Geography (BSc)

Study the history of how humans have modified urban and natural systems to intervene and create a more sustainable future. Study physical geography while you also learn the technologies that are offered by the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Geography program. Study weather, climate and the changing surface of Earth. This program prepares you to seek professional registration as an environmental geoscientist (PGeo).

geography-banner.jpg

Apply Your Learning

Opportunities exist for senior undergraduate students to participate in fieldwork with faculty researchers in a variety of subdisciplines in Geography. These experiences range from working in the Northwest Territories studying impacts of a warming climate on permafrost to studying sand dune restoration and the ecological impacts of controlled burning at Pinery Provincial Park on the shore of Lake Huron.

Additionally, field courses are required to complete the degree. While these field courses provide outstanding opportunities for a high-impact engaged learning experience, they also provide a chance for Geography students to bond together as a community. These experiences are often the most memorable for our students and reflect our department’s commitment to hands-on research training and learning in the field.

Check out the Geography and Environmental Studies Experience Guide.

 

2022 graduates who secured employment or went on to postgraduate studies

 

Laurier ranks in the top 6 percent of universities worldwide*

 

students who gained hands-on learning experiences at Laurier in 2022

*Center for World University Rankings (CWUR)

Admissions

Format: full time or part time      Duration: four years     Start: September (fall term)     OUAC code: UHG

Program Details

About the Bachelor of Science in Geography

Geographers examine interactions between humans and their environment. Over the past few hundred years, humans have modified urban and natural systems at a staggering rate. As the human population continues to increase and the demand for space becomes more competitive, graduates of Geography will have a sound basis for understanding these pressing issues.

Our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Geography offers you the opportunity to focus on the field of physical geography. Physical geography includes the sub-disciplines of geomorphology, climatology, biogeography and hydrology, and focuses on understanding how processes in the natural environment function, such as the changing surface of Earth, weather and climate, or the distribution of water on our planet.

With careful course selection, the BSc in Geography program prepares you to seek professional registration as an environmental geoscientist (PGeo).

Professional registration allows you to practice geoscience in the province of Ontario. The work involves analysis of different Earth systems and geoscientific situations in natural settings, so geoscientists need to gather on-site data and make direct field observations. Worksite locations can be remote and physically challenging. As a BSc in Geography graduate, you'll be able to confidently apply to seek professional registration.

Specialize in Your Passion

In addition to our general BSc in Geography, we offer several specialized, direct-entry programs:

  • Our BSc in Geography and Geomatics focuses on the use of technology to gather, analyze interpret and distribute geographic information.
  • Our BSc in Geography with the Environmental Science Option will have you exploring the ways to address problems caused by human activities. The study of organisms, geochemical and physical environmental interactions are essential to this understanding.
  • Our BSc in Geography combined with Archaeology and Heritage Studies allows you to pursue aspects of archaeology that combine environmental approaches and geographical studies of the landscape, which employ the latest remote sensing techniques.
Geography is also available as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, which investigates complex issues in areas such as urban geography planning, immigration, health and food systems, and natural systems that have been impacted by human activity.

Your Path to Medical School

student-business-lecture-banner.jpg

Get one step closer to your medical school dreams at Laurier!

Our pathway agreement with American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (AUC) means you’re automatically granted an admissions interview to the AUC School of Medicine if you meet all academic requirements. Upon graduation, you’ll have the opportunity to write exams to practice medicine in Canada, the UK or the United States.

Program Options and Courses

Options and Minors

These are a few of the many popular academic opportunities which allow you to dive deeper into your major area of study or broaden your knowledge:

  • Community Engagement Option
  • Geomatics Option
  • Sustainability Option

Check out other options to enhance your degree.

First-Year Courses

  • The Anatomy of Earth
  • Calculus I for the Natural Sciences
  • Introduction to Human Geography
  • Introduction to Physical Geography
  • Introductory Calculus for the Natural Sciences
  • The Surface of Earth
  • Choice of four of the following courses:
    • Biological Diversity and Evolution
    • Fundamentals of Chemistry I
    • Fundamentals of Chemistry II
    • Mechanics
    • Mechanics for the Life Sciences
    • Thermodynamics and Waves
    • Thermodynamics and Waves for the Life Sciences
    • Unifying Life Processes

Sample Upper-Year Courses

  • Field Surveying
  • Hydrology
  • Introductory Physical Climatology
  • Sedimentation

Co-op

Co-op is a way to integrate what you are learning in the classroom with practical experience in your field of study. Build your resume, earn money, develop your network, and graduate with work experience.

You can apply for admission to co-op in your first year and may be eligible for an admission interview early in your second year. As a student in this program, you will be eligible to complete paid work terms lasting 12 to 16 weeks.

Interested? Learn more about co-op.

Tuition and Scholarships

Getting a university education is an investment in your future.

At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing a wide variety of funding opportunities for you throughout your degree, such as scholarships and bursaries, and by equipping you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

student-business-lecture-banner.jpg

Your Career Awaits

It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.

Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?

Sample Career Options

Note: Additional training and education may be required.

  • cartographer
  • ecologist
  • environmental geoscientist (PGeo)
  • GIS applications specialist
  • hydrographer
  • hydrologist
  • industrial meteorologist
  • public policy analyst
  • sustainability officer
  • teacher/educator

Explore more careers.

Support After Graduation

Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.

Waterloo Campus

The Waterloo campus is tucked into about one city block, so you’re steps away from your classes, food and your new favourite study spot.

There are many ways to tour our Waterloo campus, whether that's on a guided tour with one of our Laurier student ambassadors, on your own using virtual reality, or even on-demand through one of our pre-recorded tours. See our campus spaces and start to picture yourself at Laurier.

Interested in More Info?

Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.