Principles and processes that govern the functions of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Interactions between these environmental systems and human activity. [3-2-0] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Principles and processes that govern the functions of the Earth's lithosphere and terrestrial geomorphology. Interactions between the lithospheric system and human activity. [3-2-0] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Critical introduction to the study and application of the major themes of human geography, including historical, regional, urban, social, and cultural geographies. Draws upon a range of geographic research methods to investigate geographic phenomena, especially human-environment relations. Not for Science credit. [3-0-0] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Introduction to concepts, methods, modes of explanation, and recent critical changes in the study of human geography. Interpretation and explanation of geographic variations arising within contexts of rapidly changing cultural, demographic, economic, political, and social phenomena and their relationship to the environment. Not for Science credit. [3-0-0] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Physical principles underlying weather and climates. Thermal, moisture, and wind climates at scales from valleys to the globe. Daily weather, air pollution, global change. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 200 or EESC 212. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: Either (a) GEOG 108 and GEOG 109; or (b) two of EESC 101, EESC 111, EESC 112, EESC 121 or (c) second-year standing in the Bachelor of Science. Equivalency: EESC212 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Introduces skills required to conduct, critically assess, and present research in geography and sustainability. Develops research skills from problem definition through to design and execution of research projects, including how to identify and categorize scholarly articles; identify research questions; and, collect, analyze, and present data and research findings. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 201, SUST 201, or GEOG 371. [2-0-1] Equivalency: SUST 201 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Principles of hydrology at site, watershed, and regional scales. Techniques of measurement and analysis. Emphasizes surface water hydrology of western North America. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 205 or EESC 205. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: Either (a) GEOG 108 and GEOG 109; or (b) two of EESC 101, EESC 111, EESC 112, EESC 121 or (c) second-year standing in the Bachelor of Science. Equivalency: EESC205 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Geographical ecology emphasizing species distributions, abiotic-biotic interactions, disturbance and vegetation response, and human impacts across spatial scales. Vegetation sampling and analysis methods. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: Either (a) GEOG 108 and GEOG 109; or (b) BIOL 116 and BIOL 125; or (c) BIOL 117 and BIOL 122; or (d) EESC 111 and EESC 121. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Introduction to the major environmental issues facing this planet. [3-0-1] Prerequisite: One of EESC 111, EESC 121, GEOG 108, GEOG 109, GEOG 128, GEOG 129. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Human geographies of British Columbia (B.C.) using a combined thematic and case study approach to understand links between the spatiality and temporality of the province and its current context. Particular emphasis will be on introducing the application of critical and justice-oriented topics, such as racism, colonialism, resource extraction, and labour, as they continue to impact the people and places of so-called B.C.. [3-0-0] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
In-depth look at food systems, including food production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste. Required field trips will be organized that explore both the value chain of a farm and its related food industry; and the food system of a large institution. Students must arrange own transportation to/from Kelowna-area field location. Credit will be granted for only one of FDSY 221 and GEOG 221. [1.5-0-1.5] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Landform assemblages and processes of landscape evolution on Earth. Fundamental concepts, including system equilibrium, thresholds, complex response to external forces, and scale dependency, with application to mountains, rivers, coasts, and glaciated terrain. Laboratory exercises require field work in lab time. Required one-day, weekend trip. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 222 or EESC 222. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: Either (a) GEOG 108 and GEOG 109; or (b) MATH 100 and one of EESC 111, EESC 112 or (c) second-year standing in the Bachelor of Science. Equivalency: EESC222 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Critical exploration of climate change as a physical, social, cultural and political challenge. Approaches major climate change themes of knowledge, causes, impacts, responses and governance from a human geography perspective. Emphasizes critical thinking, local-global connections and social justice. [1.5-0-1.5] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Examination of how cities emerge, function, and change. Introduces the city in its historical and geographical perspective, focusing on the complex relationship between economic, political, cultural, and environmental phenomena. Students will complete fieldwork projects examining these urban processes at work. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: GEOG 128. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Provides tools to undertake analyses of relationships between culture, politics, and everyday life. Themes will be selected from: a history of Anglo-American cultural geography, cultural studies and geography, cultural politics, sexuality and space, gender and geography, axes of power, and marginalization. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Importance of visual images of the world in historical and contemporary contexts. Questioning the role of visual technologies (mapping, photography, film, video games, and virtual reality) in shaping societal attitudes towards social, cultural, and environmental issues. Practical skills in geographic image interpretation and visual communication. Recommended prerequisite: GEOG 109. Prerequisite: One of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Analysis of structure/dynamics of economic landscapes; theories of location, distribution, and interactions associated with material production and consumption. Discussion themes selected from: distribution phenomena within context of social systems; agricultural systems and land use; industrial landscape formation; consumer behaviour, and spatial structure of service activities. Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Regional analysis of geographic dimensions of tourism and recreation. Specific reference to the Canadian experience. Spatial distribution of activities and resources, interrelationships of tourism and recreation with the physical and human environment. Implications of existing and potential supplies/demands, challenges of planning and managing resources. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The theory and practice of cartography and map making; thematic map design techniques; cartographic conventions; spatial data acquisition; cartographic communication; critical cartographies; historical and Indigenous mapping; participatory and cognitive mapping. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of GEOG 108, GEOG 109, GEOG 128, GEOG 129. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Introduction to descriptive and inferential statistical analysis in geography and Earth sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, elementary probability, statistics for spatial analysis, hypotheses testing, analysis of variance, correlation, and regression. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: 6 credits of 100- or 200-level courses in GEOG or EESC. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Cartographic skills and interpretation of remotely-sensed data for geographical applications. Themes include: history of cartography; map scale; projections; types of maps; map interpretation; map making; manipulating cartographic data; interpreting aerial photographs and satellite imagery; integrating maps, remotely sensed data, and geographic information systems. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: One of EESC 111, GEOG 109, GEOG 128. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Concepts, theories, and contemporary debates in development geography. Examines the socio-economic, environmental, cultural and political dynamics shaping life experiences in the Global South. [2-0-1] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Selected topics in human geography focusing on the regional distribution of natural resources, population, urban systems, and economic activities. [3-0-0] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Natural variability of climatic and environmental processes occurring at geological, historical, and contemporary timescales. Data derivation and analysis methods. Environmental changes affecting human activities. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Either (a) GEOG 108 and one of EESC 205, EESC 222, GEOG 205, GEOG 222; or (b) one of EESC 212, GEOG 200. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Mechanisms of anthropogenic climate change and its impact on the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and oceans since the Industrial Revolution. Use of computer models to forecast 21st century climate changes. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 304 or EESC 304. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of GEOG 108, GEOG 200, EESC 212. Third-year standing. Equivalency: EESC304 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Present distribution and diversity of plants and animals; factors underlying the development of modern biogeographic realms; dispersal, colonization, and invasion; prehistoric and modern evolution and extinction; biodiversity; island biogeography; conservation biogeography. [3-0-1] Prerequisite: Either (a) GEOG 207 or (b) BIOL 201. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Concepts of environment and resource; the role of physical geography in understanding the interaction of humans and the environment; introduction to the management of environment-resource systems. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Two of EESC 205, EESC 212, EESC 222, GEOG 108, GEOG 109, GEOG 200, GEOG 205, GEOG 222. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Legal, administrative and project management aspects of environmental impact assessment (EIA). EIA regulations, processes and systems. Assessment approaches and methods for cumulative effects, social/economic impacts, strategic and regional assessment, risk assessment and public participation. Canadian federal, territorial and provincial EIA systems. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 314 or EESC 314. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Either (a) 6 credits of EESC or (b) 6 credits of GEOG. Third-year standing. Equivalency: EESC314 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The role of physical and biological hazards, human ecology, environmental perception and world social and political order in explaining the risk of natural disasters. Assessment of acceptable risk, disaster relief and reconstruction, and contrasts between developed and developing nations. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Either (a) GEOG 108 and GEOG 109; or (b) two of EESC 111, EESC 205, EESC 212, EESC 222, GEOG 200, GEOG 205, GEOG 222. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The biophysical processes that are shaping and have shaped B.C. Characteristic associations between landforms, climate, soil, and vegetation; biophysical constraints on air, land, and water use. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of EESC 205, EESC 212, EESC 222, GEOG 200, GEOG 205, GEOG 222. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Geographic perspectives in contemporary rural geography. Specific attention is given to social and environmental change, conflict and sustainability in Canadian and global contexts. Themes include transformations in the use of rural resources in agricultural, food, migration, and tourism production and consumption. Students are required to participate in short field trips and must arrange own transportation to/from sites within the Okanagan. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Two of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, SUST 104. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Recent natural and anthropogenic environmental changes interpreted from geologic, geochemical and paleoecological records. Credit will be granted for only one of EESC 341 or GEOG 341. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: One of EESC 111, EESC 121, GEOG 108 and one of CHEM 111, CHEM 121. Third-year standing. Equivalency: EESC341 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Introduction to the social geographies of cities. Draws on critical social and cultural theories. Gentrification, racialization in the city, gendered spaces, class segregation, urban form, and cultural geographies of urban life. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Theoretical and applied perspectives on international migration and settlement. Analysis of international regimes regulating migration, changes in global demographies, immigration policies of nation states, international migration patterns, settlement policies and outcomes. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Patterns and processes of urban growth, spatial structure and organization of the Canadian city, land development and suburbanization, urban core densification, inner city revitalization, consumption and production spheres, quality of life. Emphasis will be on medium-sized cities. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Origin, classification and interpretation of sediments and sedimentary rocks. Weathering, erosion, transportation, sedimentation, and lithification of clastic materials. Non-clastic sediments. Sedimentary environments, facies and stratigraphic methods. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 356 or EESC 356. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: One of EESC 121, EESC 222, GEOG 222. Equivalency: EESC356 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Examination of the ways in which genders and geographies are mutually constituted. Exploration of the relationship between socially constructed gender relations and geographic concepts of culture, space, place, nature, and landscape. Gendered nature of everyday space, work, education, and the natural environment. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Two of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, SUST 104. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Focuses on the cultural turn in geography. Draws upon recent critical theories from cultural studies and cultural geography. Examines the cultural politics of everyday spaces and places. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Geographic dimensions of parks and outdoor recreation are examined in urban and rural environments. Understanding parks evolution includes focus on the location, distribution, and site capability of parks and recreational resources, including application of ecological, amenity resource, and management models of parks and outdoor recreational facilities. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Two of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, SUST 104. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Key energy systems and resources management from both global and Canadian perspectives. Supplies, distribution, consumption, resilience and sustainability of energy resources. Alternative energy sources, conventional and unconventional fossil fuels, energy production and delivery systems. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 367 or EESC 367. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of GEOG 108, GEOG 129, EESC 101, EESC 111. Third-year standing Equivalency: EESC367 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Formulating a research problem and selecting an appropriate research strategy. Research strategies range from social scientific survey methods to ethnography. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Theoretical frameworks and techniques. Formulation of research questions, research design, data collection, field observation and measurement, data analysis, sources of error, and presentation of results. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 108, GEOG 109 and one of EESC 205, EESC 212, EESC 222, GEOG 200, GEOG 205, GEOG 222, GEOG 271. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Mountain environments from a geoecological perspective. Origins of mountains and their weather/climate, hydrology, geomorphology, and biogeography. Applications and limitations of geoecology for understanding mountain environments as human habitats. Case studies include mountain regions throughout the world. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of EESC 205, EESC 212, EESC 222, GEOG 200, GEOG 205, GEOG 213, GEOG 222 and one of GEOG 310, GEOG 316, GEOG 317, GEOG 365, GEOG 377. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Microclimatology and synoptic climatology, Earth-atmosphere interactions, and climatic impacts on human activities. Energy and mass transfers at Earth's surface; boundary layer climatology and its applications to airflow and pollution dispersion, climate modelling, general circulation models. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of EESC 212, GEOG 200 and one of GEOG 301, GEOG 310, GEOG 377. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Develop an understanding of mountain hazards and approaches to their management, and foster a critical understanding of the contributions made to the field by other earth sciences. Hazards covered include snow avalanches, debris flows, floods, rock avalanches, and hazards of tectonically active mountains. The normal format of this course is as field course at a facility in the Canadian Cordillera. A special fee must be paid in advance. The alternative format is as a regular term course. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 108, GEOG 109, GEOG 316. and third-year standing. Permission of the Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences Department Head. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Contemporary issues in food systems, their relation to nutritional health, and social, cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability. Case studies illustrate different components (from production to consumption) and scales (from community to global). Field trip required. [2-0-1] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Geomorphic forms and processes within and along streams and rivers; flow hydraulics; sediment transport and bedform mechanics; hydraulic geometry; channel and floodplain dynamics; sediment yield; river habitat and stream rehabilitation. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 422 or EESC 422. [3-0-2] Prerequisite: One of EESC 222, GEOG 222, APSC 253. Equivalency: EESC422 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
An examination of attitudes that have influenced land use and environmental change in the past and present. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Two of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, SUST 104. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Transnational and decolonizing feminist approaches to the geography of power as manifested through contemporary political identities. Focus on relationships between state-mediated categories of (un)belonging such as 'citizen', 'migrant', 'refugee', 'aboriginal', and 'illegal'. Emphasis on borders, border-identities, and multicultural/settler societies such as Australia, Israel, Canada and the United States. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 425 or GWST 425. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: GEOG 358 or 6 credits of 100-level GWST. Third-year standing. Equivalency: GWST425 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Expands from a singular focus of sexuality and gender to consider how space is also racialized, ableized, and normalized according to hierarchies of power and privilege. Builds a foundational understanding of how queer geographies has emerged, possibilities for 'queering' geographical themes, and queer futurities. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 426, GWST 426, GEOG 491 and GWST 495 when the subject matter is of the same nature. Prerequisite: Either (a) Two of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, SUST 104, or (b) 6 credits of GWST. Third-year standing. Equivalency: GWST426 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Explores the development of NeoGeography and the geoweb: its relationship to geographic theories and concepts; its changing role in influencing the way in which we understand our relationship to space, place and the world around us. [2-0-1] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Contemporary issues in resource and environmental management including decision-making theory and real-world processes at the policy and field levels. Case studies illustrate stakeholder behaviours from conflict to cooperation. Focus on the Okanagan. [1-0-2] Prerequisite: One of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, GEOG 310. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Implications, character, and problems of existing and potential tourism resources. Concepts of tourism supply, demand, and impacts are considered and applied to the Okanagan Valley. Nature and significance of tourism; tourism resources; demands for tourism; economic, environmental, social, and cultural impacts of tourism. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Geographical expressions and processes of wine, viniculture, and viticulture. Appellation and terroir frame investigation of the nature-human interface in wine production and consumption. Geographic approaches include cultural history, global and localized political economies, cultural adaptation to climate, and physical geography. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 108, GEOG 109, GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Critical, interdisciplinary approach to human-environment relations, development and environmental change. Theoretical insights across geography and anthropology with empirical insights from the Global South and Global North. Power, political economy, struggle over meaning, marginality, conflict and social justice in understanding environmental change across scales. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 445 or ANTH 445. [1.5-0-1.5] Prerequisite: One of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, ANTH 100, SUST 104. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Urban and regional planning issues from a geographical perspective. Definition of community and its spatial expression in contemporary urban settings, institutional urban planning legislation, history of Canadian planning practice, contemporary urban and community planning practices, relationships between interests of community stakeholders and municipal decision-making process. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Topics focused on the Canadian city, including current housing markets, neighbourhood change, market failures and housing problems, social housing, and the role of government and policy. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
The relationship between population growth, demographic changes, urbanization, and the environment. Demographic patterns, mortality, fertility and state policy, economic development, migration and immigration, planning, and policy issues. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Examines how capitalism, colonialism, and associated structural power dynamics have contributed to the geological era 'the Anthropocene'. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 460 or GEOG 491O. [0-0-3] Prerequisite: Either (a) two of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, SUST 104 or (b) one of SOCI 228, ANTH 345. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Sustainability in the Okanagan, including water, energy, waste, food and other relevant themes. The role of science, governance, public engagement and the political process in sustainability planning. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: Two of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, SUST 104. Third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils, soil formation and classification. Soil physics and water movement. Soil productivity, conservation, and sustainability. The application of soil science to land use, environmental quality, global change, and sustainable development. Credit will be granted for only one of GEOG 466 or EESC 456. [3-3-0] Prerequisite: One of EESC 111, EESC 200, GEOG 109, CHEM 111, CHEM 121, PHYS 111, PHYS 112. Third-year standing. Equivalency: EESC456 This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Theories, principles, and strategies of community engaged research. Advantages and limitations of this approach, and skills necessary for participating effectively in related projects. [3-0-0] Prerequisite: One of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. And third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
A study of the art, science, politics, and application of maps and map-making. Lectures contain a core social-theory component that explores the critical cartography discourse - the creation of maps to address issues of location, representation, and power. Seminars will debate contemporary issues in cartography. [2-0-1] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129, GEOG 272. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Theoretical aspects, principles, and methods of qualitative research in human geography. [1-0-2] Prerequisite: Third-year standing. GEOG 371 highly recommended. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Surveys a range of approaches to critical theory in human geography. Topics include theoretical approaches to understanding geographies of everyday life: feminism, postcolonialism, postmodernism, poststructuralism, and socialism. [0-0-3] Prerequisite: All of GEOG 128, GEOG 129. and third-year standing. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Self-directed, collaborative studies, in a group-learning environment, initiated and coordinated by senior undergraduate students with the supervision of a faculty sponsor. Course structure, enrolment and delivery methods will comply with the Student Directed Seminars Guidelines. At least third-year standing and permission of the Department are required. [0-0-3] This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Intensive examination of a selected geographical theme or region. Contact the Department for more information. With different topics, the course can be taken more than once for credit. Prerequisite: 6 credits of 300- or 400-level GEOG courses. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.
Students will undertake a supervised investigation which will result in a written report of the findings. The topic will be agreed upon by the supervising faculty member, the student, and the department head. Prerequisite: Third-year standing, and permission of the relevant unit head and the supervising faculty member. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.