The department offers many interesting and fully-transferable courses. Expand one of the sections below to learn more!

 

Human geography studies the spatial relationships among peoples, places, cultures, and economies. It comprises numerous sub-disciplines including urban, political, economic, regional, social/cultural, and environmental geographies that in turn focus on more specific topics such as migration, housing, capitalism, climate change, colonialism, food, and more!

GEOG 1110 - Introduction to Human Geography

Have you ever wondered at the diversity of sights and images you have seen in your travels? Have you ever puzzled over why rural landscapes differ so much across the world while urban landscapes can sometimes seem so similar? Are you curious about human-environment interactions? Have you wondered about how you came to be the person that you are today? Do you want to understand the news headlines? These and many other questions are examined by human geographers. Welcome to human geography! Key themes and concepts are illustrated using local and international examples. There are no pre-requisites or co-requisites.

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GEOG 2500 - Food Geographies

Everybody must eat but have you thought about how what you eat connects you to people, places, and ecologies around the world? Using a geographical lens, students critically examine the relationships among food, nature, and society to explore how food is produced, processed, distributed, and consumed. Using the stories of common foods, we investigate changing local and global geographies of food and discover how food is embedded within local foodscapes in Vancouver and other cities. Prerequisites: none.

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GEOG 2270 - Cultural Geography

Cultural geography is concerned with making sense of people and the places they occupy through the analysis and understanding of cultural processes, cultural landscapes, and cultural identities.

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All over the world, a growing proportion of the population lives in cities. In the coming 25 years, the global population is projected to grow by 1.6 billion people.

Today, there is an undeniable and growing need to educate the next generation of urban thinkers and practitioners.

Urban Geographers tackle questions like…

What does it mean for a city to be liveable? How can cities become resilient in the face of global climate change? How can twenty-first-century cities grow to become more sustainable, equitable, and just? Find out by taking urban geography courses at Langara.

GEOG 1105 - Geographic Field Techniques (with an urban focus)

Step out of the classroom and experience the city as it was intended in this urban field course.

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GEOG 1130 - Urban Geography

Follow the evolution of cities through time, from their origins to contemporary urban environments, and through space, from North America to exploring urban systems across the globe.

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GEOG 2230 - Canadian Contemporary Urban Life

This course covers urban development in Canada from several different perspectives and scales: as an urban system, as a landscape interpreted by individuals, and as a globally networked space:

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Looking for more? Did you know that UBC and SFU have recently launched brand new Urban Studies undergraduate degrees? That’s right, full degrees in Urban Studies.

Check them out!

Major in Urban Studies - UBC

Urban Worlds Major - SFU

GEOG 1155 - Environmental Geography

Deforestation, desertification, overfishing, pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, extinction… What do these environmental issues have to do with you? Find out in GEOG 1155: Environmental Geography!

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GEOG 2155 - Sustainable Resource

Students examine the sustainable use and management of environmental resources. Subjects that may be explored include indigenous rights and access to resources, environmental impact assessment, resource conflicts, local and indigenous knowledge, methods of environmental management, gender and resources, and the roles and responsibilities of governmental and non-governmental decision-makers.

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Regional Geography is the art of understanding how land and life differ across the earth. The "personality" of place has fascinated people since the dawn of humanity. Whether encountering a new place for the first time, or seeing the familiar with fresh eyes, few experiences are as thrilling!

GEOG 1120 - Regional Geography of Canada

This course examines issues affecting Canada at regional, national, & international scales, such as: regionalism, reconciliation, environmental management, multiculturalism, and climate change.

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GEOG 1150 - Geography of British Columbia

Gain a new perspective on where you live by learning about the landscapes, histories, and peoples of urban and rural BC. If you seek a deeper understanding of BC and the region’s role within Canada and globally, then GEOG 1150: Geography of British Columbia is the course for you!

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GEOG 1160 - Geographies of Asia-Pacific

Over the next 50 years, the future of the world will be determined by what happens in the Indo-Pacific. Join GEOG 1160 to gain key insights into the region’s dynamic geopolitical tensions. All are welcome.

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GEOG 1111 - Introduction to Physical Geography: Planet Earth

Have you ever wondered why the weather, climate, and landscape where you live differs from other places in the world? This course introduces Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, and investigate the relationships and connections between them. Students explore tectonic, volcanic, glacial, coastal, and fluvial processes, and weather and climate. Additionally, students take a critical look at the interactions between human activities and the biophysical environment, including wildfires, drought, and sea level rise. Incorporating classroom, lab, and fieldwork, students learn map interpretation and GIS techniques to study Earth systems.

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GEOG 1180 - Our Changing Environment: Climate and Ecosystems

If you would like to know the difference between weather and climate or are curious about climate change and its impact on society and ecosystems, GEOG 1180 will respond to your questions and more. We will delve into atmospheric processes, weather, extreme weather, local and global climates, and ecosystems, and explore how these topics are related to a variety of environmental issues.

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GEOG 1190 - Our Changing Environment: Water and Landscapes

Dive into the captivating realm of geomorphology, featuring an immersive field trip to Wreck Beach, UBC! You will get to explore the dynamic coastal landscapes firsthand, unraveling the intricate interactions between land, sea, and geological processes. This course will make you appreciate the ever-changing landscapes on Earth, give you a sense of wonder while travelling, and get you to apply these concepts during a computer-based lab to solve problems in physical geography.

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GEOG 2210 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Do you want to gain a highly in-demand skillset with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)? In this course you will learn how GIS is integrated into the many aspects of our society. You will get to make your own maps, plus you will get to work on a mapping project focusing on a topic that you care about!

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GEOL 1107 - Dynamic Earth

Explore the wonders of our ever-changing planet in 'Dynamic Earth,' a captivating introductory geology course! Delve into the forces that shape our landscapes, unravel the mysteries of Earth's geological history, and gain insight into devastating natural disasters. In this course you will get the opportunity to interact with minerals, rocks, and even go on a potential field trip!

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