AAG

focuses primarily on Western Canada, The Arctic, the Americas and
Europe. State-of-the-art research, teaching, computing and analytical
facilities and software exist within three 24-seat computing labs, and
are enhanced by three full-time technicians. Field equipment and
support also is available, and the University Weather Research Station
is accessible for faculty and student research. Field stations are used
through cooperation with the Kananaskis Centre for Environmental
Research, and field education is available for all levels of students for
course and research work. Geography participates actively in the work
of the Van Horne Institute for International Transportation &
Regulatory Affairs, the World Tourism Education and Research
Centre, the Institute for Advanced Policy Research, the
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Earth Sciences, Environmental
Science, Urban Studies, and Latin American Studies programs.
FACULTY: A detailed list of faculty and graduate students and their
research interests is available on our Web page at:
http://www.geog.ucalgary.ca
BRITISH COLUMBIA
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
DATE FOUNDED: 1965
GRADUATE PROGRAM FOUNDED: 1965
DEGREES OFFERED: B.A., B.Sc., M.A., M.Sc., Ph.D.
GRANTED 9/1/14-8/31/15: 127 Bachelors, 8 Masters, 5
Ph.D.
STUDENTS IN RESIDENCE: 480 Majors, 8 M.A., 14
M.Sc., 31 Ph.D.
CHAIR: Tracy Brennand
DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: Anke
Baker
FOR CATALOG AND FURTHER INFORMATION WRITE
TO: Department Chair, Department of Geography, 8888 University
Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6. Telephone (778) 782-3718.
Fax (778) 782-5841. E-Mail: geog-info@sfu.ca
Internet: http://www.sfu.ca/geography/
PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH FACILITIES: The Department of
Geography is a founding department of the Faculty of Environment.
Undergraduate Program: Undergraduate students at Simon Fraser
University may specialize in one of three broad realms: Human
Geography, Physical Geography, and Spatial & Geographic
Information Science. For students with primary interests in Human
Geography, the department offers a mainstream BA, with emphases
on social and urban themes or on economic and resource issues. There
is also a separate BA with a strong environmental dimension: the
Environmental Specialty major. Additionally, students may enroll in a
cross-disciplinary Certificate in Urban Studies. Three concentrations
in the Physical Geography BSc are available: (1) Biogeophysical
Science exposes students to a broad range of environmental science
courses that address geomorphology, climatology, hydrology, soils,
and biogeography; (2) Geoscience is similarly broad-ranging but
specifically targets the academic requirements needed to apply for
registration as a Professional Geoscientist; (3) Physical Geography
and Spatial Information Science gives students the opportunity to
focus on the linkages between Earth System Science and Spatial
Information Systems. Spatial & Geographic Information Science at
Simon Fraser encompasses remote sensing, cartography, GIScience,
spatial data analysis, and geovisualization. All students include SIS
coursework within their BA or BSc degrees (see above) and may
supplement their chosen degree with a Certificate in Spatial
Information Science. Also available is an independent BSc in
Geographic Information Science, offered in cooperation with the
School of Computing Science. For more information on the
undergraduate program, please see:
http://www.sfu.ca/geography/undergraduate-programs.html.
Graduate Program: The Department of Geography at SFU has a
tradition of research excellence in a diversity of disciplines, spanning
human geography, earth system dynamics, and spatial and geographic
information science. The majority of graduate research is conducted in
western North America, although research further afield is not
uncommon. Facilities for advanced work include well-equipped soils,
geomorphology, biogeography, climatology, GIS and human
geography laboratories.
M.A., M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs: The department has six broad
research foci: The City, Geographical Political Economies, Global
Environmental Change, Water Science, Spatial Information Theory
and Spatial Health. Faculty from across the department contribute to
each of these areas of interest, and thesis work in the program
generally engages one or more of these research foci. Graduate
research is particularly encouraged in the following areas: landscape
ecology, climate science, geomorphology, and soil science;
geographic/spatial information science, and geovisualization and
remote sensing; health geography, political geography, urban
geography, economic geography, cultural geography, social theory,
political economy, and tourism.
For information on these specializations, faculty members, and
detailed information concerning all aspects of the graduate program,
please visit the departmental website,
http://www.sfu.ca/geography/graduate-studies.html, and/or contact the
Department.
GRADUATE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND FINANCIAL
AID: Admission Requirements: Generally, admission to the Graduate
Program is in the Fall semester, and applications should be complete
by January 15 of the admission year. Masters candidates should have
an undergraduate grade point average of 3.25. Candidates for the
Mastersdegree are expected to complete the degree (30 credit hours)
in six terms. Requirements include a thesis (18 credit hours) and 12
credit hours of required and elective courses. M.A. applicants are
expected to show or acquire competence in a range of the social
theory and methodological approaches informing contemporary
human geography. M.Sc. applicants normally hold a B.Sc. degree or
equivalent in geography, environmental or earth science or a related
discipline.
The Ph.D. program has no required courses; any coursework is
determined in consultation with the supervisor. Admission to pursue
the doctoral degree is granted only when the department has evidence
of the candidate's ability to work at the most advanced level and
produce a satisfactory dissertation. Prospective students should
contact individual faculty members in advance of applying for
admission.
Financial Aid: Graduate students are typically funded through a
combination of Research Assistantships, Teaching Assistantships,
and/or internal and external scholarships. Limited funds are also
available to support student travel.
FACULTY:
Shivanand Balram, Ph.D., McGill, 2005, Senior Lecturer—spatial
information science, quantitative geography, spatial decision
support.
Nicholas Blomley, Ph.D., Bristol, 1986, Professor —law, property, the
city.
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