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Note: This is the 2010–2011 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
Note: This is the 2010–2011 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
The Department of Geography offers programs in both Arts and Science. All B.A. programs in Geography (including Urban Systems) can be found under Faculty of Arts > Geography (GEOG).
Geography is a broad, holistic discipline - both a natural and a social science because it examines people and their environment and serves as a bridge between physical and cultural processes. Human Geography (a social science, thus B.A. programs) is concerned especially with the political, economic, social, and cultural processes and resource practices that create spatial patterns and that define particular places. Physical Geography (B.Sc. programs) integrates disciplines such as climatology, geomorphology, geology, biology, hydrology, ecology, soil science and even marine science. Whether considering greenhouse gas emissions, the spread of disease, or threats to biodiversity, in all cases, geographers are interested in where things happen, why, and with what consequences.
Our graduates go on to careers in environmental consulting, social agencies or non-governmental organizations. Skills in Geographic Information Science (GIS) are very marketable. Students are well prepared for graduate work in social sciences, urban planning and environmental studies at leading schools.
There are no departmental prerequisites for entrance to the B.Sc. Geography programs. Students who have completed college or pre-university geography courses fully equivalent to those in the first year of university may, with an adviser's approval, substitute other courses as part of their program.
A Science Major Concentration in Geography - Physical Option is available to students pursuing the B.A. & Sc. degree. This Major Concentration is described in the Bachelor of Arts and Science section of this publication; see Bachelor of Arts and Science > Geography (GEOG) for details.
Chair |
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T.R. Moore (until August 2010) |
New Chair - TBA |
Emeritus Professor |
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B.J. Garnier; M.A.(Camb.) |
Professors |
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P.G. Brown; B.A.(Haver.), M.A., Ph.D.(Col.) (joint appoint. with Æ»¹ûÒùÔº School of Environment and Natural Resource Sciences) |
T.R. Moore; B.Sc.(Swansea), Ph.D.(Aberd.) (on leave Fall and Winter 2010-11) |
N.T. Roulet; B.Sc., M.Sc.(Trent), Ph.D.(McM.) (James Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Professor) (on leave Fall 2010) |
G.W. Wenzel; M.A.(Manit.), Ph.D.(McG.) |
Associate Professors |
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G.L. Chmura; B.S.(Mass.), M.S.(R.I.), Ph.D.(L.S.U.) |
O.T. Coomes; B.Sc.(Vic., BC), M.A.(Tor.), Ph.D.(Wisc.) |
B. Forest; A.B.(Chic.), M.A., Ph.D.(Calif.-LA) |
M.F. Lapointe; B.Sc., M.Sc.(McG.), Ph.D.(Br. Col.) |
T.C. Meredith; B.E.S.(Wat.), M.Sc., Dip.Cons.(Lond.), Ph.D.(Camb.) |
W.H. Pollard; B.A., M.Sc.(Guelph), Ph.D.(Ott.) |
N.A. Ross; B.A., M.A.(Qu.), Ph.D.(McM.) |
R. Sengupta; B.Sc.(Bombay), M.Sc.(IIT, Mumbai), M.S., Ph.D.(S. Ill.-Carbondale) (joint appoint. with Æ»¹ûÒùÔº School of Environment) |
R.E. Sieber; B.Sc.(Mich. St.), M.P.A.(W. Mich.), Ph.D.(Rutgers) (joint appoint. with Æ»¹ûÒùÔº School of Environment) |
I.B. Strachan; B.Sc.(Tor.), M.Sc., Ph.D.(Qu.) (cross appoint. with Natural Resource Sciences) |
S. Turner; B.Soc.Sci., M.Soc.Sc.(Waikato), Ph.D.(Hull) |
J. Unruh; B.A.(Kansas), M.S.(Wisc.), Ph.D.(Ariz.) |
Assistant Professors |
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L. Berrang Ford; B.Sc.(Guelph), M.Sc.(Oxf.), Ph.D.(Guelph) |
S. Breau; B.A.(Moncton), M.A.(Laval), Ph.D.(Calif.-LA) |
J. Ford; B.A., M.Sc.(Oxf.), Ph.D.(Guelph) |
M. Kalácska; B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.(Alta.) |
B. Lehner; Dip. Hydrol.(Freiburg), Ph.D.(Frankfurt) |
N. Oswin; B.A. Hons.(Tor.), M.A.(Dal.), Ph.D.(Br. Col.) |
N. Ramankutty; B.E.(P.S.G. Coll. of Tech.), M.S.(Ill.), Ph.D.(Wisc.) |
J. Rhemtulla; B.Sc.(McG.), M.Sc.(Alta.), P.h.D.(Wisc. Madison) |
The Minor Geography is expandable into the B.Sc. Major Geography.
The Minor Geography is designed to provide students in the Faculty of Science with an overview of basic elements of geography at the introductory and advanced level.
This Minor permits no overlap with any other programs.
The Minor Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is designed to provide students in the Faculty of Science who have an interest in GIS with a basic, but comprehensive, knowledge of concepts and methods relating to the analysis of geospatial data.
One course to be chosen from:
* Note prerequisites
ATOC 309 | (3) | Weather Radars and Satellites |
COMP 420 | (3) | Secondary Storage Algorithms and Data Structures |
COMP 557* | (3) | Fundamentals of Computer Graphics |
GEOG 535 | (3) | Remote Sensing and Interpretation |
GEOG 551 | (3) | Environmental Decisions |
URBP 505 | (3) | Geographic Information Systems |
GEOG 201 | (3) | Introductory Geo-Information Science |
GEOG 203 | (3) | Environmental Systems |
GEOG 216 | (3) | Geography of the World Economy |
GEOG 217 | (3) | Cities in the Modern World |
GEOG 272 | (3) | Earth's Changing Surface |
GEOG 290 | (1) | Local Geographical Excursion |
GEOG 302 | (3) | Environmental Management 1 |
GEOG 351 | (3) | Quantitative Methods |
One (3 credits) from the following statistics* courses.
* Note: Credit given for statistics courses is subject to certain restrictions. Students in Science should consult the "Course Overlap" information in the "Course Requirements" section for the Faculty of Science.
BIOL 373 | (3) | Biometry |
GEOG 202 | (3) | Statistics and Spatial Analysis |
MATH 203 | (3) | Principles of Statistics 1 |
PSYC 204 | (3) | Introduction to Psychological Statistics |
SOCI 350 | (3) | Statistics in Social Research |
Two additional courses (6 credits) from the list of approved Geography courses below, including at least one at the 400-level or above.
GEOG 404 | (3) | Environmental Management 2 |
GEOG 501 | (3) | Modelling Environmental Systems |
GEOG 505 | (3) | Global Biogeochemistry |
GEOG 506 | (3) | Advanced Geographic Information Science |
GEOG 522 | (3) | Advanced Environmental Hydrology |
GEOG 523 | (3) | Global Ecosystems and Climate |
GEOG 535 | (3) | Remote Sensing and Interpretation |
GEOG 536 | (3) | Geocryology |
GEOG 537 | (3) | Advanced Fluvial Geomorphology |
GEOG 550 | (3) | Historical Ecology Techniques |
GEOG 555 | (3) | Ecological Restoration |
The Major is designed to provide a coverage of the main elements of physical geography.
GEOG 201 | (3) | Introductory Geo-Information Science |
GEOG 203 | (3) | Environmental Systems |
GEOG 216 | (3) | Geography of the World Economy |
GEOG 217 | (3) | Cities in the Modern World |
GEOG 272 | (3) | Earth's Changing Surface |
GEOG 290 | (1) | Local Geographical Excursion |
GEOG 302 | (3) | Environmental Management 1 |
GEOG 351 | (3) | Quantitative Methods |
3 credits of statistics:
Note: Credit given for statistics courses is subject to certain restrictions. Students in Science should consult the "Course Overlap" information in the "Course Requirements" section for the Faculty of Science.
BIOL 373 | (3) | Biometry |
GEOG 202 | (3) | Statistics and Spatial Analysis |
MATH 203 | (3) | Principles of Statistics 1 |
PSYC 204 | (3) | Introduction to Psychological Statistics |
SOCI 350 | (3) | Statistics in Social Research |
15 credits from approved courses in Geography, or elsewhere in the Faculty of Science, or in the Faculty of Engineering; at least 9 credits of which are to be taken outside Geography. Students may also include any courses that are not already counted towards the GIS techniques or the systematic physical geography requirements. Admission to 500-level courses in Geography requires the instructor's permission. It is not advisable to take more than one 500-level course in a term.
Advising Note: See the Geography website for the list of approved courses in the Faculty of Science. Some courses require the permission of the Department and from the Associate Dean of Science, Student Affairs.
GEOG 404 | (3) | Environmental Management 2 |
GEOG 501 | (3) | Modelling Environmental Systems |
GEOG 505 | (3) | Global Biogeochemistry |
GEOG 506 | (3) | Advanced Geographic Information Science |
GEOG 522 | (3) | Advanced Environmental Hydrology |
GEOG 523 | (3) | Global Ecosystems and Climate |
GEOG 535 | (3) | Remote Sensing and Interpretation |
GEOG 536 | (3) | Geocryology |
GEOG 537 | (3) | Advanced Fluvial Geomorphology |
GEOG 550 | (3) | Historical Ecology Techniques |
GEOG 555 | (3) | Ecological Restoration |
The Honours program is designed to provide specialized systematic training in physical geography. In addition to the Faculty requirement that Honours students maintain a minimum CGPA of at least 3.00, students who enter a Geography Honours Program on or after September 2006 must have a program GPA of 3.3.
Honours students are encouraged to participate in 500-level seminars with graduate students, but it is not advisable to take more than one in a term.
GEOG 201 | (3) | Introductory Geo-Information Science |
GEOG 203 | (3) | Environmental Systems |
GEOG 272 | (3) | Earth's Changing Surface |
GEOG 302 | (3) | Environmental Management 1 |
GEOG 351 | (3) | Quantitative Methods |
GEOG 381 | (3) | Geographic Thought and Practice |
GEOG 491D1 | (3) | Honours Research |
GEOG 491D2 | (3) | Honours Research |
3 credits of statistics*, one of:
* Note: Credit given for statistics courses is subject to certain restrictions. Students in Science should consult the "Course Overlap" information in the "Course Requirements" section for the Faculty of Science.
BIOL 373 | (3) | Biometry |
GEOG 202 | (3) | Statistics and Spatial Analysis |
MATH 203 | (3) | Principles of Statistics 1 |
PSYC 204 | (3) | Introduction to Psychological Statistics |
SOCI 350 | (3) | Statistics in Social Research |
15 credits from approved courses in Geography, or elsewhere in the Faculty of Science or the Faculty of Engineering; at least 9 credits of which are to be taken outside Geography. Students may also include any courses that are not already counted towards the GIS techniques or the systematic physical geography requirements. Admission to 500-level courses in Geography requires the instructor's permission. It is not advisable to take more than one in a term.
Advising Note: See the Geography website for the list of approved courses in the Faculty of Science. Some courses require the permission of the Department and from the Associate Dean of Science, Student Affairs.
GEOG 404 | (3) | Environmental Management 2 |
GEOG 501 | (3) | Modelling Environmental Systems |
GEOG 505 | (3) | Global Biogeochemistry |
GEOG 506 | (3) | Advanced Geographic Information Science |
GEOG 522 | (3) | Advanced Environmental Hydrology |
GEOG 523 | (3) | Global Ecosystems and Climate |
GEOG 535 | (3) | Remote Sensing and Interpretation |
GEOG 536 | (3) | Geocryology |
GEOG 537 | (3) | Advanced Fluvial Geomorphology |
GEOG 550 | (3) | Historical Ecology Techniques |
GEOG 555 | (3) | Ecological Restoration |
The Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, coordinates the 15-credit interdisciplinary African Field Study Semester; see www.mcgill.ca/africa.
The program is a joint venture between Æ»¹ûÒùÔº and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama. For more information, see www.mcgill.ca/pfss.
For more information, see Earth System Science Interdepartmental Major (ESYS).
This program is offered by the Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, Earth & Planetary Sciences and Geography.
Students in the Department of Geography interested in this program should contact: Professor Jeffrey McKenzie (jeffrey.mckenzie [at] mcgill.ca).