Humans are now the main force transforming the Earth. The impact of our activities exceeds that of geophysical forces and the natural world. It’s the Anthropocene age, the age of the human and all our planetary mess: climate change, loss of biodiversity, urbanization, technological acceleration...
The University of Ottawa is offering the first program in Canada on the Anthropocene, to prepare tomorrow’s leaders to understand today’s issues in an interdisciplinary setting.
These unique undergraduate and master’s paths offer courses in English or in French.
An emerging field of study in a high-impact research environment
The University of Ottawa is the ideal place to study the Anthropocene. Our members work within a very large pool of governmental and non-governmental organizations with major influence on our society. The University also holds a Research Chair on the Urban Anthropocene jointly with the Université de Lyon’s École urbaine.
The Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics offers an interdisciplinary undergraduate microprogram and a science master’s with a concentration in the Anthropocene (with a research or internship option).
These programs are adapted to this complex field of study and offer combinations to cover its various aspects. Students are invited to reflect on current issues, such as global environmental challenges and the human and political dimensions of environmental change.
What does studying the Anthropocene prepare you for?
Our programs on the Anthropocene will educate those who’ll help us to rethink our social responsibilities in terms of the environment, politics, the economy and more.
"We are called to regulate and modify our behaviour for the common good more than any previous generation has had to. Learning to do this as an individual is essential to becoming a good citizen. Learning to do this as a society is essential for us to live fulfilling lives, and our children as well."
― Anders Knudby, chair, graduate studies, and associate professor, Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics
Discover the new undergraduate microprogram in Anthropocene and the MSc concentration in Anthropocene.