Geography (Water) - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Environment 3

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 while discovering innovative ways to tackle global water challenges with the PhD in Geography Collaborative Water program.

This collaborative approach provides access to more than 140 faculty members involved in water research across Waterloo's campus, encouraging you to push the boundaries of your research.  

Along with developing expertise in your area of research (environmental and resource management, environmental science, geomatics or human geography), two interdisciplinary courses will capture both theoretical and practical components, including in-class lectures, fieldwork, interdisciplinary group work, and individual research seminars.

You’ll be prepared to work in areas like academia, federal and provincial agencies, international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or teaching.

The geography graduate program at Waterloo is one of the largest in North America through a join program/partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University, allowing you to conduct leading edge research in a vibrant and stimulating environment. You’ll be part of the most research-active unit in the Faculty of Environment, with opportunities to join ongoing nationally and internationally recognized research projects.

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: Collaborative, Doctoral, 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

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 Geography department faculty.

Degree requirements

Application materials

  • Resume
  • Supplementary information form (SIF)
    • The SIF contains questions specific to your program, typically about why you want to enrol and your experience in that field. Review the application documents web page for more information about this requirement
    • If a statement or letter is required by your program, 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