Academic Calendar 2025-2026

Geography (GPHY)

GPHY 101  Human Geography  Units: 3.00  
The fundamentals of human geography including the meanings of place, the impacts of globalization, multiculturalism, population change and movement, environmental history and politics, cultural geography, issues of uneven resource distribution, the role of colonialism in the modern shape of the world, agricultural geography, and urban geography.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 18 Tutorial, 42 Online Activity, 36 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite None. Exclusion BADR 100/3.0; BISC 100/3.0*.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Articulate the distinctiveness of Geography as a discipline.
  2. Describe key concepts of place, space, scale and location, and the relationships between these as they relate to Human Geography.
  3. Demonstrate an applied understanding of place and space-based approaches to contemporary issues and events.
  4. Identify core causes of social and geographical inequalities that shape our world (e.g., distribution of resources, migration controls, health disparities, etc.) and explain the impacts of these inequalities across multiple scales.
  5. Learn and apply a variety of research methods used in the study of Human Geography.
  
GPHY 102  Physical Geography and Natural Resources  Units: 3.00  
This course introduces the major concepts studied in physical geography and natural resources. The processes and interrelationships between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere, particularly at, or near the Earth's surface, are investigated to serve as a basis for understanding the nature and distribution of natural resources.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite None.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Gain knowledge of key concepts and laws governing physical geography / Earth system science.
  2. Understand the processes giving rise to patterns and phenomena observed in the Earth system at local, regional, and global scales.
  3. Discover the use and implementation of basic tools and techniques used by geographers to study spatial and temporal patterns.
  4. Appreciate the way humans are linked to, as well as impact, the Earth's systems.
  
GPHY 207  Principles of Biogeography  Units: 3.00  
An examination of ecological and earth system processes that affect the dynamics of organisms, their spatial patterns and their variability in time.
Learning Hours: 114 (36 Lecture, 18 Practicum, 12 Individual Instruction, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 102/3.0 or [3.0 units from BIOL or GEOL]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Develop a critical understanding of key concepts related to ecological and historical biogeography.
  2. Explain the impacts of contemporary environmental issues on biophysical processes and environmental change that influence species distribution.
  3. Apply understanding of how the physical environment and biological interactions can influence species distribution and abundance at different scales.
  4. Analyze global species distribution patterns as a function of climate, latitude, glacial history, and geological history.
  
GPHY 208  Surface Processes, Landforms, and Soils  Units: 3.00  
Explores the structure of, and physical processes responsible for the development of landforms and soils. Understanding these systems is directly relevant to environmental planning, hazard and risk assessment, geology, and surface processes on other planets. Topics include weathering, volcanic, tectonic, mass wasting, glacial, and fluvial processes.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $25.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 36 Laboratory, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite GPHY 102/3.0 or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Recognize and explain the relevance of geomorphology and pedology as it applies the environment, earth sciences, climate and planning.
  2. Explain and categorize the geomorphological agents/forces and processes that shape the earth’s surface. Emphasis will be placed on weathering, pedogenic (soil forming), tectonic, volcanic, mass wasting, glacial, and fluvial processes.
  3. Recognize landforms, soil orders, and sediment structures and explain the processes and forces that created them.
  4. Apply the use of air photos, maps, and remote sensing imagery (e.g., Google Earth), to identify earth surface features and infer their processes of formation.
  
GPHY 209  Weather and Climate  Units: 3.00  
The weather and climate system will be investigated to provide a background to interpret weather conditions and to understand broader climate and climate change phenomena. Topics include: atmospheric properties, energy and moisture exchanges, weather system evolution, precipitation, climate classification, and forecasting.
Learning Hours: 114 (36 Lecture, 18 Practicum, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite GPHY 102/3.0 or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Gain an understanding of the processes behind the creation of weather patterns and phenomena.
  2. Identify and recognize how large-scale aspects of our atmosphere are formed, how they evolve and move, and what impact they have on our global, regional, and local weather systems.
  3. Explore and explain the distinction between weather and climate, the connection between them, observed changes and their possible impacts.
  4. Be able to discuss the weather with an understanding of consequences for day-to-day life.
  
GPHY 215  Field Studies in Physical Geography  Units: 3.00  
This course will introduce students to field methods and techniques used in wide variety of physical geography and related environmental fields. The emphasis will be on hands-on application of field sampling, measuring and mapping approaches.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $100.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 24 Laboratory, 42 Off-Campus Activity, 30 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite GPHY 102/3.0 or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Be able to use appropriate methodologies to collect environmental data.
  2. Develop skills to communicate field data results with maps, tables, and figures.
  3. Learn to recognize approaches to quality control of data.
  4. Gain an appreciation for the detailed planning behind field data collection.
  5. Discover the importance of taking detailed field notes.
  
GPHY 227  Cities: Geography, Planning, and Urban Life  Units: 3.00  
The city from a geographical and planning perspective. Topics include origins of urbanism; mega; migrant, and global cities; urban competitiveness; land use planning and design; suburbanization and sprawl; new urban identities and culture; retailing transport; public space; private and temporary cities; urban poverty; politics and governance; sustainable urban futures.
Learning Hours: 120 (18 Lecture, 18 Tutorial, 24 Online Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Articulate the rationale for several approaches to urban geography and how it is possible to gain urban insights from each.
  2. Define the concepts of space, place, scale, urbanization, urbanism, and planning and understand how they help us study cities from a geographical perspective.
  3. Describe current urbanization trends and projects for countries around the world, with a particular knowledge of the post WWII and contemporary Canadian urban context.
  4. Demonstrate the integral role that space plays in shaping how urban residents express their social and cultural values.
  5. Analyze how cities are governed and how they could be more sustainable in the future.
  6. Demonstrate active listening skills to consider peers' perspectives and to articulate effective communication with peers.
  
GPHY 228  Geographies of the Global Political Economy  Units: 3.00  
This course examines how geographers understand the global economic system. Topics include globalization, regional economic integration, transnational production and marketing strategies of firms, new patterns of consumption, the rise of the service economy, and work and employment in the new economy.
Learning Hours: 129 (18 Lecture, 18 Tutorial, 9 Group Learning, 24 Online Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explain using the basic concepts, theories, and frameworks from economic and political geography the connection between global scale social, economic, environmental, and political challenges, e.g., climate change, energy (in)security, debt crises and civil unrest.
  2. Describe how capitalism (as a system) and globalization (as a process of integration) create patterns of uneven development within and between countries and different geopolitical regions.
  3. Critically evaluate key political economic theories (e.g., neoliberalism, Marxism), policies (e.g., trade liberalization), and practices (e.g., structural adjustment programs) within the context of globalization, focusing on how they shape and sustain the hierarchical ordering of space, power, and resources.
  4. Consolidate their knowledge about space, place, scale, and power as abstract concepts and apply them to an analysis of how inequality is produced and reproduced in the global economy.
  5. Communicate key concepts from the course, (e.g., capitalism, uneven development, inequality) in plain language format to a non-academic audience.
  6. Develop critical thinking, research, and analytical skills through engagement with academic literature and case studies as well as written assignments and class participation.
  
GPHY 229  Place, Space, Culture, and Social Life  Units: 3.00  
The role of place and space in understanding how social identities (gender, sexuality, race, nationality, class) are constructed and contested. Topics include the spaces and meanings of the body, home, work, leisure and consumption, cultural landscapes, constructions of nature, globalization and issues of knowledge, power and imperialism.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 24 Online Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explain key theoretical approaches and concepts in social and cultural geography, including landscape, place, space, borders, and diaspora.
  2. Describe how interlocking systems of power shape social geographies across the Global North and Global South.
  3. Analyze cultural artefacts and case studies to explain how people make sense of their social and cultural worlds.
  4. Communicate complex ideas in written, verbal, and visual form.
  
GPHY 230  Introduction to Urban and Regional Planning  Units: 3.00  
Introduction to histories, concepts, principles and practices of urban and regional planning. Examines how diverse residents of communities are involved in plan preparation, technical analyses behind the plans, implementation tools and guiding infrastructure investment. Includes international precedents but focuses on Canadian community planning.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify and describe some major trends in urban and regional planning from prehistoric times to the present.
  2. Identify and classify important historical plan precedents from maps and drawings.
  3. Understand the evolution of Canadian community planning from social, environmental, and regulatory perspectives.
  4. Identify and define key terms and concepts from different interdisciplinary fields that intersect with planning practice.
  5. Develop a basic familiarity with some of the tools and techniques planners employ in their work.
  6. Compare and critically assess the quality of contemporary community plans.
  
GPHY 240  Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Geography  Units: 3.00  
An introduction to basic issues in research with human participants, and the qualitative methods commonly employed in such research in geography. Where relevant, students may be introduced to computer software used in qualitative research.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 18 Laboratory, 66 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 101/3.0 or GPHY 102/3.0 or BADR 100/3.0 or BISC 100/3.0*) or permission of the Department. Exclusion BMED 270/3.0*; HSCI 270/3.0; SOCY 210/3.0.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Gain a hands-on appreciation for the value and purpose of qualitative research in a well-justified research proposal.
  2. Learn how to craft a geographic research question and choose appropriate research methods to answer it.
  3. Access and assess published research using different search tools and evaluative frameworks.
  4. Practice critical reflexivity to deepen understanding of the relationships between social position, power dynamics and research ethics.
  5. Provide, receive, and implement constructive feedback on a research proposal.
  
GPHY 242  Remote Sensing I: Remote Sensing of the Environment  Units: 3.00  
The physical principles and practices of collecting, analyzing and interpreting various remote sensing data from the visible, infrared, and microwave regions of the electromagnetic spectrum are examined. In addition, the display, enhancement and interpretation of various digital remote sensing data, from airborne to satellite scales, is emphasized. Enrolment is limited.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 36 Laboratory, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explain key concepts of remote sensing and apply governing laws of electromagnetic radiation as they relate to imaging systems.
  2. Apply standard image processing techniques to view, analyze, and interpret remote sensing data across a range of spatial and temporal scales.
  3. Describe and demonstrate how remote sensing derivatives can be used to map or model a range of environmental processes and urban phenomena.
  4. Recognize the limitations of remotely sensed data in environmental and urban applications, and issues surrounding data access, surveillance, and privacy.
  
GPHY 243  Geographic Information Science  Units: 3.00  
An introduction to the basic principles, techniques and applications of Geographic Information Science. Students will learn concepts of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), georeferencing, vector and raster based models and the nature of geospatial data.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 24 Practicum, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify key concepts in Geographical Information Science.
  2. Visualize spatial data to create maps and identify patterns.
  3. Apply Geographic Information Systems to the interpretation and analysis of raster and vector data.
  4. Recognize the limitations of spatial data to describe geographic processes.
  
GPHY 247  Introduction to Statistics  Units: 3.00  
An introduction to the analysis of data from real life situations. Covers study design, descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics include probability, t-tests, regression, Chi-square tests, analysis of variance. Emphasis is in the foundation of statistical inference and practical application of statistical methods using statistical software.
Learning Hours: 126 (12 Lecture, 18 Laboratory, 48 Online Activity, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 101/3.0 or GPHY 102/3.0 or BADR 100/3.0 or BISC 100/3.0*) or permission of the Department. Exclusion Maximum of one course from: BIOL 243/3.0; CHEE 209/3.5; CISC 171/3.0; COMM 162/3.0; ECON 250/3.0; GPHY 247/3.0; HSCI 190/3.0; KNPE 251/3.0; NURS 323/3.0; POLS 285/3.0; POLS 385/3.0*; PSYC 202/3.0; SOCY 211/3.0; STAM 200/3.0; STAT 161/3.0; STAT 263/3.0.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify the features of a data set to determine how best to summarize and display it.
  2. Choose the appropriate statistical test and provide the rationale for selection.
  3. Compute basic parametric statistical tests to test hypotheses.
  4. Interpret the results of statistical tests and data software output to draw valid conclusions.
  5. Communicate results of statistical analyses with clear figures and text.
  6. Apply knowledge of statistics and research design (e.g., sampling) to critically evaluate research findings.
  
GPHY 250  The Geography of Canada  Units: 3.00  
A regional examination of how economic, political, cultural, and environmental factors shape relationships between land and people in Canada. Emphasis on geographical patterns of development and on the analytical and historical roots of public policy.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 24 Online Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Develop an in-depth knowledge of Canada and its multiple regions and subregions.
  2. Identify and apply core concepts from human geography (economic, social, cultural, and political) to the study of Canada.
  3. Connect histories of settlement, trade, colonialism, and extraction with contemporary issues in Canadian geography and society.
  4. Enhance academic writing, presentation, critical thinking, and research skills in relation to course materials.
  
GPHY 254  The Caribbean in Globalizing World  Units: 3.00  
The past, present and future role of the Caribbean in the world economy, with  an emphasis on the colonial legacy, debt and dependency, the effects of neoliberal reform and the changing geographies, and patterns of uneven development created by increasingly transnational flows of capital, people and culture.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 24 Online Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 2 or above) or permission of Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify the intellectual traditions within which concepts such as modernity, colonialism, racial capitalism, dependency, neoliberalism, uneven development, and sustainability operate as frameworks for understanding the Caribbean.
  2. Consolidate knowledge about space, place, scale, and power as abstract concepts through application to concrete issues of social justice in the Caribbean and its diaspora.
  3. Make connections between specific patterns of uneven geographical development and forms of resistance, and struggle within the Caribbean.
  4. Make connections between the specific economic and political relationships and policies that reproduce patterns of uneven geographical development within and across the Caribbean and the changing political economy of powerful states.
  5. Communicate complex ideas surrounding uneven development in the Caribbean and the social economic and spatial flows they generate to a lay audience.
  
GPHY 304  Northern and Arctic Environments  Units: 3.00  
Interdisciplinary study of the geography of northern regions, emphasizing the Canadian Arctic.
Learning Hours: 126 (36 Lecture, 6 Online Activity, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite GPHY 102/3.0 or APSC 151/3.3 or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Develop an advanced understanding of key concepts in northern science relating to climate, geomorphology, hydrology, and environmental change.
  2. Identify the major processes and systems, both biophysical and social, that operate throughout Arctic and northern regions.
  3. Evaluate the impacts of environmental change and climate change on northern landscapes and peoples.
  4. Learn to communicate a holistic understanding of the biophysical and social character of the Arctic and northern regions.
  
GPHY 305  Applied Cold Regions Science  Units: 3.00  
Examining key aspects of cold regions science and processes using field and geospatial techniques applied to real-world case studies. Hands-on application of cold regions science methods will be used to explore major themes related to cold region climates, glaciology, hydrology, permafrost, snow science and resource development.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $75.
Learning Hours: 129 (36 Lecture, 24 Laboratory, 9 Off-Campus Activity, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and [GPHY 208/3.0 or GPHY 209/3.0]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learn fundamental principles of ethical northern scientific research.
  2. Develop an understanding of key principles in applied cold regions science including evaluating impacts of climate change.
  3. Apply theoretical principles of cold regions science to remote and field-based activities.
  4. Formulate solutions to advanced geospatial and modelling problems.
  5. Communicate the results of independent research in topics related to applied cold regions science.
  
GPHY 309  Field School in Geography  Units: 3.00  
This Field School explores the socio-political, cultural, and biophysical dimensions of human environment interactions. It examines how communities perceive and interact with their environments and how they are, in turn, impacted by change. Students will do readings, seminars, assignments, and participate in a Field School for up to four weeks.
NOTE Field School cost is dependent on location and duration in the field, to a maximum of $3000. Please refer to the Department website for further information.
NOTE This course is repeatable for credit under different topic titles.
NOTE Learning Hours may vary.
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and registration in a GPHY Plan) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between people and their environments.
  2. Actively and experientially engage with ontologies, epistemologies, and methodologies contextualized by particular places, communities, and environments.
  3. Hone teamwork skills, including the ability to work under pressure, in various contexts, and difficult conditions.
  4. Apply oral-visual and technical skills to knowledge translation in ways that reach beyond an academic audience.
  
GPHY 310  Landscape Ecology  Units: 3.00  
Study of the relationship between spatial pattern and ecological processes. Topics include spatial arrangement of ecosystems and its influence on the flow of energy, materials and biota; agents of pattern and change; methods and techniques for characterizing landscapes and detecting change; applications in resource conservation and management.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 24 Laboratory, 6 Online Activity, 66 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above and (GPHY 207/3.0 or [BIOL 201/3.0* and BIOL 202/3.0*] or BIOL 200/3.0 or BIOL 111/3.0) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Describe and categorize agents of landscape pattern, including those associated with the physical environment, biotic processes, natural disturbance, and human activities.
  2. Understand the consequences of landscape pattern on ecosystem processes.
  3. Apply lessons from landscape ecology to challenges in natural resource management and biodiversity conservation.
  4. Manipulate geospatial data to conduct a landscape pattern analysis within a geographical information system.
  
GPHY 312  Watershed Hydrology  Units: 3.00  
The course examines the processes that govern the flow and dissolved load in surface waters. Assignments focus on hydrological and hydrochemical data analysis and problem solving. Field projects emphasize hydrological monitoring techniques and methods used to collect and analyze the chemical composition of  water samples.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $50.
Learning Hours: 108 (36 Lecture, 36 Laboratory, 36 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite GPHY 208/3.0 or GPHY 209/3.0 or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explain the physical processes that govern the movement of water within a watershed, and the temporal and spatial variability of these processes.
  2. Identify various approaches used to investigate hydrological processes, and consider the advantages/limitations of these approaches in different situations (e.g., scales of investigation, data availability).
  3. Apply some field methods used to quantify inputs and outputs of water in physical hydrological investigations.
  4. Apply analytical and data handling techniques to describe and quantify the water balance components.
  
GPHY 313  Glacier Processes and Dynamics  Units: 3.00  
Examining key aspects of contemporary glacier systems including glacier-climate processes, the mechanics of ice flow, and glacier impacts on human activities. Student-led projects give insight into the variability of glacier response globally, while laboratory exercises focus on field-based and remote-sensing approaches to glacier monitoring.
NOTE Field trips may apply in certain years dependent on snow and ice conditions; maximum cost $75.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 36 Laboratory, 24 Online Activity, 24 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and [GPHY 208/3.0 or GPHY 209/3.0]) or permission of the Department.  
Course Equivalencies: GPHY313, GPHY413  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify, describe, and explain the formation of glacial features and landforms.
  2. Explain the physical processes governing the fluctuations of glaciers at present and throughout Earth's history.
  3. Employ and evaluate the suitability of various investigative methods in glaciology.
  4. Describe the contemporary distribution of glaciers and ice sheets, and critically examine their role in society as water resources, potential geohazards, and contributors to sea level rise.
  
GPHY 314  Climate Change  Units: 3.00  
The study of historical and current climate change, projected future climates emphasizing the effects of global warming, impacts of climate change, and the role of humans as agents of climatic system change.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 12 Tutorial, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Recognize and understand the empirical evidence of climate change.
  2. Learn to assess the role of human involvement in climate change.
  3. Analyze the future effects of climate change and understand associated uncertainties.
  4. Recognize well-founded or false arguments used in science, policy, and media.
  5. Develop advanced skills for communicating climate change science and policy.
  
GPHY 315  Advanced Field Measurements and Their Analysis  Units: 3.00  
Introducing advanced techniques in environmental field measurements including the design and deployment of automatic weather stations and customized sensors, and geophysical techniques. Practical work involves the design and implementation of a field experiment, and an introduction to R programming as powerful tool for data analysis.
NOTE Field Trip: maximum cost $500.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 24 Laboratory, 60 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Learn underlying principles related to sensors and instruments for environmental data collection.
  2. Understand technical strengths and weaknesses of environmental sensors and instruments.
  3. Identify a research topic of interest, and determine data requirements to address this question.
  4. Write a "research proposal" that applies knowledge to a specific scientific problem.
  5. Effectively communicate results in both oral and written formats.
  
GPHY 317  Soil, Environment, and Society  Units: 3.00  
Soils are a critical resource required by societies. Using a strong methodological approach, this course will examine the important biological, chemical, and physical properties of soils. The course will also explore critical soil-related issues facing society, including salinization, degradation from agriculture, climate change, and erosion.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 36 Laboratory, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite GPHY 208/3.0 or GPHY 209/3.0 or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Develop understanding of the importance of healthy soils to society and to the Earth System.
  2. Learn key skills in field sampling of soil and laboratory analyses to determine soil properties.
  3. Explore the key interactions between soil physical, biological, and chemical processes and how they regulate soil 'function'.
  4. Formulate and test key questions about the role of land use and land management on soil quality.
  
GPHY 318  Advanced Biogeography  Units: 3.00  
An examination of the distributions of plants and animals on global, regional and local scales, their causes and significance.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $25.
Learning Hours: 116 (36 Lecture, 8 Off-Campus Activity, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 3 or above and (GPHY 207/3.0 or [BIOL 201/3.0* and BIOL 202/3.0*] or BIOL 200/3.0 or BIOL 111/3.0) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify the variables that influence the distribution of species and ecosystems and distinguish how these vary with scale of observation.
  2. Summarize the impact of contemporary global change on the biomes of North America.
  3. Compare and contrast the prominent methods and techniques used in ecological biogeography.
  4. Calculate summary statistics for describing the structure and composition of terrestrial ecosystems and implement null-hypothesis testing in their analysis.
  
GPHY 319  Contemporary Energy Resources  Units: 3.00  
Fossil and renewable energy resources are reviewed through a geographic lens. Energy supply and demand are discussed in terms of the global energy sector. The environmental, economic, and social impacts of conventional and renewable energy options are considered, as are policies used to drive a transition in our energy mix.
Learning Hours: 126 (36 Lecture, 18 Group Learning, 36 Online Activity, 36 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and registration in a GPHY Plan) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Critically review academic and industry literature related to energy supply and demand.
  2. Describe the function of different energy generation options, in terms of technological readiness and end-use fit.
  3. Explain the benefits and disadvantages, both quantitative and qualitative, that different energy resources present.
  4. Present complex concepts in written format.
  5. Work independently to complete assignments.
  
GPHY 320  Energy and Society  Units: 3.00  
A broad overview of human history from the earliest hunter-gatherers through the Industrial Revolution as seen through the lens of energy. Considered will be methods of energy generation, and conversion, ranging from the human body to the internal combustion engine, and the interaction of these methods with other aspects of society and economy.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify the principal forms of energy generation and conversion throughout human history.
  2. Analyze sources, whether written or visual, for the development of energy systems in human history.
  3. Discuss the influence of energy on the development of human civilization.
  4. Critically assess contemporary scholarship on the interaction between energy and various historical processes.
  
GPHY 325  Maps and Society  Units: 3.00  
A critical study of cartographic representation from the pre-modern era up to and including the political, social, military, and economics roles of maps and geospatial data in the contemporary world.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Apply the tenets of Critical Cartography to the parsing of maps from antiquity to the modern period.
  2. Identify the formal features of maps, as well as the aesthetic choices of the map-maker.
  3. Situate maps using secondary literature within the context of their production and reception.
  4. Recognize the limitations of cartographic visualization in representing many forms of geographic knowledge.
  
GPHY 327  The Geographical Imagination  Units: 3.00  
Critical approaches to the role of the geographic, cultural and historical imagination in shaping landscapes, environments and society.
Learning Hours: 127 (36 Lecture, 4 Group Learning, 12 Online Activity, 3 Off-Campus Activity, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 229/3.0 or [3.0 units in DEVS at the 200-level or above]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Analyze, engage, and apply geographical imaginations through reading, experiment, and fieldwork.
  2. Identify key theoretical approaches in cultural and historical geography.
  3. Apply methods in cultural and historical geography, including archival and creative methods, to explore geographical imaginations.
  4. Communicate geographical ideas and concepts in written, visual, and aural forms.
  
GPHY 330  Transportation Geography  Units: 3.00  
The course provides a systematic examination of urban transportation in the context of general economic, social and spatial trends. Particular focus is placed on the role of the built environment in explaining travel behaviour. The aim is to provide a fair understanding of transportation planning and policy issues and explore potential solutions.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Understand key concepts related to urban transportation planning.
  2. Examine the association between land use and transportation.
  3. Examine economic, social, and environmental impacts of present travel patterns.
  4. Explore the ways in which transportation "problems" could be addressed.
  
GPHY 333  Markets, Environments, and Societies  Units: 3.00  
This course examines the spatial relations (politics, social relations, ecosystems) that shape market exchange and the functioning of economies. We will explore attempts to create markets out of social and environmental 'things' that resist commodification from carbon to care as well as the connections between markets and other aspects of life.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and [GPHY 227/3.0 or GPHY 228/3.0 or GPHY 229/3.0]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify relationships between economic, social, and environmental systems.
  2. Apply interdisciplinary insights to the study of economic activity and market exchange.
  3. Analyze the connection between market exchange and broader sociospatial structures.
  4. Evaluate and critique the relevance of market-based solutions to social and environmental problems.
  5. Present complex ideas in written form.
  
GPHY 334  Geographies of Growth and Decline  Units: 3.00  
This course explores how the growth-focus of capitalist society has led to the widespread assumption of growth and territorial stigma of decline. We will examine how social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political processes at the local, national, and global level shape and reinforce distinct geographies of growth and decline.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify and describe major economic and demographic trends shaping urban structures and relations at multiple spatial scales.
  2. Explain conceptual models of regional, urban, and neighbourhood growth and decline.
  3. Critically review and evaluate policies and strategies for reversing, managing, and adapting to economic and population decline.
  4. Present conceptual and empirical analysis of urban economic decline in written and verbal formats.
  
GPHY 336  Geography, the Environment, and Human Health  Units: 3.00  
Examines the relationship between human health and built, physical, and social environments. Focus is influence of local environmental conditions on population health outcomes within the North American urban context. Policy and programming options for improving local conditions are explored.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 24 Individual Instruction, 24 Online Activity, 36 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and [3.0 units from BIOL 243/3.0; CHEE 209/3.5; CISC 171/3.0; COMM 162/3.0; ECON 250/3.0; GPHY 240/3.0; GPHY 247/3.0; KNPE 251/3.0; NURS 323/3.0; POLS 285/3.0; POLS 385/3.0*; PSYC 202/3.0; SOCY 211/3.0; STAM 200/3.0; STAT 161/3.0; STAT 263/3.0]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Recognize and explain the connections between human health, determinants of health, and place.
  2. Interpret and explain health disparities as they relate to place and local environmental conditions.
  3. Evaluate the potential health impacts of the built environments they encounter everyday.
  4. Predict how local environmental conditions may contribute to population health disparities.
  5. Review academic and non-academic literature, conduct field observations, and communicate in written, oral, and virtual formats with greater ease and confidence.
  
GPHY 337  Regional Development and Planning  Units: 3.00  
Focus on regional planning and development processes, policies, and theories. Explore methods of regional analysis. Assessment of regional planning and development strategies and policy instruments used primarily in Canada with case examples from other international locations.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and [GPHY 228/3.0 or GPHY 227/3.0 or GPHY 247/3.0 or 3.0 units in DEVS at the 200-level or above]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify key themes, concepts, and theoretical approaches related to regional development and planning.
  2. Recognize that inclusive strategies are needed for regional development and planning with diverse, and/or Indigenous communities.
  3. Apply regional development and planning strategies to scenarios faced by decision makers.
  4. Describe and explain how regions are developed by planning processes.
  
GPHY 338  Urban Political Geography  Units: 3.00  
The forces involved in shaping the political environment and spatial structure of urban areas. Emphasis on the significance of decisions concerning public goods in the distribution of income and equity within the city.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (6.0 units from GPHY 227/3.0; GPHY 228/3.0; GPHY 229/3.0) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Apply key concepts of power and governance to the context of urban political geography.
  2. Describe and explain how cities are shaped and developed by spatial and political processes.
  3. Distinguish between different individuals, groups, and institutions that connect urban politics with social and spatial geographies.
  4. Formulate their own opinions and justify connections between issues in geography and urban politics.
  5. Evaluate issues and processes in urban political geography by combining skills in research and critical thought to effectively communicate to academic peers and policy/planning practitioners.
  
GPHY 341  Photogrammetry  Units: 3.00  
An intensive introduction to the art and science of 3D measurement and mapping using photographs, with a particular focus on applications in GIS, Cartography, Cultural Heritage, Urban Planning, Geology and Engineering.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 36 Laboratory, 48 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Apply basic digital photogrammetric operations to aerial and terrestrial imagery.
  2. Map features on photogrammetrically derived data products.
  3. Plan the acquisition of aerial and terrestrial imagery for photogrammetric processing.
  4. Assess the accuracy and error of photogrammetric processing and data products.
  
GPHY 342  Remote Sensing II: Digital Image Processing  Units: 3.00  
This course represents an extension of GPHY 242, with an in-depth examination of image processing techniques for information extraction. Topics include remote sensor technology, image enhancement, classification, change detection, radiometric and geometric correction and sources and applications of remote sensing data.
NOTE Enrollment limited to 40 students.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 24 Practicum, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 242/3.0 and GPHY 247/3.0) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Compare how electromagnetic radiation reveals physical properties in passive and active remote sensing systems.
  2. Assess whether the source, scale, resolution, and analysis of remotely sensed data is adequate to describe environmental phenomena.
  3. Integrate remotely sensed data with other data sources to perform spatio-temporal analyses.
  4. Recognize the limitations of remotely sensed data to explain environmental phenomena.
  
GPHY 345  Spatial Analysis  Units: 3.00  
An in-depth exploration of the spatial analysis techniques used in vector GIS. The analysis of geographic primitives of points, lines, areas and surfaces in the context of applications drawn from geography, biology, planning and related disciplines. Emphasis is placed on the use of current GIS software in a hands-on environment.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 24 Practicum, 24 Group Learning, 24 Online Activity, 24 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 243/3.0 and [3.0 units from CISC 171/3.0; ECON 250/3.0; GPHY 247/3.0; KNPE 251/3.0; POLS 285/3.0; POLS 385/3.0*; PSYC 202/3.0; SOCY 211/3.0; STAM 200/3.0; STAT 161/3.0; STAT 263/3.0]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explore the basic interface structure of different functions, operations, and tools in ArcGIS.
  2. Understand the structure and functions of geodatabases and know how to set up a geodatabase to store geospatial information for different applications.
  3. Understand different vector-based functions and extensions including network analysis, facility location, spatial pattern analysis, and retail marketing applications.
  4. Gain hands-on experience in the use of GIS techniques and software to collect, organize and analyze spatial data and perform different spatial analysis for decision making of various applications.
  
GPHY 346  GIS and Modelling for Environmental Applications  Units: 3.00  
Study of the techniques of Geographic Information Systems and their applications in solving physical and environmental problems. Topics include data representation and models, spatial interpolation, raster-based analysis and modeling, surface models and terrain analysis, data visualization, temporal analysis, error and accuracy, and other algorithms and analytical procedures.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 24 Practicum, 24 Group Learning, 24 Online Activity, 24 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 243/3.0 and [3.0 units from CISC 171/3.0; ECON 250/3.0; GPHY 247/3.0; KNPE 251/3.0; POLS 285/3.0; POLS 385/3.0*; PSYC 202/3.0; SOCY 211/3.0; STAM 200/3.0; STAT 161/3.0; STAT 263/3.0]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explore the basic interface structure of different functions, operations, and tools in ArcGIS Pro.
  2. Understand a set of point and raster-based GIS and process-based techniques for geo-spatial environmental data analysis and visualization.
  3. Use the model builder to organize different functions and documentations for a complicated analysis.
  4. Gain hands-on experience in the application of ArcGIS Pro software in support of environmental analysis and modeling.
  
GPHY 348  Application Design and Customization in GIS  Units: 3.00  
An introduction to customization of GIS and database software with an emphasis on spatial analysis tool development for desktop and Web-based GIS. Students will learn concepts of user requirements analysis, software requirements preparation, interface and software design, and computer programming while they develop customized GIS applications.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Lecture, 24 Practicum, 24 Group Learning, 24 Online Activity, 24 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (GPHY 243/3.0 and [3.0 units from CISC 171/3.0; ECON 250/3.0; GPHY 247/3.0; KNPE 251/3.0; POLS 285/3.0; POLS 385/3.0*; PSYC 202/3.0; SOCY 211/3.0; STAM 200/3.0; STAT 161/3.0; STAT 263/3.0]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Manage and design geoprocessing tools.
  2. Build new tools with ModelBuilder and convert it to Python scripts.
  3. Understand basic geoprocessing Python scripts and how they are implemented with ArcGIS processing tools.
  4. Write Python scripts for common geoprocessing tasks inside and outside of ArcGIS.
  5. Add new functionality to ArcGIS using Python scripts.
  
GPHY 351  Geographies of Indigenous and Settler Relations  Units: 3.00  
An overview of selected elements of the geographies of Aboriginal peoples in Canada with a focus on the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and their environments, urbanization and culture change, and colonialism.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and [6.0 units from GPHY 227/3.0; GPHY 228/3.0; GPHY 229/3.0] or [3.0 units at the 200-level or above in DEVS or GNDS]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Gain an enhanced understanding of Geography as a tool for understanding Indigenous-settler relations in Canada.
  2. Examine in depth various dimensions of settler colonialism (past and present) and Indigenous resistance and self-determination, and their socio-spatial dynamics with respect to Indigenous lands, bodies, families, and homes.
  3. Identify and critically evaluate the roles of the Social Welfare State and colonial social policy in producing and perpetuating socio-spatial inequities experienced by many Indigenous peoples.
  4. Engage with diverse Indigenous perspectives on relationships with settlers and the settler state, Truth and Reconciliation, self-determination and Land Back, decolonization and Indigenization, and Indigenous futures.
  5. Develop skills in critical thinking, reflection, and written and oral communication.
  
GPHY 352  Gender and the City  Units: 3.00  
Gender in relationship to the spatial organization of contemporary cities. Emphasis on the diversity of gendered experiences as they relate to the urban: housing, violence, social movements, work, and gender symbols.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite ([6.0 units from GPHY 227/3.0; GPHY 228/3.0; GPHY 229/3.0] or [3.0 units at the 200-level or above in GNDS]) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Explain why privilege and power are relevant to understanding how the city is a sexualized and gendered space.
  2. Write and think critically about how gender, sexuality, and other markers of identity shape, and are shaped by, urban experiences.
  3. Articulate and analyze the various ways the city can be an alienating and dangerous space.
  4. Explain why the analysis must be grounded in an understanding of the politics of fear, sex, and gender.
  5. Identify and analyze examples of urban entrepreneurialism and its interconnectedness to globalization, gender, and sexuality.
  6. Explain, assess, and articulate a position on various perspectives on gender, sexuality, and the city.
  
GPHY 365  Geography, Development, and Environment in the 'Third World'  Units: 3.00  
The geographical implications of the incorporation of the Third World into the global economy. Emphasis will be upon issues relating to both the physical and human environments in reference to development, ecological alteration, cultural change, and spatial readjustment.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 12 Online Activity, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and [6.0 units from GPHY 227/3.0; GPHY 228/3.0; GPHY 229/3.0] or [3.0 units at the 200-level or above in DEVS or GNDS] or ENSC 103/3.0) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Compare and contrast various theoretical approaches to development, including modernization theory, dependency theory, world-systems theory, and post-development theory.
  2. Critically evaluate the effectiveness of different development strategies (neoliberal economic policies, state-led development, and grassroots alternatives) on the global South.
  3. Analyze the role of advanced economies in the socio-ecological and development challenges facing the Global South, including the historical and ongoing effects of resource extraction, environmental degradation, labour exploitation and debt.
  4. Describe and explain the role of international institutions (e.g., the World Bank, IMF, WTO) in shaping contemporary development agendas, and explore the impact of debt, foreign aid, trade policies and technology transfer on the Global South.
  5. Communicate key concepts from the course, (e.g., development, environmental justice, neoliberalism, globalization, (post)colonialism, capitalism, and inequality) in plain language format to a non-academic audience.
  6. Develop critical thinking, research, and analytical skills through engagement with academic literature and case studies as well as written assignments and class participation.
  
GPHY 367  People and Place in the Changing Arctic  Units: 3.00  
This course examines contemporary issues in the Arctic with an eye to environmental, economic, political, and social change. Students will use academic, popular, and filmic resources to examine subjects from human and physical geography, including climate change, Indigenous rights, international relations, food security, and industrial development. Students will gain in-depth understandings of the diversity of Arctic regions and develop skills to incorporate this critical thinking into their research, perspectives, and arguments.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above) or permission of the Department. Exclusion GPHY 370/3.0 (Topic Title: Geographies of a Changing Arctic - Winter 2023, Fall 2023).  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify the different physiographic and political regions of the Arctic and the Indigenous Peoples who live there.
  2. Contextualize the historical relationship between Arctic Indigenous Peoples, Arctic nation-states, and contemporary events and issues.
  3. Analyze the main sources of social, political, and environmental change across Arctic regions and explain linkages between them.
  4. Specify the different state and non-state actors in the region and their respective interests in the Arctic.
  5. Explain the interrelationship between physical and human geographical changes as they relate to the Arctic.
  
GPHY 368  Environments and Society  Units: 3.00  
A critical evaluation of the changing relationships between nature and society.
Learning Hours: 127 (36 Lecture, 4 Group Learning, 12 Online Activity, 3 Off-Campus Activity, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (6.0 units from GPHY 227/3.0; GPHY 228/3.0; GPHY 229/3.0) or (3.0 units at the 200-level or above in DEVS).  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Exercise a critical and historical understanding of key concepts related to nature and environment.
  2. Apply analytical skills to evaluate the social and political relationships that structure these concepts.
  3. Explore and challenge the ways that ’taken for granted‘ understandings of nature shape our world.
  4. Practice research and presentation skills and learn more about the ‘nature’ of Kingston and places beyond.
  
GPHY 369  Urban Natures  Units: 3.00  
This course examines how interlocking systems of power produce urban environmental issues such as water access, climate disaster, infectious disease, sanitation systems, and foodscapes. It draws on feminist, political economic, Indigenous, and decolonial systems of thought to consider urban environments across the Global North and South.
NOTE Field Trip fees may apply in certain years: maximum cost $150.
Learning Hours: 123 (36 Lecture, 3 Off-Campus Activity, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (6.0 units from GPHY 227/3.0, GPHY 228/3.0, GPHY 229/3.0) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Identify the core tenets of key theoretical approaches in urban political ecology, including decolonial, political economic, and feminist perspectives.
  2. Explain how interlocking systems of power shape access to resources and differentially expose people to harm.
  3. Apply concepts of community resistance and resurgence to real world examples.
  4. Analyze case studies from the Global North and South to explain how urban natures are socially produced.
  5. Communicate complex ideas in written form.
  
GPHY 370  Special Topics in Human Geography  Units: 3.00  
Course offered by visiting faculty on Geography topics related to their research interests. Consult the departmental homepage for further details of specific course offerings each academic year.
NOTE This course is repeatable for credit under different topic titles.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and registration in a GPHY Plan) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 371  Special Topics in Earth System Science  Units: 3.00  
Course offered by visiting faculty on Geography topics related to their research interests. Consult the departmental homepage for further details of specific course offerings each academic year.
NOTE This course is repeatable for credit under different topic titles.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and registration in a GPHY Plan) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 372  Special Topics Geographic Information Science  Units: 3.00  
This course provides intensive coverage of a topic in Geographic Information Science and will be offered periodically by visiting professors. Consult the Departmental homepage for details on specific course offerings each year.
Learning Hours: 120 (36 Lecture, 84 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 3 or above and registration in a GPHY Plan) or permission of the Department.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 401  Honours Seminar in Human Geography I  Units: 3.00  
Seminars offered by regular and visiting faculty on Geography topics related to their research interests. Consult the departmental homepage for further details of specific course offerings each academic year.
NOTE Field Trip fees may apply in certain years: maximum cost $300.
NOTE This course is repeatable for credit under different topic titles.
Learning Hours: 132 (36 Seminar, 24 Off-Campus Activity, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 4 or above and registration in a GPHY Major [Arts] or Joint Honours Plan and a minimum GPA of 2.60 in 24.0 units in GPHY.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Critically evaluate complex social issues using spatial and geographical analysis drawing on concepts such as place, space, and scale.
  2. Integrate theoretical and methodological approaches from various subfields of geography to analyze and explain social and environmental issues widely considered important.
  3. Apply advanced geographical methods to explore complex questions in human geography.
  4. Research and communicate complex geographical ideas and concepts in written and verbal forms through written assignments and classroom participation.
  5. Communicate key concepts from the course in plain language format to a non-academic audience to practice transferable skills beyond the class.
  
GPHY 402  Honours Seminar in Human Geography II  Units: 3.00  
Seminars offered by regular and visiting faculty on Geography topics related to their research interests. Consult the departmental homepage for further details of specific course offerings each academic year.
NOTE Field Trip fees may apply in certain years: maximum cost $300.
NOTE This course is repeatable for credit under different topic titles.
Learning Hours: 132 (36 Seminar, 24 Off-Campus Activity, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 4 or above and registration in a GPHY Major [Arts] or Joint Honours Plan and a minimum GPA of 2.60 in 24.0 units in GPHY.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Critically evaluate complex social issues using spatial and geographical analysis drawing on concepts such as place, space, and scale.
  2. Integrate theoretical and methodological approaches from various subfields of geography to analyze and explain social and environmental issues widely considered important.
  3. Apply advanced geographical methods to explore complex questions in human geography.
  4. Research and communicate complex geographical ideas and concepts in written and verbal forms through written assignments and classroom participation.
  5. Communicate key concepts from the course in plain language format to a non-academic audience to practice transferable skills beyond the class.
  
GPHY 415  Advanced Analysis of Earth Surface Processes  Units: 3.00  
A fourth year Honours capstone project course exploring a contemporary geographic issue by integrating advanced knowledge and skills in physical geography and geographic information science. Focus will be on integration of field and laboratory methods, and how they are used to explore contemporary geographic or environmental issues.
NOTE Field Trips within the Province of Ontario: maximum cost $175.
Learning Hours: 120 (6 Lecture, 6 Seminar, 18 Laboratory, 6 Group Learning, 12 Off-Campus Activity, 72 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 4 or above and registration in a (GPHY Major [Science] or EGPY Specialization Plan) and (6.0 units from MATH or STAT at the 100-level or above) and (6.0 units from CHEM or PHYS at the 100-level or above) and a (minimum GPA of 1.90 in 30.0 units from GPHY).  
Course Equivalencies: GPHY 415, GPHY 415B  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  

Course Learning Outcomes:

  1. Apply key laboratory and field techniques in physical geography and geomatics to explore research questions in earth systems science.
  2. Integrate knowledge from different areas of physical geography and geomatics to develop a wholistic picture of the factors controlling atmospheric and earth surface processes, and how they are influenced by human activity.
  3. Evaluate and assess different methodologies to determine the most appropriate methods for addressing a key earth systems issue.
  4. Synthesize and present information describing the approach and outcome of project investigation to peers and stakeholders.
  
GPHY 501  Special Studies in Geography  Units: 3.00  
Open to fourth-year students who have an average of A- or greater in those courses which form their concentration for admission to Honours in Geography. Special consideration will be given to requests from students with an average of B or more in those courses which form their concentration for admission to Honours. The student will arrange a program of study with a specific member of the Department.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Individual Instruction, 96 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 4 or above and registration in a GPHY Major, Joint Honours Plan, or EGPY Specialization and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in 24.0 units in GPHY and consent of a supervising member of the Department) or by permission of the Departmental Undergraduate Committee. Exclusion GPHY 502/3.0; GPHY 503/6.0.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 502  Research and Thesis in Geography I  Units: 3.00  
Research project in Geography supervised by a member of the faculty. Research involving the amount of work associated with other senior 3.0 unit courses will be done as GPHY 502.
NOTE Admission is subject to the availability of supervisors.
Learning Hours: 120 (24 Individual Instruction, 96 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 4 or above and registration in a GPHY Major, Joint Honours Plan, or EGPY Specialization and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in 24.0 units in GPHY and consent of a supervising member of the Department) or by permission of the Departmental Undergraduate Committee. Exclusion GPHY 501/3.0; GPHY 503/6.0.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 503  Research and Thesis Geography II  Units: 6.00  
Research project in Geography supervised by a member of the faculty. Research involving the amount of work associated with larger research projects with work comparable to a 6.0 unit course (including work completed during summer) may be done as GPHY 503.
NOTE Admission is subject to the availability of supervisors.
Learning Hours: 240 (48 Individual Instruction, 192 Private Study)  
Requirements: Prerequisite (Level 4 or above and registration in a GPHY Major, Joint Honours Plan, or EGPY Specialization and a minimum GPA of 3.50 in 24.0 units in GPHY and consent of a supervising member of the Department) or by permission of the Departmental Undergraduate Committee. Exclusion GPHY 501/3.0; GPHY 502/3.0.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 594  Independent Study  Units: 3.00  
Exceptionally qualified students entering their third- or fourth-year may take a program of independent study provided it has been approved by the Department or Departments principally involved. The Department may approve an independent study program without permitting it to be counted toward a concentration in that Department. It is, consequently, the responsibility of students taking such programs to ensure that the concentration requirements for their degree will be met.
NOTE Requests for such a program must be received one month before the start of the first term in which the student intends to undertake the program.
Requirements: Prerequisite Permission of the Department or Departments principally involved.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 595  Independent Study  Units: 6.00  
Exceptionally qualified students entering their third- or fourth-year may take a program of independent study provided it has been approved by the Department or Departments principally involved. The Department may approve an independent study program without permitting it to be counted toward a concentration in that Department. It is, consequently, the responsibility of students taking such programs to ensure that the concentration requirements for their degree will be met.
NOTE Requests for such a program must be received one month before the start of the first term in which the student intends to undertake the program.
Requirements: Prerequisite Permission of the Department or Departments principally involved.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 596  Independent Study  Units: 12.00  
Exceptionally qualified students entering their third- or fourth-year may take a program of independent study provided it has been approved by the Department or Departments principally involved. The Department may approve an independent study program without permitting it to be counted toward a concentration in that Department. It is, consequently, the responsibility of students taking such programs to ensure that the concentration requirements for their degree will be met.
NOTE Requests for such a program must be received one month before the start of the first term in which the student intends to undertake the program.
Requirements: Prerequisite Permission of the Department or Departments principally involved.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science  
  
GPHY 597  Independent Study  Units: 18.00  
Exceptionally qualified students entering their third- or fourth-year may take a program of independent study provided it has been approved by the Department or Departments principally involved. The Department may approve an independent study program without permitting it to be counted toward a concentration in that Department. It is, consequently, the responsibility of students taking such programs to ensure that the concentration requirements for their degree will be met.
NOTE Requests for such a program must be received one month before the start of the first term in which the student intends to undertake the program.
Requirements: Prerequisite Permission of the Department or Departments principally involved.  
Offering Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Science