Geography | Faculty of Arts

Program overview

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Consider Geography if you are interested in an all-encompassing perspective on current global change issues. Early in your program, you will deepen your understanding of our natural environment — our climate, our water and biomes — as well as the human environment in which we live — our cities, cultures, social change and migration. Later, you will have the opportunity to focus on subjects more in line with your personal interests.

You might opt to study how humans adapt to environmental change, how cities develop and how migrants settle or you might be more interested in climate change, glaciers, floods or the thawing of our permafrost. Thanks to engaging lectures and hands-on experience-based learning, you will acquire the necessary tools and knowledge to evaluate and understand the changes shaping our world.

Why choose this program

This program stands out and offers:

Comprehensive Geography Education: Gain an in-depth understanding of global change issues by covering natural and human environments, climate, water and cultural dynamics to prepare you to address contemporary challenges.

Personalized Learning: Tailor your studies to your interests by focusing on topics like environmental adaptation, urban development, climate change or glaciology through engaging lectures and hands-on experiences.

Cutting-Edge Technology and Fieldwork: Develop practical skills in computer-based geographical analysis, geomatics and artificial intelligence (AI) complemented by immersive field experiences in Ottawa as well as in Canada’s North and international locations like Iceland and Zanzibar.

Career-Enhancing Opportunities: Explore co-op placements for real-world experience and paid internships that will enhance your employability and provide you with valuable insights into your future career path.

Enriched Learning Environment: Engage in local excursions, field research courses and advanced field courses that expand your knowledge and skills as you foster connections with classmates and industry professionals in diverse settings.

Program structure

Get a glimpse into how uOttawa’s Geography program is structured and the courses you’ll have the opportunity to take.

Understand program path and options

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Browse program options

4 years120 units

Honours BA in Geography

Most extensive and focused study in Geography.

Can be combined with a minor in another area.

Program Structure

Course Sequence

42 units

Major in Geography

Opportunity to pursue a broader range of interest as it has a greater number of electives.

Can be combined with a second Major or a Minor.

Program Structure

Course Sequence

30 units

Minor in Geography

Opportunity to acquire a solid foundation while following a Specialization or a Major in another discipline.

Program structure

Course sequence

Admission requirements and deadlines for Geography

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After your studies

After completing your undergraduate studies in Geography, you have two main paths to consider: continuing your education or entering the workforce.

You may choose to pursue graduate studies, such as a Master’s degree (MA or MC), to deepen your knowledge and develop advanced research, analytical, and critical thinking skills. A research-based MA is ideal if you’re interested in specializing in a topic or eventually pursuing a PhD, while the Master of Geography (MC) offers a more practical approach, with the option of gaining professional experience through co-op placements.

Alternatively, you can move directly into the job market. Your degree can lead to a variety of careers in fields such as Urban Planner, Geomarketing Consultant, Park Administrator, Community Planner, Natural Resource Planner and Analyst, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Technologist. These opportunities allow you to apply your skills in technical, analytical, and problem-solving in real-world settings.

Whether you choose further studies or enter the workforce, your degree provides a strong foundation to build a career in Geography.

Potential Career Paths

Career development and experiential learning

Apply concepts you learn in class through paid work terms. You’ll get not just a degree showing that you participated in a co-op program but also approximately 16 months of experience in your field of study and a network of valuable contacts.

Learn more about co-op requirements for the program of Geography

Tuition and fees

Learn about the costs associated with your program and explore the scholarships and funding options available to help support you along the way.

Tuition fees

Scholarships and bursaries

Student experience

Undergraduate Students Association GAIA

Gaia is the Geography, Environment and Geomatics Student Association. We are here to serve and represent the student bodies of these programs and to help better your university experience.

“Gaia“ (pronounced guy-a), according to Greek Mythology, is the goddess of the Earth. James Lovelock used the term in the 1970s to describe the earth as a living, self-regulating organism.

Geography Graduate Students Association GGSA

The GGSA is a departmental organization responsible for supporting and representing graduate students in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa. We allow the voices of graduate students to be heard by sitting in and voting at department assemblies. We also organize social events to encourage human geographers, physical geographers, and geomatics specialists to interact with and learn from each other.

Field courses and excursions

Take part in three hour-long excursions in Ottawa’s region to study hydrology, landscapes or past environments. For more immersive field experience, leave on a multi-day field course to study Urban Geography in Montreal, Environmental change in the Georgian Bay area, Cold environments in Gaspésie, Canada’s North in the Yukon, Glaciology in Iceland or Tropical Coastal Environments in Zanzibar. Take a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study in a transformative learning environment.