasingly depends upon advances in geography and technology. Aviation and aerospace industries clearly demand specialists with multidisciplinary educational experience, a comprehensive academic background to help them understand complex aircraft systems, and well-developed analytical, critical thinking, and decision-making skills.
Honours Geography and Aviation is designed to provide a strong environmental, geomatics, and technology base for careers in a very diverse array of aviation and aerospace industries. It consists of an Honours Geography and Aviation Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) degree, combined with a Commercial Pilot Program. The Waterloo-Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC) component of the program provides advanced flight training leading to a commercial pilot licence. Coursework includes the essentials of aviation, as well as private and commercial pilot training, an instrument rating, and multi-engine rating.
For more information on the aviation requirements, see the Aviation website.
Year One
- AVIA 100 Introduction to Aviation
- GEOG 101 Human Geographies: People, Space and Change
- GEOG 102 Global Environmental Systems: Processes and Change
- GEOG 181 Designing Effective Maps
- ENVS 178 Environmental Applications of Data Management and Statistics
- CS 100 Introduction to Computing through Applications
- One of:
- One of (see Note 6):
- Option one:
- AVIA 101 Professional Pilot Program Course 1 (1B) (0.75 unit)
- AVIA 102 Professional Pilot Program Course 2 (0.5 unit)
- Electives totaling 0.5 unit
- Option two:
- Electives totaling 1.5 units
Maximum total of 5.25 units
Year Two
-
GEOG 271 Earth from Space Using Remote Sensing
- GEOG 281 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- ENVS 278 Applied Statistics for Environmental Research
- 200-level or higher GEOG course (0.5 unit)
- Earth Systems Science theme, one of:
- Economy and Society theme, one of:
- GEOG 202 Geography of the Global Economy
- GEOG 203 Environment and Development in a Global Perspective
- One of (see Note 6):
- Option one:
- AVIA 203 Professional Pilot Program Course 3 (2A) (0.5 unit)
- AVIA 204 Professional Pilot Program Course 4 (2B) (0.75 unit)
- AVIA 205 Professional Pilot Program Course 5 (0.5 unit)
- Option two:
- Electives totaling 2.0 units
Maximum total of 5.0 units. Note: Courses used towards a theme can also be counted towards a specialization.
Year Three
- AVIA 310 Human Factors in Aviation
- AVIA 417 Aviation Safety
- GEOG 309 Physical Climatology
- One of:
- GEOG 293 Approaches to Research in Human Geography
- GEOG 294 Approaches to Research in Physical Geography
- One of:
- One of:
- GEOG 371 Advanced Remote Sensing Techniques
- GEOG 381 Advanced Geographic Information Systems
- One of (see Note 6):
- Option one:
- AVIA 306 Professional Pilot Program Course 6 (3A) (0.75 unit)
- AVIA 307 Professional Pilot Program Course 7 (3B) (0.75 unit)
- AVIA 408 Professional Pilot Program Course 8 (0.5 unit)
- Option two:
- Electives totaling 2.0 units
Maximum total of 5.0 units
Year Four
- 300-level GEOG or 400-level GEOG (1.0 unit)
- 400-level GEOG (2.5 units)
- One of (see Note 6):
- Option one:
- Completion of Professional Pilot Program Courses
- Electives to complete degree requirements
- Option two:
- Electives totaling 1.5 units
Maximum total of 5.0 units
Notes
- Minimum Required Units
-
Total: 20.0 units
- Core requirements: 13.0 units
- Professional Pilot Program courses: 5.0 units
- Minimum units at or above 200-level: 13.5 units
- Average Requirements
- Minimum cumulative major average of 70% (all AVIA, ENVS, and GEOG courses);
- minimum cumulative overall average of 65% (all courses); and
- all Professional Pilot Program course benchmarks must be achieved. AVIA 101, AVIA 102, AVIA 203, AVIA 204, AVIA 205, AVIA 306, AVIA 307, and AVIA 408 are not used in cumulative major and overall average calculations and will not count towards any other University of Waterloo program requirement. Grading is Credit (CR) or No Credit (NCR).
- Per Term Course Load Allowance
No more than 2.75 units may be taken in a term without departmental approval and a minimum cumulative overall average of 78%.
- Independent Study
Up to three independent study GEOG 475 or AVIA 475 courses may be taken.
- Maintaining Aviation Status
In order to continue in the Aviation plan, students must maintain the University of Waterloo academic standards (see Note 2) as well as achieve the flight component benchmarks set by WWFC. Students are expected to maintain passing grades (70%) in all WWFC flight components. Students may be allowed to achieve this by using a "competency-based" approach, so long as they achieve the established benchmarks on time.
- Sequencing of Professional Pilot Program Courses
Professional Pilot Program courses (see list in Note 2)will be offered, some normally during the spring term, using the above sequence when possible; however, due to unforeseen circumstances, the terms in which the Professional Pilot Program courses are completed may be delayed. In cases such as these, students have the choice of taking elective courses, or a reduced course load, during the term for which the Professional Pilot Program course(s) are not offered. Students are encouraged to discuss academic and Professional Pilot Program course sequencing with the Geography and Aviation academic advisor.
- Aviation Costs
All costs associated with the Professional Pilot Program courses are paid directly to the Waterloo-Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC).
- Transfer Credit for Flight Training
Transfer consideration of previous flight training or Professional Pilot Program courses will be at the discretion of the Waterloo-Wellington Flight Centre (WWFC) and not determined by the University of Waterloo.
Students can be granted advanced credits up to and including a Private Pilot Licence. Program hours will be granted up to licence sign off and the remaining hours will be logged as career, not program hours. Students are not accepted past the Private Pilot Licence or if they have acquired a Night Rating. Students entering the program with a Private Licence will be required to attend WWFC's Flight Management Basic Courses as a review. Students who apply with the flight qualifications that meet the standards set by WWFC are eligible for the BES degree upon successful completion of the plan curriculum and transfer of credit for the flight courses.
- General Information Applicable to all Faculty of Environment Plans