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Geography
Loeb Building B349
Telephone: (613) 520-2561
Fax: (613) 520-4301
E-mail: hazel_anderson@carleton.ca
Web site: www.carleton.ca/geography
The Department
Chair of the Department: Simon Dalby
Departmental Supervisor of Graduate Studies: Iain Wallace
The Department of Geography and Environmental Studies offers programs of
study and research in human and physical geography leading to the degrees
of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy.
The Department believes that the greatest strength of geography, as a
discipline, lies in its ability to integrate and apply knowledge across its
broad spectrum. The structure of the Ph.D. program expresses this
philosophy. Masters students may follow this approach or pursue studies in
a thematic sub-field of the discipline.
Students are accepted into the graduate program based on the standard of
previous academic work, research interests, letters of reference, and the
availability of faculty to act as supervisors. Each student's program of
study, as far as possible, is based on the interests of the individual,
although certain courses may be required. An advisory committee, consisting
of the student's research supervisor and at least one (Masters) or two
(Ph.D.) other members of the faculty, is established to monitor progress
and provide thesis research guidance.
Excellent research laboratory facilities exist for the study of near
surface processes, and the physics, chemistry, and thermodynamics of earth
materials, as well as for geomatics (computer cartography, GIS and for
remote sensing). These facilities are supported by a highly qualified
full-time staff in laboratory instrumentation, cartography, and computing.
The Maps, Data and Government Information Centre in the MacOdrum Library
houses an extensive collection of cartographic resources, including imagery
and digital products. The university's location in Canada's capital city
offers students access to imp ortant federal resources, such as the
National Library, the Public Archives of Canada, the Canada Centre for
Remote Sensing, Statistics Canada, and the specialist libraries of many
government departments.
Systematic interests of Departmental members are applied to a variety of
world regions, although emphasis is given to Canada (including northern
studies) and the Third World. Individual faculty research interests are
posted on our Web site www.carleton.ca/geography. The interacting and
overlapping clusters of research specialization within the Department are
the following:
Physical Geography
Studies of natural and anthropogenic processes close to the earth's
surface and their geotechnical significance; climate-ground interaction;
geocryology; soils and sediments; vegetation structure and health;
biogeography; Quaternary studies; karst.
Resource Development
Identification and analysis of development processes; the interplay of
environmental, demographic, social, gender, political, and economic
variables in the spatial development of land resources, settlement systems,
and natural resource-based industries; environmental impact assessment and
environmental management. Canadian and Third World development are
stressed.
Cultural, Historical, and Political Geography
Rural and urban settlement history; ethnicity; territorial organization
and the concepts of state, group politico-territorial identities,
territoriality, and self-determination; role of territory in conflict
situations; perceptions of environment and geographies of the mind; gender
as a cultural variable; urban heritage conservation.
Social and Economic Geography
Geographical analyses of the social and economic organization of
societies; area variations in social well-being; medical geography; pr
ovision of public and informal services in changing local and regional
environments; implications of gender roles; industrial systems; philosophy
of science and of geography.
Geomatics
Development of applications in computer cartography and the use of remote
sensing in geographical research.
Qualifying-Year Program
Applicants with exceptional promise who have a general (3-year)
bachelor's degree, or who have substantially less than the Honours B.A. in
Geography, may be admitted to a qualifying-year program. To be considered
for admission into the master's program, qualifying-year students must
attain at least overall high honours standing in their qualifying-year
geography courses. See the General Regulations section of this Calendar for
details about the the qualifying year.
Master of Arts
Admission Requirements
The normal requirement for admission into the master's program is a
B.A.(Honours) or B.Sc. (Honours) in Geography or a related discipline, with
at least high honours standing. In exceptional cases, pertinent work
experience may be considered in support of an application to the
Department. Students entering the program from other disciplines or with
academic deficiencies may be required to take additional courses.
Program Requirements
The M.A. in Geography should normally take from twelve to eighteen
months, but fieldwork may necessitate some extension. The specific program
requirements of the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
are:
5.0 credits, which must include:
- One of GEOG 5000 or GEOG 5001
- M.A. thesis (2.5 credits) which must be defended at an oral
examination
- GEOG 5905 - Masters Research Workshop
- 1.5 other Credits
- All students are required to have a reading knowledge of the
languag e considered essential to their research.
In addition to the formal requirements, M.A. students will normally be
required to attend the Departmental Seminar series, and the Graduate Field
Camp.
Master of Science
Admission Requirements
The normal requirement for admission into the M.Sc. program in Geography
is a B.Sc. (Honours) or B.A. (Honours) in Physical Geography or a related
discipline, with at least high honours standing. Students entering the
program from other disciplines or with academic deficiencies may be
required to take additional courses. The intended research area must be
eligible for NSERC support. Applicants for admission must provide an
outline of their proposed project, which must be suitable for the M.Sc.
program.
Program Requirements
The M.Sc. in Geography should normally take from eighteen to twenty four
months. The specific minimum program requirements are:
5.0 credits, which must include:
- GEOG 5001 Modeling Environmental Systems
GEOG 5905
- Masters Research Workshop
- GEOG 5906 M.Sc. Thesis (2.5 credits) which must be defended at an
oral examination
- 1.0 credit in Physical Geography selected from: GEOG 5107, GEOG
5303, GEOG 5307, GEOG 5803, GEOG 5804, GEOG 5900, GEOG 4003, GEOG 4004,
GEOG 4006, GEOG 4008, GEOG 4101, GEOG 4103, GEOG 4104, GEOG 4108, GEOG
4109, or from courses offered by Departments in the Faculty of
Science.
- 0.5 credit free elective
Only 0.5 credit towards the program may be obtained in GEOG 5900 -
Graduate Tutorial. Tutorials given by the thesis supervisor will not count
for credit towards the M.Sc. Only 0.5 credit may be obtained at 4000
level.
In addition to the formal requirements, M.Sc. students will normally be
required to attend the Departmental Seminar Series, and the Graduate Fie ld
Camp.
Doctor of Philosophy
The doctoral program in geography is structured around two fields:
- the geography of societal change with emphasis on the global
political economy; restructuring and the environment; geographies of
socio-cultural evaluation; feminist geographies
- the geography of environmental change with emphasis on
environmental processes and anthropogenic impacts; appraisal and
societal management of environmental resources
Students in each field are required to complete GEOG 6000/GEOG 6001,
which addresses substantive and methodological issues arising out of the
interactions of social and environmental systems. Every student's thesis
committee will include at least one faculty member from the field other
than the chosen field.
Admission Requirements
The normal requirement for admission to the Ph.D. program is a master's
degree (or the equivalent) in geography, with at least an A- average. A
student already registered in the M.A. program who shows outstanding
academic performance and research promise may be permitted to transfer to
the Ph.D. program with a recommendation by the Departmental graduate
committee.
Applicants whose academic preparation has deficiencies in certain areas
may be admitted to the Ph.D. program with the requirement that they
complete additional course work.
Admission to the Ph.D. program is granted on a full-time basis in
September for the fall term. In exceptional cases, a part-time program may
be considered.
Program Requirements
Program requirements for the Ph.D. degree are outlined in the General
Regulations section of this Calendar. The specific program requirements of
the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies are:
- 10.0 credits
- GEOG 6000/GEOG 6001
- Either GEOG 6003/GEOG 6004 or
- GEOG 6006/GEOG 6007
- Two written comprehensive examinations including GEOG 6905 and
either GEOG 6906 or G EOG 6907
- Presentation and oral defence of the thesis proposal as outlined
below
- Language requirement as outlined below
- A thesis equivalent to 8.0 of the required 10.0 credits which must
be defended at an oral examination
Comprehensive Examinations
Each doctoral candidate is required to write two comprehensive
examinations:
- GEOG 6905
- GEOG 6906 or 6907, according to the chosen field of
specialization
The comprehensive examinations must be completed after course
requirements for the Ph.D. have been completed. The examinations will
normally occur no later than the winter term of second year of registration
in the Ph.D. program. Failure to complete the examinations successfully
will result in denial of permission to continue in the program.
Thesis Proposal
Candidates normally register in the thesis on entry to the program and
work actively to define their research topic during the first term of
registration. The thesis proposal is normally presented after comprehensive
requirements have been fulfilled. Candidates normally submit and defend the
thesis proposal at an oral examination no later than the end of the winter
term of the second year of registration in the Ph.D. program. Continuous
registration is required after initial registration in the thesis.
Language Requirement
All Ph.D. candidates must demonstrate an ability to comprehend
geographical literature in a language other than English, where required by
the thesis committee.
Residence Requirements
All Ph.D. candidates must be registered full time in a minimum of six
terms to satisfy the residence requirement.
Graduate Courses
Not all of the following courses are offered in a given year. For an
up-to-date statement of course offerings for 2004-2 005 and to determine
the term of offering, consult the Registration Instructions and Class
Schedule booklet, published in the summer and also available online at
www.carleton.ca/cu/programs/sched_dates/
Course Designation System
Carleton's course designation system has been restructured. The first
entry of each course description below is the new alphanumeric Carleton
course code, followed by its credit value in brackets. The old Carleton
course number (in parentheses) is included for reference, where
applicable.
In addition to the selection of courses offered by the Department,
graduate students in geography are encouraged to consider, in partial
fulfillment of their degree requirements, appropriate courses offered in
such disciplines as biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, geology,
history, international affairs, physics, political science, and
sociology.
Courses at the University of Ottawa may also be taken for credit in a
Carleton M.A. program; permission of the Departments in both universities
is required.
- GEOG 5000 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.500)
- Approaches to Geographical Inquiry
- A review of the major philosophical perspectives shaping research
and explanation by geographers. Particular attention is paid to
interpretations of social structure and human action, the nature of the
biophysical universe, and the interaction between human beings and
their environments.
- GEOG 5001 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.501)
- Modeling Environmental Systems
- Methods and problems of research on the physical environment, with
illustrative material taken from the atmospheric and surface earth
sciences. Issues such as the identification and behaviour of
environmental systems, temporal and spatial scale, experimental method
under field conditions, and simulation and model development are
considered.
- GEOG 5003 [0.5 credit]
- Critical Approaches to Qualitative Geographical
Research
- Development of critical research skills through consideration of
the relationship between theory and method. Examination of:
interviewing, personal narratives, participatory research, focus
groups, participant observation, archival research and visual
methodologies. Practical experience in selected methods.
- GEOG 5005 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.505)
- Global Environmental Change: Human Implications
- Global environmental change: its significance for societies,
economies and international relations. Value systems underlying
environmental discourse; political economy of the environment;
sustainability and security. Environmental diplomacy and grassroots
environmentalism. Regionalized impacts of pressures on natural
environments; challenges of adaptation. (Also listed as INAF
5701.)
- GEOG 5107 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.517)
- Field Study and Methodological Research
- Field acquisition and analysis of geographic material; supervised
field observations and methodology. (Individual or group basis, by
special arrangement.)
- GEOG 5200 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.520)
- Issues in Development in Africa
- Analysis of structures and processes of political, social, and
economic change in intertropical Africa at scales ranging from the
intrahousehold and local community to the state and international
system. An objective is to integrate gender and the environment into
analyses which draw on theories of political economy. (Also listed as
INAF 5603.)
- GEOG 5303 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.533)
- Geocryology
- Development of ground ice in permafrost regions of Canada; ice
segregation and pore-water expulsion during ground freezing; analytical
and numerical approaches to modeling permafrost conditions.
- Prerequisite: GEOG 4108 or permission of the Department.
- GEOG 5307 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.537)
- Soil Resources
- Physical, mineralogical, chemical, and other properties of soils
will be studied in agricultural, environmental, geomorphological and/or
geotechnical contexts, as relevant to the students enrolled.
- GEOG 5400 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.540)
- Territory and Territoriality
- Contemporary geographical and international relations theorizing is
challenging notions of boundaries and territories in the political
organization of modernity. Using contemporary writings on geopolitics,
security, sovereignty, self-determination and identity politics this
course investigates territoriality as a political and intellectual
strategy. (Also listed as INAF 5402.)
- GEOG 5405 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.545)
- Cultural and Historical Geography
- Methodological approaches in cultural and historical geography
emphasizing the use of primary documents and cartographic and
statistical methods in the study of Canada. Also offered at the
undergraduate level with different requirements, as GEOG 4305.
- GEOG 5500 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.550)
- Globalization and Localities
- A review of recent theoretical and methodological debate in this
field and analysis of the changing geography of production, employment,
and social consumption in advanced economies. Policy issues will be
considered.
- GEOG 5508 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.558)
- Agribusiness North and South
- Analysis of the transformation of agriculture into an integrated
multi-sectoral food production system and of its theoretical
implications. Focus on the growth and strategies of agribusiness
institutions in advanced industrial societies and on their penetration
into, and impact upon, Third World economies. (Also listed as INAF
5304.)
- GEOG 5700 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.570)
- Sustainability and Development in the Circumpolar North
- The Circumpolar Arctic Region is undergoing rapid political,
economic, social and technological development, which impacts
sustainability. Climate , contaminants and biological diversity focus
international attention, Nunavut, the Russian North, major
developments, and international circumpolar regime formation will be
discussed, with significant emphasis on environment and
development.
- GEOG 5703 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.573)
- Natural and Regional Resource Analysis
- A review and critical appraisal of selected methods for natural and
regional resource analysis such as plan evaluation methods,
input-output models, resource optimization models, natural resource
accounting, and ecological economics.
- GEOG 5800 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.580)
- Spatial Information Systems
- Advanced concepts and problems involving spatial information
systems. Infrastructure and implementation issues, especially involving
integration of GIS and environmental models, and production of spatial
decision support systems. Landscape characterization and pattern
analysis, interpretation and visualization of uncertainty in data and
predictions.
- GEOG 5803 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.583)
- Remote Sensing and Image Analysis
- Advanced sensors and calibration; analysis of atmospheric,
topographic and bi-directional reflectance effects; spectral, spatial
and temporal image analysis; non-parametric classification; physical
modeling; project and laboratories in student's application field.
- GEOG 5804 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.584)
- Geographic Information Systems
- GIS for students with no previous experience. Includes data formats
and structures, input/output and analysis capabilities, and GIS
applications.
- GEOG 5900 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.590)
- Graduate Tutorial
- Tutorial, directed reading or research, offered on an individual
basis, to meet specific program needs; may be taken in one of the areas
of specialization of the Department.
- GEOG 5905 [0.5 credit]
- Masters Research Workshop
- A workshop which focuses on the challenges of research design in
the various sub-fields of geography. The workshop will culminate with
the development and defence of a thesis research proposal.
- GEOG 5906 [2.5 credits]
- M.Sc. Thesis
- Thesis supervision will be given in Physical Geography, as listed
in the introductory section of this department's program
description.
- GEOG 5909 [2.5 credits] (formerly 45.599)
- M.A. Thesis
- Thesis supervision will be given in all areas of specialization of
the Department, as listed in the introductory section of this
department's program description.
- 6000-level courses are open only to students registered in the
doctoral program.
- GEOG 6000 [0.5 credit], GEOG 6001 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.600,
45.601)
- Doctoral Core Seminar: Geography, Society and the
Environment
- Geographical perspectives on the development of society/environment
interrelations in Western thought and critiques thereof. The course is
taught by faculty representing the two fields of the program, the
geography of social change and the geography of environmental
change.
- GEOG 6003 [0.5 credit], GEOG 6004 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.603,
45.604)
- Field Seminar: Geography of Societal Change
- Analysis of current geographical and related research into the
three themes of global political economy: restructuring and the
environment; geographies of socio-cultural evaluation; and feminist
geographies.
- GEOG 6006 [0.5 credit], GEOG 6007 [0.5 credit] (formerly 45.606,
45.607)
- Field Seminar: Geography of Environmental Change
- Analysis of geographical and related research into the appraisal
and societal management of environmental resources, and environmental
processes and anthropogenic impacts.
- GEOG 6905 (0.0 credit) (formerly 45.695)
- Comprehensive Examination: Geography, Society and the
Environment
- This examination involves a general knowledge of geographical
perspectives on the development of society/environment interrelations
in Western thought and critiques thereof. A specific theme will be
identified for each candidate. Evaluation is: Pass, Pass with
Distinction, Fail.
- GEOG 6906 [0.0 credit] (formerly 45.696)
- Comprehensive Examination: The Geography of Societal
Change
- This examination focuses on research challenges in theory and
methodology in the themes of global political economy: restructuring
and the environment; geographies of socio-cultural evaluation; feminist
geographies. A specific theme will be identified for each candidate.
Evaluation is: Pass, Pass with Distinction, Fail.
- GEOG 6907 [0.0 credit] (formerly 45.697)
- Comprehensive Examination: The Geography of Environmental
Change
- This examination focuses on research challenges in theory and
methodology associated with the appraisal and societal management of
environmental resources, and environmental processes and anthropogenic
impacts. A specific theme will be identified for each candidate.
Evaluation is: Pass, Pass with Distinction, Fail.
- GEOG 6909 [8.0 credits] (formerly 45.699)
- Ph.D. Thesis
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