COURSE CURRICULUM

Waterloo offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary curriculum that explores the complex relationships between people, environments, and place. Students begin with foundational courses such as GEOG100 (On Becoming a Geographer), GEOG101 (Human Geographies), and GEOG102 (Global Environmental Systems), building knowledge across human and physical geography. The program includes specialized topics like climate change (GEOG207, GEOG408), geomorphology (GEOG205, GEOG305), hydrology (GEOG303, GEOG407), remote sensing (GEOG271, GEOG371), and GIS (GEOG281, GEOG381, GEOG481). Advanced electives allow students to explore pressing global challenges, such as sustainable food systems (GEOG361, GEOG460), urban planning (GEOG349), environmental health (GEOG325, GEOG432), natural hazards (GEOG306), and low-carbon transitions (GEOG359, GEOG459). Courses like GEOG414 (Climate Justice) and GEOG417 (Climate Change Communication) address the social dimensions of environmental issues, while technical courses such as GEOG484 (Machine Learning in Geospatial Science) develop skills in spatial data analysis and digital technology. Field courses (GEOG391, GEOG392, GEOG430) and research projects provide hands-on experience in real-world settings. With its integration of science, social science, and technology, the GEOG program prepares students for careers in environmental consulting, urban planning, climate policy, GIS analysis, and beyond, equipping them to manage and solve today’s most urgent environmental and societal challenges.