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Geography and Environmental Studies Courses
Some courses may not be offered every semester.
GEOG 1000 Planet Earth - An Introduction to Earth System Science (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 1000 Planet Earth - An Introduction to Earth System Science (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits Students examine the interactions between the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere as well as the impact that human activity and sustainable practices have on these interactions. Course content focuses on the interaction between landscape and the occurrence, distribution and movement of water. Topics include landslides, glaciers, rivers, soils, drought, flooding, wildfires, ground water and the impact of human activity on these phenomena. Through laboratory and field experiences, students will be introduced to tools and techniques used in the study of Earth processes including GIS.
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GEOG 1010 People, Places and Landscapes: Introducing Human Geography (3,0,0) GEOG 1010 People, Places and Landscapes: Introducing Human Geography (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students are introduced to human geography concepts, issues, and processes that influence the dynamic connections among people, places, and environments at different spatial scales. Through examining people's spatial behavior, their cultural diversity, and the resulting landscapes, students explore a wide range of themes including culture and identity, the distribution of privilege and power, population dynamics, economic patterns and uneven development, agriculture and food production, cities and urbanization, geopolitics, globalization, and the challenges of environmentally sustainable development.
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GEOG 1100 Introduction to Environmental Studies and Sustainability (3,0,0) GEOG 1100 Introduction to Environmental Studies and Sustainability (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore the natural and human-modified environment from a geographical viewpoint. They examine topics such as environmental worldviews, the history of the environmental movement, ecosystems, energy principles, human population dynamics, patterns of resource use, and environmental issues and ethics.
Note that students cannot receive credit for both GEOG 1100 and GEOG 2100. |
GEOG 1110 World Regional Geography (3,0,0) GEOG 1110 World Regional Geography (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This course applies the core concepts of geography to interpret both the variety and distinctiveness of places and regions and to their relationships, connections, and integration. It introduces students to the academic discipline of geography as well as its professional applications by explaining geographic approaches to social issues. Students obtain an appreciation for geographic thinking, and greater understanding of the complex modern world. |
GEOG 2020 Weather, Climate and Global Environmental Change (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 2020 Weather, Climate and Global Environmental Change (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits Students will be introduced to the basic principles and processes of meteorology and climatology, the study of weather and climate, respectively. Possible topics include the composition and structure of the atmosphere, solar radiation and the seasons, energy balances and temperature, atmospheric pressure and wind, atmospheric moisture and cloud development, precipitation, atmospheric circulation, air masses and fronts, thunderstorms and tornadoes, and cyclonic storms. Additionally, students will learn climate classification systems as well as examine the potential causes of past and predicted future global climates. This course qualifies as a science laboratory course. |
GEOG 2050 Introduction to Hydrology (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 2050 Introduction to Hydrology (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits This physical geography course introduces students to hydrologic systems and processes, with an emphasis on: the global hydrologic cycle; hydrologic processes in river basins and related measurement techniques; and elementary hydrologic modelling. The course also examines the potential impact that land use (such as irrigation and urbanization), climate change and politics may have on water resources. |
GEOG 2110 Geography of the Economic Landscape (2,1,0) GEOG 2110 Geography of the Economic Landscape (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits A geographic view of economic activity is offered in this course. Students examine economic interrelationships, the character of various economic regions, and general spatial organization, on a local, regional and global scale. |
GEOG 2120 Geography of Urban and Regional Planning (2,1,0) GEOG 2120 Geography of Urban and Regional Planning (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits An introduction to themes and problems in the field of Urban and Regional Planning, recognizing the increasing interdisciplinary nature of this area of study. The course will study urbanization as an historic and rapidly continuing process; the growth of functional regions and patterns of urban settlement; the dynamics of urban structure and land use; critical planning problems that face both the developed and developing countries. |
GEOG 2220 The Regional Geography of Canada (3,0,0) GEOG 2220 The Regional Geography of Canada (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore the emergence of Canada as a distinct space through the organizing concept of the region, which inherently integrates physical geography, human-nature interactions, and cross cultural interactions. The emergence of new cultural, political, economic, and ecological environments is introduced through survey lectures and further analyzed through region-specific case studies.
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GEOG 2230 The Regional Geography of British Columbia and Yukon (3,0,0) GEOG 2230 The Regional Geography of British Columbia and Yukon (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore the emergence of British Columbia in the context of Indigenous history, colonial interactions, the modern nation-state, and emerging concerns about social and economic sustainability in a global economy. British Columbia's physical geography, its evolving human-nature adaptations, and the emergence of new cultural, political, and economic organization are introduced through survey lectures and analyzed through explorations of case studies of distinct sub-regional processes and concerns.
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GEOG 2400 Geographic Thought (3,0,0) GEOG 2400 Geographic Thought (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This introductory geographic theory course provides students with a critical perspective on the nature and development of geographic knowledge and its application in the key subdisciplines of human geography, physical geography, and environmental studies. |
GEOG 2700 Introduction to Geographical Analysis (3,0,2) GEOG 2700 Introduction to Geographical Analysis (3,0,2)Credits: 3 credits This computer-based laboratory course introduces students to quantitative methods used for geographic analysis. Students learn the fundamentals of statistical analysis of quantitative and qualitative variables and how to use computer software to perform these analyses. At the end of the course, students understand how to apply quantitative methods to answer questions of geographic interest, and have developed a working knowledge of the most commonly used statistical software in quantitative geography. |
GEOG 2750 Geographic Information Systems (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 2750 Geographic Information Systems (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits This course introduces students to geodesy and geoinformatics, topics of study commonly referred to collectively as geomatics. Course topics include: common geographic coordinate systems; common map projections; geospatial data models; setting coordinate systems; loading geospatial data; visualization of geospatial data; manipulating feature and coverage values; and basic geoprocessing procedures. Labs will provide hands-on experience with ArcGIS, the leading GIS software in the industry, towards the goal of developing marketable skills geographic information management.
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GEOG 3040 Environmental Climatology and Meteorology (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 3040 Environmental Climatology and Meteorology (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits In this science laboratory course, students examine: the principles and processes of surface and near-surface climatology and meteorology; energy and plant water balance concepts; vertical and horizontal air and vapour movements; microclimates, urban heat islands; the meteorology of atmospheric pollution; and the interrelationships among plants, soils, climates and the biosphere.
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GEOG 3050 Physical Hydrology (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 3050 Physical Hydrology (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits This physical geography course examines the physical processes that determine the quantitative importance and spatiotemporal variability associated with the occurrence, distribution and movement of water on or near the Earth's surface. In addition to a theoretical treatment of the subject, students are introduced to measurement techniques used in the field and to a variety of hydrologic models. Numerical problem solving exercises and field work are important components of the course.
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GEOG 3060 Groundwater Hydrology (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 3060 Groundwater Hydrology (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits This science course deals with distribution and movement of water in the phreatic zone. Topics covered include properties of aquifers, principles of groundwater flow, groundwater flow to wells, soil moisture and groundwater recharge, regional groundwater flow, groundwater chemistry and contamination, groundwater development and management, and groundwater modeling.
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GEOG 3070 Biogeography (2,1,0) GEOG 3070 Biogeography (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits This physical geography course examines the physical, biological and chemical processes and constraints that determine contemporary spatial and temporal patterns in life on Earth. In addition, historical patterns are examined with an emphasis placed on the impact plate tectonics and late Tertiary and Quaternary climatic changes had on plant and animal distributions. Other topics discussed in this course include mass extinctions, biodiversity, and the possible biogeographic consequences of anthropogenically induced global climatic change.
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GEOG 3080 Geomorphology (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 3080 Geomorphology (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits Students examine how landscapes develop and evolve through the interrelationship between surface processes, materials, landforms, and human activity. Students examine geomorphic processes that relate to practical community land use problems in lectures and methods of landform mapping and sediment analysis in the laboratory and field settings. In addition, students will actively gain tools for engaging in ongoing scientific learning and apply these skills and abilities to the study of river, landslide, glacier, permafrost, desert, and coastal processes and landscapes.
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GEOG 3100 Environment, Resources and Sustainability (3,0,0) GEOG 3100 Environment, Resources and Sustainability (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore the natural and human-modified environment from a geographical viewpoint. They examine topics such as environmental worldviews, the history of the environmental movement, ecosystems, energy principles, human population dynamics, patterns of resource use, and environmental issues and ethics.
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GEOG 3200 Introduction to Cultural Geography (3,0,0) GEOG 3200 Introduction to Cultural Geography (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore the history and methods of cultural geography. Contemporary landscapes, human-land adaptations, attitudes towards nature, colonial history and inter-cultural relations, and the cultural nature of the modern economy are examined through a mixture of directed field exploration, film and other arts, and studies of neighbourhood change.
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GEOG 3210 Historical Geography of Urbanization (2,1,0) GEOG 3210 Historical Geography of Urbanization (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore geographic perspectives on the growth of urban regions; pre-industrial cities, urban growth during industrialization, and anti-urban reaction.
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GEOG 3230 Geographies of Gender (3,0,0) GEOG 3230 Geographies of Gender (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students will explore their situated role in this place-based, socially-constructed, and intersectional world through the lens of feminist geography and geographies of gender. Grounded in individual accountability and respectful collaboration, students will explore co-learning and co-teaching through the development of a project that celebrates diverse knowledges and contributes to the creation of safe spaces and places.
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GEOG 3270 Historical Geography of Canada 1: Canada Before 1850 (2,1,0) GEOG 3270 Historical Geography of Canada 1: Canada Before 1850 (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits This course is a study of Canada from the beginning of European contact to the mid-19th century, with an emphasis on the changing geographical patterns of settlement, economy, and culture.
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GEOG 3280 Historical Geography of Canada 2: Canada After 1850 (2,1,0) GEOG 3280 Historical Geography of Canada 2: Canada After 1850 (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits This course is a study of the spread of settlement, the growth of towns, and the development of economic and cultural regions in Canada - a Nation increasingly influenced by industrialization.
Prerequisites: Completion of 30 credits (any discipline) or permission of instructor. |
GEOG 3500 Introduction to Urban Geography (3,0,0) GEOG 3500 Introduction to Urban Geography (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students explore theories of inter and intra urban locations and structures in the context of demographic, economic, social, cultural, technological, environmental and political processes of change, which shape the nature of urbanism and urbanization in Canada and around the world.
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GEOG 3510 Rural Geography (3,0,0) GEOG 3510 Rural Geography (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This course focuses on themes in rural geography, such as land use issues, small settlements and society, agriculture, tourism and other industries, rural administration, service provision, and the effects of socio-economic processes including urbanization and globalization.
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GEOG 3550 Geography of the Rural-Urban Fringe (3,0,0) GEOG 3550 Geography of the Rural-Urban Fringe (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This human-geography course examines landscape change and management at the edge of cities. Examples will be taken from large and small cities in Canada and around the world.
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GEOG 3570 Introduction to Social and Behavioural Geography (2,1,0) GEOG 3570 Introduction to Social and Behavioural Geography (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits Using a variety of methods, including field work, students collaboratively explore how urban planning practices, when led by sound urban theory, can create neighborhoods and communities that are sustainable, inclusive, equitable, eco-friendly, livable and better designed for all. Using local neighborhoods as case studies in this project-based course, students develop strong competencies with respect to teamwork in exploring and documenting the complex nature of the interactions between different social, behavioural, cultural, economic, environmental, and urban design layers.
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GEOG 3610 Themes in Economic Geography (3,0,0) GEOG 3610 Themes in Economic Geography (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students will learn the history and methods of economic geography, and study the location of resource industries, manufacturing, and service activities with an emphasis on British Columbia in its North American world setting.
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GEOG 3630 The Geography of Resource Industries (2,1,0) GEOG 3630 The Geography of Resource Industries (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits This course offers a geographical analysis of selected resource industries of importance to Canada. Each year a selection is made from the agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, energy, and recreation sectors, and explored within international and national contexts.
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GEOG 3650 Geography of Consumption (3,0,0) GEOG 3650 Geography of Consumption (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This course examines consumption as a cultural and economic practice, how it has formed landscapes, and its impact on our growing understanding of ecosystems and social systems. It examines spatial patterns of purchasing and consuming goods and services, changing ideas about the landscape as a good and a service, and the ethical and practical questions raised by the social and environmental impact of increased consumption.
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GEOG 3700 Field Studies in Geography and Environmental Studies (0,0,3) GEOG 3700 Field Studies in Geography and Environmental Studies (0,0,3)Credits: 3 credits Students integrate and apply their theoretical understanding of geography and/or environmental studies to develop skills in the planning of geographic and/or environmental studies field work and the collection, analysis, interpretation, and communication of field-based geographic information. Students develop strong competencies in teamwork by reflecting on their contribution to respectful and productive team interactions in the context of jointly exploring new physical and human landscapes and applying best practices in the successful completion of team-based field projects. The subject matter, focus, and field location for this course is announced by the department in advance. Course fees apply.
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GEOG 3750 Applying Geographic Information Systems (2,0,2)(L) GEOG 3750 Applying Geographic Information Systems (2,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits This computer-based laboratory course addresses the creation, management, and application of geo-data. The focus of the course is on the utility of Geographic Information Systems in problem solving and decision-making in real world settings. Labs assist in developing marketable skills in analytical procedures and cartographic output.
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GEOG 3770 GIS for Water Resources Systems Analysis (2,0,2)(L) GEOG 3770 GIS for Water Resources Systems Analysis (2,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits Recent advances in environmental sensing technologies have increased the amount of data available to support water resources analyses. This explosion in available data necessitates the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to integrate, preprocess, and analyze these datasets. This course will explore ArcGIS-based tools for performing water resources analyses, including Web-services for data acquisition; watershed delineation; river network identification; infiltration modeling; analysis of water budgets; runoff modeling; and channel routing. At the end of the course, the students will have a firm grounding in the application of GIS for modeling of water resources systems.
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GEOG 3900 ***Geography of Selected Regions (2,1,0) GEOG 3900 ***Geography of Selected Regions (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits This course offers a geographical analysis of selected regions not regularly included in the Department's offerings in regional geography (such as Western Europe, Oceania and East Asia).
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GEOG 3990 ***Special Topics in Geography GEOG 3990 ***Special Topics in GeographyCredits: 3 credits This is a special topics course in geography. The subject matter varies from semester to semester depending upon the interest of faculty and students. Vectoring is determined as per policy ED-8-0.
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GEOG 4050 Fluvial Geomorphology (3,0,2)(L) GEOG 4050 Fluvial Geomorphology (3,0,2)(L)Credits: 3 credits Moving water on the Earth's surface results in the creation of distinct geomorphic landscapes. This physical geography course examines the principles of sediment entrainment, transport and deposition, fluvial flow, drainage basin form and processes, and an analysis of fluvial landforms. Examples are drawn from the Kamloops area, as well as from other regions in British Columbia, Canada, and the world.
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GEOG 4060 Advances in Hydrology (0,3,0) GEOG 4060 Advances in Hydrology (0,3,0)Credits: 3 credits This seminar course explores key advances in hydrological science with an emphasis on forest hydrology. The historical development of our current understanding of the physical processes involved in the movement and storage of water in vegetated environments is covered as are future research directions. In addition to physical processes, where appropriate, advances in measurement and modeling methodologies are also examined. Key topics covered include advances in our understanding of rainfall, snow, throughfall and stemflow, evaporation and transpiration, infiltration, soil moisture redistribution, and hillslope hydrology processes. Additionally, the hydrologic impacts of forest harvesting, wildfire, insect infestations, and global climatic change will also be examined.
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GEOG 4100 Sustainable Rural Systems (3,0,0) GEOG 4100 Sustainable Rural Systems (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This course marries the subject areas of rural geography and sustainability in case study analyses of a country - for example, Japan, Canada, China, or Mexico - or a global region - for example, the Asia-Pacific or Africa - depending upon instructor expertise. It examines the transformation of rural areas owing to urbanization, globalization and other social forces. The course examines subsequent problems, such as rural depopulation and the policies to keep these areas socially, economically, and ecologically sustainable.
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GEOG 4230 Attitudes Toward the Environment (2,1,0) GEOG 4230 Attitudes Toward the Environment (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits Students examine the cultural attitudes that have influenced land use and environmental change in the past and present.
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GEOG 4240 Geography of Tourism (2,1,0) or (3,0,0) GEOG 4240 Geography of Tourism (2,1,0) or (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Students examine the geographical topics in tourism, including: tourism as a global and local phenomenon; historical changes in leisure and development of tourism in western, industrializing economies; tourism in the Canadian economy, past and present; current relationships between tourism; and cultural values and economic systems.
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GEOG 4480 ***Directed Studies in Geography GEOG 4480 ***Directed Studies in GeographyCredits: 3 credits This course is designed to allow fourth year students to undertake an investigation on a specific chosen topic, agreed upon by the faculty member and the student.
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GEOG 4500 Urban Analysis (2,1,0) GEOG 4500 Urban Analysis (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits This course offers a geographical analysis of selected problems caused by the internal structure of cities and urban systems.
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GEOG 4740 Spatiotemporal Analysis (2,1,0) GEOG 4740 Spatiotemporal Analysis (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits A central theme in geography is the study of spatial and temporal variations of the phenomena which make up natural and human-dominated environments. This course delves into statistical methods for analyzing phenomena that are correlated in space and/or time. Practical applications of theoretical concepts will be explored through the use of R, a statistical computing software. Topics include the characterization of temporal processes; basic time series models (AR, MA, ARMA, ARIMA); characterization of spatial processes; geostatistics (Kriging and conditional simulation); spatial point processes; visualization of spatiotemporal data; spatiotemporal covariance functions; and spatiotemporal Kriging. At the end of the course, the students will have a firm grounding in the theory of spatiotemporal statistics and understand how to apply these methods to answer questions of geographic interest.
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GEOG 4750 Advances in Geomatics (0,3,0) GEOG 4750 Advances in Geomatics (0,3,0)Credits: 3 credits As a technology-based discipline, the field of geomatics is rapidly changing in response to technological advancements in remote sensing, computing hardware, wireless communication, programmatic abstractions, and spatiotemporal models. Through the reading of recently published articles and the replication of key results, this fourth year seminar class explores recent advances in the state-of-the-science of geomatics. Key topics include real-time access to environmental observations; free-and-open-source GIS; GIS-based decision support systems; Web-enablement; environmental data fusion; decentralized and cloud-based tools for geomatics.
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GEOG 4800 Environmental Issues and Policies (2,1,0) GEOG 4800 Environmental Issues and Policies (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits Using a geographical analysis of environmental issues and policies, this course relates land use, hazards and resource allocation to changing demand, technology, institutions, policies, and social values. An emphasis is placed on issues and policies relevant to small cities and adjacent rural areas.
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GEOG 4810 Geography of Small Cities (2,1,0) GEOG 4810 Geography of Small Cities (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits This course examines the economic, social, cultural, and environmental qualities of small cities and the issues and forces that affect them. Case studies are drawn from the local scene and from across North America.
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GEOG 4820 Urban Biophysical Environments (3,0,0) GEOG 4820 Urban Biophysical Environments (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits Cities represent areas where biophysical processes are often markedly distinct from their rural counterparts. This physical geography course examines the climatology, hydrology, geomorphology, and biogeography of cities, and the impact cities have on biophysical processes at regional and global scales. Specific topics include: the urban heat island effect; urban hydrology; building architecture and wind; atmospheric contamination; urban forestry; and the urban area as an ecosystem. Students study the biophysical processes of environmental examples drawn from Kamloops and comparative communities.
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GEOG 4840 Postcolonial Geographies (2,1,0) GEOG 4840 Postcolonial Geographies (2,1,0)Credits: 3 credits Students analyze the role of geographical ideas and practices in the establishment, maintenance, overthrow, and persistence of colonial relationships.
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GEOG 4850 Geography of First Nations Issues in British Columbia (3,0,0) GEOG 4850 Geography of First Nations Issues in British Columbia (3,0,0)Credits: 3 credits This course offers an examination of the issues involved in the creation of new relationships that are evolving and inclusive of Indigenous peoples concerns in British Columbia. Students explore the past relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples of the province, the legal principles and precedents in force, the present situation of ongoing negotiations, and an analysis of future possibilities. Land and resource agreements and disagreements are the focus of this course, as well as the mechanisms available for compromise and resolution.
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GEOG 4990 ***Special Topics in Geography and Environmental Studies GEOG 4990 ***Special Topics in Geography and Environmental StudiesCredits: 3 credits This is a special topics course in geography. The subject matter varies from semester to semester depending upon the interest of the faculty and students. Vectoring is determined as per policy ED-8-0.
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