Environment 3 (EV3) Building located on Waterloo's Campus, across from Laurel Creek.
Generate new knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the world around you with the PhD in Geography program.
Geography bridges social science, environmental information technology, and physical science to enhance the protection and sustainable use of both the natural and built environments.
In this program, you'll conduct research in your chosen topic (environmental and resource management, environmental science, geomatics or human geography), and produce a thesis that contributes novel, impactful knowledge to the field of geography.
Our graduates work in many different sectors including educational services, public administration, social advocacy organizations and professional, scientific and technical services.
Research fields
- Environmental and Resource Management
- Environmental Science
- Geomatics
- Human Geography
Program overview
Department/School: Geography and Environmental Management
Faculty: Faculty of Environment
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December), Winter (January – April)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Joint, Research
Length of program: 48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s): Thesis
Application deadlines
- February 1 (for admission in September)
- June 1 (for admission in January of the following year)
Key contacts
Alan Anthony
aanthony@uwaterloo.ca
AI and deep learning will transform forest inventory tasks to be more accurate, scalable, and accessible, supporting sustainable resource management.
Supervisors
- Review finding a supervisor resources.
Admission requirements
- A master's degree in geography or equivalent, with at least an 80% average in all graduate work.
- Exceptional students may be allowed to enter the PhD program directly from the master's program. Such students must have completed all Master of Arts (MA)/Master of Environmental Studies (MES)/Master of Science (MSc) requirements except the thesis, have demonstrated a superior academic record and satisfied other conditions (details of which can be obtained from the Director of the Program).
- Please note that a supervisor is required for admission and supervisors are not assigned in the Department of Geography. Full agreement from a faculty member to supervise prior to initiating the application process is not necessary, however it is strongly recommended to contact professors to discuss the possibility of supervision and funding in order to better inform your decision whether or not to apply. Please see the full list of The Department of Geography faculty.
Degree requirements
- Review the degree requirements in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree.
- Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository - UWspace to see recent submissions from the Department of Geography and Environmental Management graduate students.
Application materials
- Resume
- Statement of interest
- A statement of maximum 500 words explaining your interest in and fit for the program you’re applying to, uploaded as a supporting document in the online application. Review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion.
- Transcript(s)
- References
- Three academic references are required, unless a professional reference is specified.
- Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
- TOEFL 100 (writing 26, speaking 26), IELTS 7.5 (writing 7.0, speaking 7.0)
Tuition and fees
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Visit the graduate program tuition page on the Finance website to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program.
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Review living costs and housing.
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Learn about the PhD housing guarantee program for admitted students in fall 2026 and winter 2027.
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Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students.