One of the first of its kind in Canada, the Faculty of Environment is a national leader in environmental, geographic and planning-related research and education.
The Faculty consists of two academic departments and one professional school. These are the Department of Environment and Resource Studies, the Department of Geography, and the School of Planning. Master's programs are available in Environment and Resource Studies, Geography and Environmental Management, Tourism Policy and Planning, and Planning, as well as in Local Economic Development, which is offered at the Faculty level and administered by the Office of the Dean. Students may also pursue Ph.D. programs in Geography and Environmental Management and Planning.
There is much interaction amongst the graduate programs and students can take courses outside of their discipline to complement their interests and goals. As well, depending on their areas of research, students can choose thesis supervisors from outside their department or school. This means that graduate students can take advantage of the wide range of research facilities in the Faculty and across the University of Waterloo, which is recognized as one of Canada's leading graduate schools.
In addition to these graduate programs, there are undergraduate programs in each of the three units of the Faculty. They include four-year Honours programs in Environment and Resource Studies, Geography and Environmental Management, and Planning, the latter recognized by the Canadian Institute of Planners, and a three-year program in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management. A four year co-op program in Environment and Business is also offered by the Faculty.