Geography

Explore Different Dimensions of the World

Geography literally means to write about the earth, all of the physical and human interactions that shape our world. It is a discipline that bridges the social sciences, the humanities and the physical sciences. Geographers have long tried to understand the basic physical and social systems that affect everyday life. Geography students are curious and eager to learn about the world around them, from the earth’s relationship with the sun, to changing water and wind cycles, to relations between cities, regions and nations.

We are committed to hands-on, experiential learning, using technologies and field work

At York, we offer a BA and an iBA in Geography from one of the largest Geography programs in any university in Canada. We are an internationally recognized program committed to hands-on, experiential learning, using technologies and field work in places from the Oak Ridges Moraine in Ontario to Thailand.

At York, you can choose to focus on one of the following program theme areas:

 

Geography is a versatile degree

To see just how versatile and relevant to the world today Geography is, read the Canadian Geographic article “10 Reasons to Study Geography.” About.com also describes a range of careers, and the Huffington Post offers a tongue-in-cheek feature called “Why Geography is the Best Subject to Study in University."

Careers with a Geography degree

Geography teaches the skills that employers want.

York’s Geography program provides you with the knowledge, tools and technical skills to understand and analyze critical issues facing Canada and the world, including climate change, diversity, energy dependence, urbanization, environmental problems, globalization, international relationships and collaboration, war, regional conflicts and terrorism. The combination of solid skill development and breadth of knowledge makes you highly employable as soon as you graduate.

  • analytical and conceptual skills;
  • understanding of the spatial dimension of physical, environmental and human phenomena;
  • ability to appreciate the importance of a broad, international, and comparative perspectives;
  • technical abilities such as research, data collection, analysis, evaluation; mathematical and computational skills; and
  • local/global interpretive capacity that is increasingly important for a global citizen.

A career in Geography

As well as traditional jobs in planning, teaching and research, geography graduates use the skills that they have acquired to work in a range of careers, including environmental and transport consulting, city planning, environmental assessment, water resources, meteorology, wildlife analysis or conservation, surveying, housing advocacy, cartography, architecture, GIS analysis and market research. In addition, many geographers move into finance, law, accountancy, marketing or the civil service.

Find out what professions and jobs are available to you through York’s Career Centre. You may also want to review the job opportunities on the Canadian Association of Geographer website to get a feel for the types of positions available after graduation.

To enhance your degree and career prospects, you may also choose to pair your degree with a certificate in Geographic Information Systems & Remote Sensing, Urban Studies or Refugee & Migration Studies.