Research and Education at the Boundaries
For more than 50 years, UW has been home to one of the top ranked geography departments in Canada. Geography at Waterloo engages in scholarly research and education through the study of physical and human environments from local to global scales. Whether it is finding solutions to the climate emergency, understanding the relationship between economy and society, analyzing change in our physical environment, or developing novel technologies to better map our world, Geography bridges the social sciences (human geography), environmental information technologies (geomatics), and the natural sciences (physical geography) to find sustainable solutions to the problems that face our planet.
We also offer the only Geography and Aviation Bachelors degree in the world that provides professional flight training and develops student understanding of sustainable aviation.
If you are interested in a deep-rooted discipline that offers hands-on training, quantitative and qualitative skills development, and an integrative perspective needed to tackle the toughest contemporary environmental and sustainability challenges, you have come to the right place. The Department of Geography and Environmental Management (GEM) offers undergraduate degrees in:
- Geography and Environmental Management (B.E.S.)
- Geospatial Data Science (B.E.S.)
- Climate and Environmental Change (B.Sc.)
- Geography and Aviation (B.E.S.)
and graduate degrees/diplomas in:
- Masters of Climate Change degree (M.C.C.)
- Graduate Diploma in CLimate Risk Management (G.Dip)
- Masters research degrees (M.E.S., M.A., M.Sc.)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
GEM Ranked one of the Top 5 Standout Environmental Studies Programs in Canada
By Macleans Magazine, April 2025
Climate and Environmental Change
Geography and Environmental Management
Geography and Aviation
Geospatial Data Science
News
Sarah Burch Appointed Executive Director of the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change
GEM faculty member, Dr. Sarah Burch, has been appointed the new executive director of the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change (IC3).
International Environmental Modelling and Software Society Recognize Dr. Derek Robinson
Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Management Dr. Derek Robinson became a Fellow of the International Environmental Modelling and Software Society (iEMSs) this week. Receiving the Society's Medal for research excellence and service to the Society, Dr. Robinson joins an elite group of recipients since the award commenced in 2001.
