Academic Calendar 2024/25

Geography

ufv.ca/planning-geography-environmental-studies

Geography major (for BA students)

This section specifies the Geography major (no concentration) requirements only. Information on additional Bachelor of Arts requirements begins in this section and includes the requirements for declaring a major. Please check the Bachelor of Arts residency section of the calendar for how many upper-level credits must be completed at UFV in order to graduate with this program.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. Additional fees for course field trips and miscellaneous lab materials will apply to all students enrolled in Geography programs.

Program outline

Lower-level requirements: 29–30 credits

Course Title Credits
One of: 4
GEOG 103 The Physical Environment
GEOG 116 Earth Rocks
One of: 3
GDS 100/ GEOG 109 A World of Development  
GEOG 111 Environmental Issues and Strategies  
GEOG 140 Human Geography
Two of: 8
GEOG 201 Climate and People
GEOG 202 Understanding Your Earth: Landforms and Processes
GEOG 219/BIO 219 Biogeography
Plus:  
GEOG 241 Social Geography: The Urban Experience 3
or GEOG 242/ECON 242 Economic Geography
GEOG 252 Explanation in Geography: Quantitative Methods 4
GEOG 253 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4
One of: 3–4
STAT 104 Introductory Statistics  
STAT 106 Statistics I  
PSYC 110 Applied Statistical Analysis in Psychology  

Upper-level requirements: 28–36 credits

Course Title Credits
GEOG 433 Advanced Geography of a Selected Region 4
One of (physical geography): 4
GEOG 302 River Geomorphology  
GEOG 303 Environmental Hydrology  
GEOG 304 Coasts and Climate Change  
GEOG 307 Climates of Cities  
GEOG 308 Climate Change and Variability  
GEOG 315 Soilscapes  
GEOG 319/BIO 319 Swamps and Bogs  
GEOG 335/ BIO 335 Freshwater Ecology  
GEOG 353 GIS Applications  
GEOG 402 Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology  
GEOG 410/BIO 410 Plant Ecology  
GEOG 419/BIO 419 Paleoecology  
GEOG 453 Remote Sensing of the Environment  
GEOG 454 Geospatial Data Analysis Modeling  
GEOG 458 GIS Project  
One of (human geography): 4–5
GEOG 304 Coasts and Climate Change  
GEOG 311 Global Resources and the Environment  
GEOG 312 Nature, Power, and Place  
GEOG 313 Agriculture and Rural Life  
GEOG 314 Geography of Food  
GEOG 316 Geography of Food II: Fermentation  
GEOG 318 Water Resources Management  
GEOG 323 Geography of War, Terrorism, and Peace  
GEOG 331 Environmental Assessment and Management  
GEOG 340/GDS 340 Geographies of Development: Landscapes of Inequality  
GEOG 344 Geography of Urban Development  
GEOG 346 Geography of Religion and Peacebuilding  
GEOG 354 Approaches in Human Geography  
GEOG 360 Introduction to Regional and Community Planning  
GEOG 361 Environmental Economics  
GEOG 362 Geography of Tourism and Recreation  
GEOG 364 International Planning and Development Policy: Adapting to Climate Change  
GEOG 412 Environmental Geography Practicum  
GEOG 440 Advanced Research Topics in Urban Geography  
GEOG 447 Aboriginal Geography  
GEOG 460 Practicum in Planning  
GEOG 464/GD 464 Community Planning and Development: Local Applied Studio  
GEOG 466/GD 466 Community Planning and Development: International Studio  
One of (professional competency in geography): 0–6
GEOG 396/GDS 310/SOC 396 Global Development Studies: Canada Internship
GEOG 398/GDS 311/SOC 398 Global Development Studies: International Internship
GEOG 412 Environmental Geography Practicum  
GEOG 460 Practicum in Planning
GEOG 470 Advanced Field Studies in Geography
COOP 120 Co-op Work Term II  
At least 60 volunteer or work experience hours in a related geography field (see Note 3)  
Plus:  
Electives Upper-level GEOG courses 16

Note 1: No more than eight credits may be in Directed Studies/Directed Readings courses (GEOG 480, GEOG 481, GEOG 482, GEOG 483, GEOG 484).

Note 2: No more than 11 credits of GEOG 396/GDS 310/SOC 396, GEOG 398/GDS 311/SOC 398, GEOG 412, GEOG 460, and GEOG 470 can be used towards meeting the Geography major requirements.

Note 3: Students planning to complete this option should contact the program coordinator for information and the process for demonstrating their learning.

Co-operative Education option

The Co-operative Education option offers students the opportunity to obtain paid, career-related work experience in their field of study during their education at UFV. After completing their first year of study, Co-op students alternate between study-related full-time employment and full-time study.

Geography students are encouraged to consider pursuing a Co-operative Education designation within their degree. Interested students will need to apply at least one semester in advance of applying for employment opportunities through the program. Applicants must meet the requirements of the Co-operative Education program. Students should speak with a Co-operative Education Coordinator for placement possibilities in the Arts and/or Sciences.

Students who successfully complete three Co-op work terms will receive a Co-op designation on their transcript. Each work term is for four or eight months, and many of these are in the summer. In order to take full advantage of these work opportunities, students should consider applying by their second year of study. Students should see the Co-operative Education section of the calendar for further details, and should contact the Career Centre for further information, or visit ufv.ca/jobs/co-op-education.

 

Geography major concentrations

As part of completing a BA with a Geography major, students may choose to specialize in a particular sub-field, or concentration, of geographic study. Students may complete a concentration in order to advance their research skills, develop their interest area, or to prepare themselves for specific fields of employment or graduate study. The name of a selected concentration will appear on the transcript upon graduation. It is possible to complete more than one concentration.

Students interested in completing a concentration should speak with an Advisor to formally declare their program options (major, concentration, extended minor, or minor) by the end of their second year or beginning of their third year of studies. Students considering more than one concentration should do so even earlier. They should also check with an Advisor and the Planning, Geography, and Environmental Studies department coordinator for checklists and other information materials that will facilitate timely completion.

A concentration may be obtained in conjunction with a Geography Honours or a Co-operative Education designation. Students seeking an honours designation will need to apply to the honours program and complete the requirements of the honours program in addition to those required for the selected concentration. Students seeking a Co-operative Education designation should contact the Centre for Experiential and Career Education for further information.

This section specifies the Geography major concentration requirements only. Please refer to the Bachelor of Arts section for program requirements.

Urban Studies and Planning concentration

Lower-level requirements: 29–30 credits

Course Title Credits
One of: 4
GEOG 103 The Physical Environment
GEOG 116 Earth Rocks
One of: 3
GDS 100/ GEOG 109 A World of Development  
GEOG 111 Environmental Issues and Strategies
GEOG 140 Human Geography
Two of: 8
GEOG 201 Climate and People
GEOG 202 Understanding Your Earth: Landforms and Processes
GEOG 219/ BIO 219 Biogeography
Plus:  
GEOG 241 Social Geography: The Urban Experience 3
or GEOG 242/ ECON 242 Economic Geography
GEOG 252 Explanation in Geography: Quantitative Methods 4
GEOG 253 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 4
One of: 3–4
STAT 104 Introductory Statistics  
STAT 106 Statistics I  
PSYC 110 Applied Statistical Analysis in Psychology  

Note: One course of the following is recommended: BIO 106 or ANTH 225/SOC 225 (discontinued).

Upper-level requirements: 28–34 credits

Course Title Credits
GEOG 433 Advanced Geography of a Selected Region 4
One of (physical geography): 4
GEOG 302 River Geomorphology  
GEOG 303 Environmental Hydrology  
GEOG 304 Coasts and Climate Change  
GEOG 307 Climates of Cities  
GEOG 308 Climate Change and Variability  
GEOG 315 Soilscapes  
GEOG 318 Water Resources Management  
GEOG 319/BIO 319 Swamps and Bogs  
GEOG 335/ BIO 335 Freshwater Ecology  
GEOG 402 Quaternary Geology and Geomorphology  
GEOG 410/BIO 410 Plant Ecology  
GEOG 419/BIO 419 Paleoecology  
GEOG 453 Remote Sensing of the Environment  
GEOG 454 Geospatial Data Analysis Modeling  
GEOG 458 GIS Project  
One of: 4–5
GEOG 360 Introduction to Regional and Community Planning  
GEOG 460 Practicum in Planning  
GEOG 464/GD 464 Community Planning and Development: Local Applied Studio  
GEOG 466/GD 466 Community Planning and Development: International Studio  
One of: 4
GEOG 304 Coasts and Climate Change  
GEOG 307 Climates of Cities  
GEOG 314 Geography of Food  
GEOG 316 Geography of Food II: Fermentation  
GEOG 318 Water Resources Management  
GEOG 362 Geography of Tourism and Recreation  
GEOG 364 International Planning and Development Policy: Adapting to Climate Change  
One of: 4
GEOG 344 Geography of Urban Development  
GEOG 440 Advanced Research Topics in Urban Geography  
SOC 325/ ANTH 325 Culture and Theory of the City  
One of (professional competency in geography): 0–6
GEOG 396/GDS 310/SOC 396 Canada Internship
GEOG 398/GDS 311/SOC 398 International Internship
GEOG 412 Environmental Geography Practicum  
GEOG 460 Practicum in Planning
GEOG 470 Advanced Field Studies in Geography
COOP 120 Co-op Work Term II  
At least 60 volunteer or work experience hours in a related geography field (see Note 2)  
Plus:  
Electives Upper-level GEOG courses 8

Note 1: No more than eight credits may be in Directed Studies/Directed Readings courses (GEOG 480, GEOG 481, GEOG 482, GEOG 483, GEOG 484).

Note 2: Students planning to complete this option should contact the program coordinator for information and the process for demonstrating their learning.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.


Current Students