Geography and Environmental Management at University of Waterloo

Programme overview

Leads to the Bachelor of Environmental Studies in Geography and Environmental Management. Explore how people shape the planet we live on. Delve into the dynamics of the Earth’s physical systems. Help solve many of the world’s most pressing problems, such as climate change, water scarcity, resource management, global food security, natural resource sustainability, and more. Available in the regular system of study or the co-op system.

Faculty: Faculty of Environment | Study mode: full-time | Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

What you will study

About half of the classes you’ll take will be Geography courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo. Sample upper-year courses include Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Climate Change Fundamentals, Human Dimensions of Natural Hazards, Applied Wetland Science, Icesheets and Glaciers.

Career pathways

There is a location component to much of the vast amounts of data collected by organizations today, providing opportunities for geography graduates to advise businesses on location strategies, governments on natural area protection, and more.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Ontario applicants: Six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including Any Grade 12 U English (minimum final grade of 70% is required); Admission average: High 70s. How to apply: Apply directly to this program on your application.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the courses you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

First-year students are admitted for the September (fall) term only. Terms: fall (September to December), winter (January to April), spring (May to August). Part-time, online, post-degree and non-degree studies can start in the winter, spring or fall term.

Applications for September 2027 entry close on 1 February 2027 for programs other than Engineering (documents due 15 February 2027) and on 15 January 2027 for Engineering programs other than Architecture (documents due 1 February 2027). International students have the same deadlines. Full-time applicants apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC).

Part-time, online, post-degree and non-degree studies: winter 2027 applications close 30 October 2026 for degree and non-degree (13 November 2026 for post-degree); spring 2027 applications close 26 February 2027 for degree and non-degree (12 March 2027 for post-degree). Optometry closes 12 November 2026 and Pharmacy closes 6 January 2027.

Apply through the official page: https://uwaterloo.ca/future-students/admissions/how-to-apply

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