2000 level Courses

Second Year Courses are broadly divided into Regional (20xx), General (21xx) and Program (22xx-29xx) courses. The Program Courses are further subdivided by discipline as follows

  • 22xx : Technical courses (e.g. Statistics, Geographic Information Systems)
  • 23xx : Physical/Environmental courses
  • 24xx : Human/Urban Geography
  • 29xx : Selected Topics courses that are used for one-off offerings, or to allow immediate offering of a course going through review.

Late Entry Options

The five second year courses listed below can be used for late entry into Geography and Environment Programs, to avoid having to take additional first year courses:

  • Geography 2131A/B The Natural Environment
  • Geography 2132A/B Digital Earth
  • Geography 2133A/B Climate Change
  • Geography 2152F/G Geography of Hazards
  • Geography 2153A/B Environment, Economy and Society

2010A/B Geography of Canada

An overview of the regional geography of Canada. Topics considered may include demographics, culture, the economy, resources and environmental issues.

Extra Information: 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2011A/B Ontario and the Great Lakes

A detailed examination of the province as part of the Great Lakes region, with special reference to its historical development, natural resources and patterns of human and economic activity.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2030A Africa South of the Sahara

This course provides an introduction to the geography of Africa south of the Sahara. The course will take a systematic approach. Economic, political, social and environmental issues will be examined with a focus on contemporary patterns of change within the context of the global economy.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2041A/B Geography of China

This course adopts a geographic approach to understanding contemporary China. It examines how transformations of China’s land, people, economy, and society are recasting internal regional divisions and repositioning China in a rapidly changing world.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2060B World Cities

A global perspective on urbanism. In each session a selected city is used to emphasize a particular urban problem, urban spatial structure or world region.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2090A Space Exploration

Survey of human activity in outer space, including history of spaceflight, scientific exploration, economic and military uses of space, natural resources and hazards, legal and ethical implications, and plausible future developments.

Extra Information: 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course, ONLINE COURSE

2133A Connecting for Climate Change Action (CC4CA)

Weaving together Eurowestern and Indigenous science and knowledge we explore the processes underlying human-induced climate change and the threats posed to both physical and social systems. Discuss and reflect on how you will be affected by climate change and practise ways to take action and influence our shared future.

Extra Information: 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2143A Foundations of Geography in the World of Business

Geographical theories of local and international trade; relationships between the location of production and flows of goods, services and factors of production among countries and regions; the geographical patterns of world commerce.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2144A/B Geography of Tourism

Examination of tourism as a global, national and local phenomenon, with economic, social, and environmental impacts; emphasis on tourism in developing countries; hosts, guests, and tourism operators; tourism trends; mass versus alternative tourism; relationship between ‘ecotourism’ and nature protection.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour, 0.5 course.

2152F/G Geography of Hazards

A survey of the methods and models used to understand human responses to hazards. The course reviews the rich tradition of hazards research in geography, particularly through the lens of social science. The course will include discussions of both so-called "natural hazards" (e.g., floods, fires, earthquakes) and "technological hazards" (e.g., nuclear technology, genetically modified organisms, terrorism, war) as examples.

Extra Information: 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2156B Animal Geographies

Investigates the fast-changing geographies of animals in relation to global environmental change. The initial focus is on extinctions, endangerment, and broad population declines occurring among many wild animal species. The subsequent focus is on the soaring populations and conditions of life for a few species of domesticated animals.

Extra Information: 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course.

2160B Healthy Cities

A survey course exploring the connections between urban environments, health, and wellbeing, including key historical developments, theories, problems, and solutions. Hands-on activities throughout will teach skills and knowledge suitable for careers in planning, urban development, public health, medicine, business, civil engineering, and municipal government.

Extra Information: 2 instructional hours, 1 lab hour, 0.5 course.

2210B Introduction to Statistics for Geographers

An introduction to the nature of geographical analysis of data and the application of statistical techniques and computing systems in Geography: data collection, research design, sampling; models of spatial data, probability, distributions, hypothesis testing, correlation and regression.

Antirequisite(s): Biology 2244A/B, Economics 2122A/B, Economics 2222A/B, Health Sciences 3801A/B,MOS 2242A/B, Psychology 2810, Psychology 2820E, Psychology 2830A/B, Psychology 2850A/B, Psychology 2851A/B, Social Work 2207A/B, Sociology 2205A/B, Statistical Sciences 2035, Statistical Sciences 2141A/B, Statistical Sciences 2143A/B, Statistical Sciences 2244A/B, Statistical Sciences 2858A/B, Statistical Sciences 2037A/B if taken prior to Fall 2010, former Psychology 2885 (Brescia), former Statistical Sciences 2122A/B, former Social Work 2205.

Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course from Geography 1100, Geography 1200A/B, Geography 1300A/B, Geography 1400F/G, Geography 1500F/G, Geography 2131A/B, Geography 2132A/B, Geography 2133A/B, Geography 2142A/B, Geography 2152F/G, Geography 2153A/B, Environmental Science 1021F/G; or enrolment in the Major in Physical Geography and Environment, in the Certificate in Geographic Information Science, or in an Honours Earth Science Program for Professional Registration.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours, 0.5 course.

2220A Geographic Information Science I

An introduction to fundamentals and principles of Geographic Information Science, emphasizing both applied and theoretical aspects of digital mapping, spatial data handling, and spatial analysis using both vector and raster data. Practical skills are developed through the use of Geographic Information Systems.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours, 0.5 course.

2230B Remote Sensing

Introduction to the principles, techniques, and geographic applications of remote sensing systems. Computer processing of remote sensing digital data. Interface of remote sensing data with geographic information systems.

Prerequisite(s): 1.0 from Geography 1100, Geography 1200A/B, Geography 1300A/B, Geography 1400F/G, Geography 1500F/G, Geography 2131A/B, Geography 2132A/B, Geography 2133A/B, Geography 2142A/B, Geography 2152F/G, Geography 2153A/B, Environmental Science 1021F/G; or registration in a module in Science or in Engineering, in the Major in Physical Geography and Environment, in the Certificate in Geographic Information Science, or in the Commercial Aviation Management program in MOS.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hour, 0.5 course. Limited enrollment.

2310B Weather and Climate

Fundamentals of the physical processes underlying weather and climate; radiant energy, energy balances, clouds, atmospheric dynamics and thermodynamics; principles of the "Greenhouse Effect", mid-latitude cyclones and aspects of weather forecasting, severe weather phenomenon and atmospheric optics.

Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course from Geography 1100, Geography 1200A/B, Geography 1300A/B, Geography 1400F/G, Geography 1500F/G, Geography 2131A/B, Geography 2132A/B, Geography 2133A/B, Geography 2142A/B, Geography 2152F/G, Geography 2153A/B; or 0.5 course from Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Calculus, Environmental Science or Physics at 1000-1999 level; or enrolment in the Major in Physical Geography and Environment or in an Honours Earth Science Program for Professional Registration.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours, 0.5 course.

2320A Introductory Biogeography

Spatial distributions of plants and animals; evolutionary and environmental controls on distributions; impacts of human settlement.

Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course from Geography 1100, Geography 1200A/B, Geography 1300A/B, Geography 1400F/G, Geography 1500F/G, Geography 2131A/B, Geography 2132A/B, Geography 2133A/B, Geography 2142A/B, Geography 2152F/G, Geography 2153A/B, Environmental Science 1021F/G; or enrolment in the Major in Physical Geography and Environment.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 1 laboratory hour, 0.5 course.

2411G Indigenous Environments

The consequences of physical environmental change for Indigenous communities around the globe will be examined in relation to the processes of colonialism and environmental dispossession. Topics include: identity, culture, local economies, social functioning, food security and health.

Antirequisite(s): Indigenous Studies 2601F/G.

Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course from Environmental Science 1021F/G, Indigenous Studies 1020E, Geography 1100, Geography 1200A/B, Geography 1300A/B, Geography 1400F/G, Geography 1500F/G, Geography 2131A/B, Geography 2132A/B, Geography 2133A/B, Geography 2142A/B, Geography 2152F/G, Geography 2153A/B; GSWS 1020E, Health Sciences 1001A/B and Health Sciences 1002A/B; Sociology 1020, Sociology 1021E, Sociology 1025A/B, Sociology 1026F/G, Sociology 1027A/B or enrolment in the Major in Ecosystem Health or in any of the Globalization Studies modules, or permission from the Instructor.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour, 0.5 course.

2420A Economic Geography

The forces reshaping global economic geography; fundamentals of spatial economics; principles of locational decisions; spatial interaction; and growth of spatial economic systems are examined. Examples of these concepts are taken from a variety of countries.

Extra Information: 3 lecture hours,0.5 course.

2430A Public Health and Environment

This course introduces students to current issues in public health and the environment. Theory, method and case study discussions focus on the important role of geography in understanding and explaining patterns of diseases, health and health care in communities, regions and nations.

Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course from Geography 1100, Geography 1200A/B, Geography 1300A/B, Geography 1400F/G, Geography 1500F/G, Geography 2131A/B, Geography 2132A/B, Geography 2133A/B, Geography 2142A/B, Geography 2152F/G, Geography 2153A/B, Environmental Science 1021F/G; Health Sciences 1001A/B and Health Sciences 1002A/B; Sociology 1020, Sociology 1021E, Sociology 1025A/B, Sociology 1026F/G, Sociology 1027A/B or enrolment in the Major in Ecosystem Health or in any of the Global Development Studies modules, or permission of the instructor.

Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour, 0.5 course.

2460G Introduction to Urban Development

Growth, structure and morphology in industrial and post-industrial cities; theories of, and empirical research on, urban form and structure; land development decision making; development feasibility modelling; urban land-use policy.

Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course from Geography 1100, Geography 1200A/B, Geography 1300A/B, Geography 1400F/G, Geography 1500F/G, Geography 2131A/B, Geography 2132A/B, Geography 2133A/B, Geography 2142A/B, Geography 2152F/G, Geography 2153A/B, Environmental Science 1021F/G, or Economics 1021A/B or Economics 1022A/B, or enrolment in any of the Global Development Studies or Globalization Studies modules.

Extra Information: 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course.