Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
Loeb Bldg B349
613-520-2561
613-520-4301
http://carleton.ca/geography/geography/graduate
- M.A. Geography
- M.Sc. Geography
- Ph.D. Geography
- Ph.D. Geography with Specialization in Political Economy (Specialization requirements listed under Political Economy )
M.A. Geography
About the Program
The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies offers programs of study and research in geography leading to the degree of Master of Arts. Research on a wide variety of topics is possible.
Whatever a student's primary field of interest, the Carleton M.A. program promotes an integrative conception of Geography and encourages the crossing of inter- and intra-disciplinary boundaries. It also seeks to foster openness to a variety of philosophical and methodological approaches to geographical inquiry.
Academic Regulations
See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
Admission Requirements
The requirement for admission into the master's program is a B.A.(Honours) or B.Sc. (Honours) in Geography or a related discipline, with at least B+ standing.
In exceptional cases, pertinent work experience may be considered in support of an application to the Department. Students entering the program from other disciplines or with academic deficiencies may be required to take additional courses.
Program Requirements
The following 5.0 credits:
| 1. 0.5 credit from: | 0.5 | |
GEOG 5000 [0.5] | Approaches to Geographical Inquiry | |
GEOG 5001 [0.5] | Modeling Environmental Systems | |
| 2. 2.5 credits in: | 2.5 | |
M.A. Thesis, which must be defended at an oral examination | ||
| 3. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
GEOG 5905 [0.5] | Masters Research Workshop | |
| 4. 1.5 credits | 1.5 | |
| 5. In addition to the formal requirements, M.A. students are required to attend the Departmental Seminar series, and the Graduate Field Camp. | ||
| Total Credits | 5.0 | |
M.Sc. Geography
About the Program
The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies offers programs of study leading to the degree of Master of Science. Subjects of research are in the natural and geographical information sciences, with substantive research clusters that provide critical mass for advanced inquiry. For more information about the research clusters, visit the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies graduate studies web page.
Academic Regulations
See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
Admission Requirements
The normal requirement for admission into the M.Sc. program in Geography is a B.Sc. (Honours) or B.A. (Honours) in Physical Geography or a related discipline, with at least B+ standing.
Students entering the program from other disciplines or with academic deficiencies may be required to take additional courses.
The intended research area must be eligible for NSERC support.
Applicants for admission must provide an outline of their proposed project, which must be suitable for the M.Sc. program.
Program Requirements
The following 5.0 credits:
| 1. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
GEOG 5001 [0.5] | Modeling Environmental Systems | |
| 2. 0.5 credit in: | 0.5 | |
GEOG 5905 [0.5] | Masters Research Workshop | |
| 3. 2.5 credits in: | 2.5 | |
GEOG 5906 [2.5] | M.Sc. Thesis (must be defended at an oral examination) | |
| 4. 1.0 credit in Physical Geography selected from: | 1.0 | |
GEOG 5103 [0.5] | Hydrologic Principles and Methods | |
GEOG 5104 [0.5] | Advanced Biogeography | |
GEOG 5107 [0.5] | Field Study and Methodological Research | |
GEOG 5303 [0.5] | Geocryology | |
GEOG 5307 [0.5] | Soil Resources | |
GEOG 5800 [0.5] | Spatial Information Systems | |
GEOG 5803 [0.5] | Remote Sensing and Image Analysis | |
GEOG 5804 [0.5] | Geographic Information Systems | |
GEOG 5900 [0.5] | Graduate Tutorial | |
GEOG 4004 [0.5] | Environmental Impact Assessment | |
GEOG 4013 [0.5] | Cold Region Hydrology | |
GEOG 4017 [0.5] | Global Biogeochemical Cycles | |
GEOG 4101 [0.5] | Quaternary Geography | |
GEOG 4103 [0.5] | Water Resources Engineering | |
GEOG 4104 [0.5] | Microclimatology | |
GEOG 4108 [0.5] | Permafrost | |
GEOM 4003 [0.5] | Remote Sensing of the Environment | |
GEOM 4008 [0.5] | Advanced Topics in Geographic Information Systems | |
Or from courses offered by departments in the Faculty of Science | ||
| 5. 0.5 credit in free elective | 0.5 | |
| 6. In addition to the formal requirements, M.Sc. students are required to attend the Departmental Seminar Series, and the Graduate Field Camp. | ||
| Total Credits | 5.0 | |
Notes
- Only 0.5 credit towards the program may be obtained in GEOG 5900 - Graduate Tutorial.
- Only 0.5 credit may be obtained at 4000 level.
Ph.D. Geography
About the Program
The doctoral program in geography is structured around two fields:
- the geography of societal change with emphasis on the global political economy; restructuring and the environment; geographies of sociocultural evaluation; feminist geographies
- the geography of environmental change with emphasis on environmental processes and anthropogenic impacts; appraisal and societal management of environmental resources.
Academic Regulations
See the General Regulations section of this Calendar.
Admission Requirements
The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is a master's degree (or the equivalent) in geography, with at least an A- average.
A student already registered in the M.A. or M.Sc. program who shows outstanding academic performance and research promise may be permitted to transfer to the Ph.D. program with a recommendation by the Departmental graduate committee.
Applicants whose academic preparation has deficiencies in certain areas may be admitted to the Ph.D. program with the requirement that they complete additional course work.
Admission to the Ph.D. program is granted on a full-time basis in September for the fall term.
Program Requirements
Program requirements for the Ph.D. degree are outlined in the General Regulations section of this Calendar. The specific program requirements of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies are:
Ten (10.0) credits:
| 1. 1.0 credit in: | 1.0 | |
| Doctoral Core Seminar: Geography, Society and the Environment and Doctoral Core Seminar: Geography, Society and the Environment | ||
| 2. 1.0 credit from: | 1.0 | |
| Field Seminar: Geography of Societal Change and Field Seminar: Geography of Societal Change | ||
| Field Seminar: Geography of Environmental Change and Field Seminar: Geography of Environmental Change | ||
| 3. Presentation and oral defence of the thesis proposal as outlined below | ||
| 4. 8.0 credits in Thesis which must be defended at an oral examination | 8.0 | |
| Total Credits | 10.0 | |
Comprehensive Examination
Each doctoral candidate is required to write one comprehensive examination: GEOG 6906 or GEOG 6907, according to the chosen field of specialization
The comprehensive examination must be completed after course requirements for the Ph.D. have been completed. The examination will occur no later than the fourth term of registration in the Ph.D. program. Failure to complete the examination successfully will result in denial of permission to continue in the program.
Thesis Proposal
Candidates normally register in the thesis on entry to the program and work actively to define their research topic during the first term of registration. The thesis proposal is normally presented after comprehensive requirements have been fulfilled. Candidates submit and defend the thesis proposal at an oral examination no later than the end of the 5th term of registration in the Ph.D. program. Continuous registration is required after initial registration in the thesis.
Residence Requirements
All Ph.D. candidates must be registered full time in a minimum of six terms to satisfy the residence requirement.
Geography (GEOG) Courses
Approaches to Geographical Inquiry
A review of the major philosophical perspectives shaping research and explanation by geographers. Particular attention is paid to interpretations of social structure and human action, the nature of the biophysical universe, and the interaction between human beings and their environments.
Modeling Environmental Systems
Methods and problems of research on the physical environment, with illustrative material taken from the atmospheric and surface earth sciences. Issues such as the identification and behaviour of environmental systems, temporal and spatial scale, experimental method under field conditions, and simulation and model development are considered.
Critical Approaches to Qualitative Inquiry
Development of critical skills in qualitative research by considering the relationship between theory and method. Focus on engaged scholarship and participatory, community-based, action research. Practical experience with select methods,
including: interviews, personal narratives, focus groups, participant observation, archival research, discourse analysis, and visual methodologies.
Global Environmental Change: Human Implications
Global environmental change: its significance for societies, economies and international relations. Value systems underlying environmental discourse; political economy of the environment; sustainability and security. Environmental diplomacy and grassroots environmentalism. Regionalized impacts of pressures on natural environments; challenges of adaptation.
Special Topics in Geography of the Environment
Research seminar on a selected theme within geographical approaches to environmental analysis. Topics will vary from year to year. Consult departmental web site for current details.
Hydrologic Principles and Methods
Advanced physical hydrology with emphasis on atmospheric moisture, precipitation, evaporation, infiltration, soil water physics, snow hydrology and runoff generation. Analytical approaches and methods to solve practical hydrological problems.
Advanced Biogeography
Current methods and theories in paleoecology are examined: dendrochronology, paleolimnology and other techniques for examining past climates and environmental condition. Numerical approaches to climate change studies.
Field Study and Methodological Research
Field acquisition and analysis of geographic material; supervised field observations and methodology. (Individual or group basis, by special arrangement.).
Issues in Development of Africa
Special Topics in the Geography of Development
Research seminar within geographical approaches to development focusing on a selected theme or region. Topics vary from year to year. Consult departmental web site for current details.
Geocryology
Development of ground ice in permafrost regions of Canada; ice segregation and pore-water expulsion during ground freezing; analytical and numerical approaches to modeling permafrost conditions.
Soil Resources
Physical, mineralogical, chemical, and other properties of soils will be studied in agricultural, environmental, geomorphological and/or geotechnical contexts, as relevant to the students enrolled.
Territory and Territoriality
Contemporary geographical and international relations theorizing is challenging notions of boundaries and territories in the political organization of modernity. Using contemporary writings on geopolitics, security, sovereignty, self-determination and identity politics this course investigates territoriality as a political and intellectual strategy.
Special Topics in Cultural Geography
Research seminar on a selected theme within cultural (including historical) geography. Topic varies from year to year. Consult departmental web site for current details.
Globalization and Localities
A review of recent theoretical and methodological debate in this field and analysis of the changing geography of production, employment, and social consumption in advanced economies. Policy issues will be considered.
Special Topics in Geography of Globalization
Research seminar on a selected theme within geographical aspects of globalization. Topic varies from year to year. Consult departmental web site for current details.
Sustainability and Development in the Circumpolar North
The Circumpolar Arctic Region is undergoing rapid political, economic, social and technological development, which impacts sustainability. Climate, contaminants and biological diversity focus international attention, Nunavut, the Russian North, major developments, and international circumpolar regime formation; emphasis on environment and development.
Spatial Information Systems
Advanced concepts and problems involving spatial information systems. Topics may include: data access and implementation issues; integration of GIS and environmental models, and managing uncertainty; spatial decision support systems; visualization; quantitative spatial analysis.
Remote Sensing and Image Analysis
Topics may include: advanced sensors and calibration; radiometric data correction; spatial and temporal image analysis; non-parametric and object-based classification; spectral unmixing; scaling; physical-optical modeling; data fusion; selected applications in vegetation, urban, water, and geologic mapping.
Geographic Information Systems
GIS for students with no previous experience. Includes data formats and structures, input/output and analysis capabilities, and GIS applications.
Graduate Tutorial
Tutorial, directed reading or research, offered on an individual basis, to meet specific program needs; may be taken in one of the areas of specialization of the Department.
Masters Research Workshop
A workshop which focuses on the challenges of research design in the various sub-fields of geography. The workshop will culminate with the development and defence of a thesis research proposal.
M.Sc. Thesis
Thesis supervision will be given in Physical Geography, as listed in the introductory section of this department's program description.
M.A. Thesis
Thesis supervision will be given in all areas of specialization of the Department, as listed in the introductory section of this department's program description.
Doctoral Core Seminar: Geography, Society and the Environment
Geographical perspectives on the development of society/environment interrelations in Western thought and critiques thereof. The course is designed to represent and address integrative issues in the two fields of the program, the geography of social change and the geography of environmental change.
Doctoral Core Seminar: Geography, Society and the Environment
Geographical perspectives on the development of society/environment interrelations in Western thought and critiques thereof. The course is designed to represent and address integrative issues in the two fields of the program, the geography of social change and the geography of environmental change.
Field Seminar: Geography of Societal Change
Analysis of current geographical and related research into the three themes of global political economy: restructuring and the environment; geographies of socio-cultural evaluation; and feminist geographies.
Field Seminar: Geography of Societal Change
Analysis of current geographical and related research into the three themes of global political economy: restructuring and the environment; geographies of socio-cultural evaluation; and feminist geographies.
Field Seminar: Geography of Environmental Change
Analysis of geographical and related research into the appraisal and societal management of environmental resources, and environmental processes and anthropogenic impacts.
Field Seminar: Geography of Environmental Change
Analysis of geographical and related research into the appraisal and societal management of environmental resources, and environmental processes and anthropogenic impacts.
Comprehensive Examination: The Geography of Societal Change
This examination focuses on research challenges in theory and methodology in the themes of global political economy: restructuring and the environment; geographies of socio-cultural evaluation; feminist geographies. A specific theme will be identified for each candidate.
Comprehensive Examination: The Geography of Environmental Change
This examination focuses on research challenges in theory and methodology associated with the appraisal and societal management of environmental resources, and environmental processes and anthropogenic impacts. A specific theme will be identified for each candidate.
Ph.D. Thesis
Summer session: some of the courses listed in this Calendar are offered during the summer. Hours and scheduling for summer session courses will differ significantly from those reported in the fall/winter Calendar. To determine the scheduling and hours for summer session classes, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca
Not all courses listed are offered in a given year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings for the current session and to determine the term of offering, consult the class schedule at central.carleton.ca