Bachelor of Arts - Geography and Environmental Studies (Optional Co-op)

Geography and environmental studies differ from other subjects due to their emphasis on space, place, and how humans connect and interact with their environment. Major global challenges of current times, such as climate change, depletion of natural resources, water availability, migration, war and conflict are better understood and addressed by those who have an in-depth knowledge of geography and environmental studies. The subject is diverse and is based on both natural science and social studies.

Geography and Environmental Studies encompasses three areas:

• human geography • physical geography • environmental studies

Human geography analyses the way humans use and understand the world and addresses the spatial differentiation and organization of human activity and its interrelationships with the physical environment.

Physical geography—a component of Earth sciences—is the study of the natural processes that occur at and above the surface of the Earth.

Geography is one of mankind’s earliest scientific disciplines and studies the environment – everything that surrounds people, including human beings.

Environmental Studies encompasses the study of the planet and its intricate variety of living and non-living elements and processes, how human beings connect with the physical structures, institutions and economies they built, and the politics, language and culture by which humans communicate.