All Courses List

This course asks you to think critically and geographically about the world in which we live and provides context for understanding contemporary social, political, economic, and ecological changes and how you fit into these larger processes. In addition to focusing on pressing issues particular to individual regions, we stress a variety of topics including race and ethnicity, economic inequality, indigenous peoples, migration, colonialism, climate change, globalization, protest movements, food politics, conservation, and the politics of energy. The course draws upon powerful geographic concepts to examine these topics and link you-as a student, a consumer, a citizen, a worker and a traveler-to the changing world around you.

The course will introduce students to how environmentalists are using documentary films for speaking truth to power. Topics will include how and why documentary films are made and the roles they play in social change efforts on environmental issues. Students will learn how to create their own digital media projects in various documentary formats.

Through a Canadian lens, the course introduces students to the problems of our global food system, and the opportunities to improve it. Using many analytical frameworks and concepts from different disciplines, students examine critically the dimensions of a food system that is health promoting and environmentally sustainable and explore transitional strategies to bring them to reality. The course will give students a strong foundation on which to undertake further or specialised learning in Food Studies, a clear and growing interest for students and a priority for the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change.

This course introduces students to historical and current ideas about land, with an emphasis on Indigenous perspectives. Through analysis of art and media art, students will engage critical approaches by scholars, activists and creatives who challenge dominant modes of power. Students will gain an understanding of treaty relations across Canada, build media analysis skills, and communication skills.

Students examine the ways in which writers, performers and visual artists illuminate, reimagine and intervene in environmental crises and challenges. They critically examine relationships between the arts, humanities and environment through an introduction to a variety of literary and artistic forms and strategies including writing, media, visual art and performance. They develop their own skills, ethics and knowledges in the creative production, presentation and evaluation of their own artistic and critical work in the collaborative context of the class community.

This course provides the foundational understanding of core concepts approaches and methods in environmental management. Drawing on the natural and social sciences, this course examines the role of policy and management strategies in addressing environmental, nature resource and conservation challenges, in ways supportive of sustainable development. It provides an overview of the concepts, knowledge and skills that are needed to be effective in environmental policy and management in government, business and not-for-profit sectors.

The course provides an introduction to the study of ecology with additional aspects of physics, and chemistry that are necessary for the study of environmental problems. It also acquaints students with techniques (including computer techniques) for the description, organization and display of quantitative data.

Students will develop job search strategies, cover letter writing and resume development skills, effective communication skills for interviewing and developing a professional image. This course provides preparation for students who want to enrol in the co-op program. This course is for-credit and is graded on the pass/fail grading scheme. There is a $200 fee associated with this course.

Prerequisite: Students must complete 48-60 credits and meet the cumulative GPA requirements of 5.00 on the 9.00 scale or 2.00 or above on the 4.00 scale for the co-op program.

Enrollment is by permission of the Undergraduate Program Director and/or by the Course Director.

This course explores how human society has transformed the earth system and investigates the social, economic, and political implications of contemporary environmental change. Topics include deforestation, climate change, biodiversity loss and natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding,  and drought. Internet access is required. Recommended prerequisites: EU/GEOG 1000 6.00, EU/GEOG 1401 3.00 or EU/GEOG 1402 3.00

Students explore the key notions of popular education related to knowledge and power, and various forms of anti-oppression practice addressing racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, ableism, and human/non-human domination in the context of organizations and movements for social and environmental justice in a globalizing and diasporic context. Prerequisite: Third-year or fourth- year standing or by permission of the instructor.

In a world where over 50 per cent of the population lives in urban areas, cities play a significant role in shaping the social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental conditions of people's everyday lives. This course introduces a geographical literature on urbanization. It provides students with a necessary general survey of the characteristics of urban processes and patterns, urban systems and structure, and urban social issues from a geographical perspective.