Physical Geography Major Program

Department of Geography | Faculty of Environment
丁香园AV Calendar 2012 Spring

The department offers a bachelor of science (BSc) program in physical geography.

The program can be completed with one of three streams: biogeophysical science, physical geography and spatial information science, geoscience. The biogeophysical science stream offers a broad range of environmental science courses in physical geography. The physical geography and spatial information science stream focuses on the linkages between physical geography and spatial information science. Students completing this stream may also apply to receive a Certificate in Spatial Information Systems. The geoscience stream targets the academic requirements for registration as a professional geoscientist (environmental geoscience) in British Columbia. This stream is recommended to students who are interested in focusing their academic program in the areas of geomorphology, hydrology, soils, climatology, biogeography and spatial information science. Requirements for each stream are below. Students should contact the student advisor to plan their course work.

Program Requirements

Students complete 120 units, as specified below.

Lower Division Requirements

Common Requirements

All students, regardless of the stream they choose, will complete a total of 32-33 units, including all of

CHEM 121-4 General Chemistry and Laboratory I
CHEM 122-2 General Chemistry II
EASC 101-3 Physical Geology
GEOG 100-3 Society, Space, Environment: Introducing Human Geography
GEOG 111-3 Earth Systems

and one of

MATH 150-4 Calculus I with Review
MATH 151-3 Calculus I
MATH 154-3 Calculus I for the Biological Sciences

and one of

MATH 152-3 Calculus ll*
MATH 155-3 Calculus II for the Biological Sciences

and one of

PHYS 101-3 Physics for the Life Sciences l**
PHYS 120-3 Mechanics and Modern Physics

and one of

PHYS 102-3 Physics for the Life Sciences ll**
PHYS 121-3 Optics, Electricity and Magnetism

and one of

PHYS 130-2 Physics for the Life Sciences Laboratory**
PHYS 131-2 Physics Laboratory I

and one of

STAT 101-3 Introduction to Statistics
STAT 201-3 Statistics for the Life Sciences
STAT 270-3 Introduction to Probability and Statistics

*students in the Geoscience stream must take Math 152
**a minimum grade may be required for this course to serve as a prerequisite to certain Faculty of Science courses; students in the Geoscience stream must have a grade of B or better

See PHYS courses for possible physics course substitutions.

Biogeophysical Science Stream

In addition to the common requirements as shown above, students who choose this stream will also complete 20 units, including both of

BISC 101-4 General Biology
BISC 102-4 General Biology

and two of

GEOG 213-3 Introduction to Geomorphology
GEOG 214-3 Climate and Environment
GEOG 215-3 Biogeography

and one of

GEOG 221-3 Economic Geography
GEOG 241-3 Social Geography

and one of

GEOG 253-3 Aerial Photographic Interpretation
GEOG 255-3 Geographical Information Science I

Geoscience Stream

In addition to the common requirements as shown above, students who choose this stream will also complete 33 units, including all of

EASC 201-3 Stratigraphy and Sedimentation***
EASC 202-3 Introduction to Mineralogy***
EASC 204-3 Structural Geology I***
EASC 205-3 Introduction to Petrology***
EASC 207-3 Introduction to Applied Geophysics***
EASC 210-3 Historical Geology***
GEOG 213-3 Introduction to Geomorphology
GEOG 214-3 Climate and Environment
GEOG 215-3 Biogeography
GEOG 221-3 Economic Geography

and one of

GEOG 253-3 Aerial Photographic Interpretation
GEOG 255-3 Geographical Information Science I

Physical Geography and Spatial Information Science Stream

In addition to the common requirements shown above, students who choose this stream will also complete 23 units, including all of

BISC 101-4 General Biology
BISC 102-4 General Biology
GEOG 253-3 Aerial Photographic Interpretation
GEOG 255-3 Geographical Information Science I

and two of

GEOG 213-3 Introduction to Geomorphology
GEOG 214-3 Climate and Environment
GEOG 215-3 Biogeography

and one of

GEOG 221-3 Economic Geography
GEOG 241-3 Social Geography

Upper Division Requirements

Biogeophysical Science Stream

Students who choose this stream will complete a minimum total of 44 units, including three of

GEOG 310-4 Physical Geography Field Course
GEOG 311-4 Hydrology
GEOG 313-4 River Geomorphology
GEOG 314-4 Weather and Climate
GEOG 315-4 World Ecosystems
GEOG 316-4 Global Biogeochemical and Water Cycles
GEOG 317-4 Soil Science

and one of

GEOG 322-4 World Resources
GEOG 323-4 Industrial Location
GEOG 324-4 Geography of Transportation
GEOG 325-4 Geographies of Consumption
GEOG 327-4 Geography of Tourism
GEOG 362-4 Geography of Urban Built Environments
GEOG 381-4 Political Geography
GEOG 382-4 Population Geography
GEOG 383-4 Regional Development and Planning I
GEOG 385-4 Agriculture and the Environment
GEOG 386-4 Geography, Health and Health Care
GEOG 387-4 Geography and Gender
GEOG 389W-4 Nature and Society

and one of

GEOG 351-4 Cartography and Visualization
GEOG 352-4 Spatial Analysis
GEOG 353-4 Remote Sensing
GEOG 355-4 Geographical Information Science II
GEOG 356-4 3D Geovisualization

and two of

GEOG 411-4 Advanced Hydrology
GEOG 412-4 Glacial Processes and Environments
GEOG 413-4 Advanced River Geomorphology
GEOG 414-4 Advanced Climatology
GEOG 415-4 Advanced Biogeography
GEOG 417-4 Advanced Soil Science

and a minimum of 16 upper division units from BISC, CHEM, CMPT, EASC, EVSC, GEOG, MACM, MASC, MATH, MBB, PHYS or STAT courses. At least eight of these must be GEOG units.

Geoscience Stream

Students must complete a minimum of 49-51 units including all of

EASC 304-3 Hydrogeology***
GEOG 310-4 Physical Geography Field Course
GEOG 311-4 Hydrology
GEOG 313-4 River Geomorphology
GEOG 317-4 Soil Science
GEOG 412-4 Glacial Processes and Environments

and one of

GEOG 322-4 World Resources
GEOG 323-4 Industrial Location
GEOG 325-4 Geographies of Consumption
GEOG 327-4 Geography of Tourism
GEOG 382-4 Population Geography
GEOG 385-4 Agriculture and the Environment
GEOG 389W-4 Nature and Society

and one of

GEOG 352-4 Spatial Analysis
GEOG 353-4 Remote Sensing

and five (18-20 units) of the following. This five will include no more than eight units from GEOG 314, 315, 316, 414 and 417, and no more than six units from EASC 303, 307 and 313.

EASC 303-3 Environmental Geoscience***
EASC 307-3 Applied Geophysics***
EASC 313-3 Introduction to Soil and Rock Engineering***
GEOG 312-4 Geography of Natural Hazards
GEOG 314-4 Weather and Climate
GEOG 315-4 World Ecosystems
GEOG 316-4 Global Biogeochemical and Water Cycles
GEOG 411-4 Advanced Hydrology
GEOG 413-4 Advanced River Geomorphology
GEOG 414-4 Advanced Climatology
GEOG 415-4 Advanced Biogeography
GEOG 417-4 Advanced Soil Science

***with a C- grade or better in prerequisite courses

Physical Geography and Spatial Information Science Stream

Students who choose this stream will complete a minimum total of 44 units, including three of

GEOG 310-4 Physical Geography Field Course
GEOG 311-4 Hydrology
GEOG 313-4 River Geomorphology
GEOG 314-4 Weather and Climate
GEOG 315-4 World Ecosystems
GEOG 316-4 Global Biogeochemical and Water Cycles
GEOG 317-4 Soil Science

and one of

GEOG 322-4 World Resources
GEOG 323-4 Industrial Location
GEOG 324-4 Geography of Transportation
GEOG 325-4 Geographies of Consumption
GEOG 327-4 Geography of Tourism
GEOG 362-4 Geography of Urban Built Environments
GEOG 381-4 Political Geography
GEOG 382-4 Population Geography
GEOG 383-4 Regional Development and Planning I
GEOG 385-4 Agriculture and the Environment
GEOG 386-4 Geography, Health and Health Care
GEOG 387-4 Geography and Gender
GEOG 389W-4 Nature and Society

and three of

GEOG 351-4 Cartography and Visualization
GEOG 352-4 Spatial Analysis
GEOG 353-4 Remote Sensing
GEOG 355-4 Geographical Information Science II
GEOG 356-4 3D Geovisualization

and two of

GEOG 411-4 Advanced Hydrology
GEOG 412-4 Glacial Processes and Environments
GEOG 413-4 Advanced River Geomorphology
GEOG 414-4 Advanced Climatology
GEOG 415-4 Advanced Biogeography
GEOG 417-4 Advanced Soil Science

and two of

GEOG 451-4 Spatial Modeling
GEOG 453W-4 Remote Sensing of Environment
GEOG 455-4 Theoretical and Applied GIS
GEOG 457-4 Geovisualization Interfaces

Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements

Students admitted to 丁香园AV beginning in the fall 2006 term must meet writing, quantitative and breadth requirements as part of any degree program they may undertake. See Writing, Quantitative, and Breadth Requirements for university-wide information.

WQB Graduation Requirements A grade of C- or better is required to earn W, Q or B credit.
Requirement	Units	Notes
W - Writing	6	Must include at least one upper division course, taken at 丁香园AV within the student鈥檚 major subject
Q - Quantitative	6	Q courses may be lower or upper division
B - Breadth	18	Designated Breadth	Must be outside the student鈥檚 major subject, and may be lower or upper division 6 units Social Sciences: B-Soc 6 units Humanities: B-Hum 6 units Sciences: B-Sci
B - Breadth	6	Additional Breadth	6 units outside the student鈥檚 major subject (may or may not be B-designated courses, and will likely help fulfil individual degree program requirements) Additional breadth units must be from outside the student's major and may be B-designated (B-Hum, B-Soc, B-Sci courses). Students choosing to complete a joint major, joint honors, double major, two extended minors, an extended minor and a minor, or two minors may satisfy the breadth requirements (designated or not designated) with courses completed in either one or both program areas.

Residency Requirements and Transfer Credit

The University鈥檚 residency requirement stipulates that, in most cases, total transfer and course challenge credit may not exceed 60 units, and may not include more than 15 units as upper division work.

Elective Courses

In addition to the courses listed above, students should consult an academic advisor to plan the remaining required elective courses.

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