Geography and Planning

Faculty List

Professors Emeriti 
L.S. Bourne, MA, PhD, FRSC, DES Hons 
J.N.H. Britton, MA, PhD 
R.B. Bryan, BA, PhD 
I. Burton, PhD, FRSC 
A.J. Dakin, PhD, ARIBA, FRTPI 
J.H. Galloway, MA, PhD (V) 
E.C. Relph, MPhil, PhD 
S.T. Roweis, MSc (Pl), PhD (I) 
J.W. Simmons, MA, PhD 
T. Smith, MSc, PhD 
A. Waterhouse, MSc (Pl), PhD 

Associate Professor Emeritus 
A. M. Davis, PhD 

Associate Professor and Chair of the Department
R.J. DiFrancesco, MA, PhD

Professor and Graduate Chair 
R. Buliung, MA, PhD

Associate Professor and Undergraduate Chair
M. Farish, BA, PhD 

Professors 
H. Bathelt, MESc, MA, PhD
J.M. Chen, BSc, PhD, FRSC
D. Cowen, MScPl, PhD 
A.G. Daniere, MPP, PhD 
J.R. Desloges, MSc, PhD 
M.S. Gertler, MCP, PhD, FRSC 
E. Gilbert, MA, PhD
J. Hackworth, MA, MEP, PhD 
L.D.D. Harvey, MSc, PhD 
D. Leslie, MA, PhD 
R. Lewis, MA, PhD
B. Mullings, MSc, PhD
W.S. Prudham, MA, PhD 
K.N. Rankin, MRP, PhD 
S. Ruddick, MA, PhD 
M. Siemiatycki, MSc, PhD
R. Silvey, MA, PhD
S. Wakefield, MA, PhD 

Professor, Teaching Stream 
D. Boyes, MSc, PhD 

Associate Professors 
C. Abizaid, MA, PhD
A. Boland, MAIS, PhD 
K. Goonewardena, MPl, PhD 
P. Hess, MEP, PhD 
J. Liu, PhD 
V. Maclaren, MPl, MS, PhD
N. Singh, MFM, PhD 
M. Widener, MSc, PhD 
J. Zhang, MS, PhD 

Assistant Professors 
M. Daigle, MA, PhD
H. Dorries, MScPl, PhD
T. Redden, MS, PhD
J. Spicer, MCP, PhD
L. Stephens, MScPl, PhD (CLTA)
N. Subramanyam, MRP, PhD

Assistant Professors, Teaching Stream 
K. Malik, MSc, PhD (CLTA)
S. Peirce, MSc, PhD 

Introduction

Geography is the study of the environments created on the earth’s surface by nature and people. The physical and biological elements of these environments, as well as their economic and social structure, historical development, spatial organization, interrelationships, management and planning form the subject matter of Geography. Geography, therefore, relates closely to other fields in natural science, social science and the humanities, and geographers take courses in these related fields along with their geography courses. Students specializing in other subjects often select one or more geography courses to deepen their understanding of the cities, culture, economies and environments of those parts of the world in which they are interested.

Employment opportunities for geographers exist in many branches of international organizations, government, industry, and education. Geographers work at all levels of government service, especially in agencies responsible for environmental management; land and resource analysis; development of historic districts and sites; urban transportation planning; urban and regional development planning; trade promotion; community social services; geographic systems design and data analysis; transport network design and the processing of archival, survey, and cartographic information. In business, geographers work in marketing, locational analysis, resource development, and in consulting firms engaged in project evaluation, land use planning and natural heritage conservation. They often also find work in the non-profit sector as policy analysts, cartographers and geographic information science specialists, community organizers, and educators.

The Department offers Specialist, Major and Minor Programs in different branches of Geography, and contributes courses to various college, departmental and school programs including American Studies; Anthropology; Archaeology; Canadian Studies; Caribbean Studies; Critical Studies in Equity and Solidarity, Diaspora and Transnational Studies; East Asian Studies; Earth Sciences;  Environmental Science and Environmental Studies; Indigenous Studies;  Peace and Conflict Studies; Urban Studies; and Women and Gender Studies. 

Associate Chair, Undergraduate:
Professor M. Farish, Sidney Smith Hall, Room 5040, matt.farish@utoronto.ca 

Undergraduate Administrator and Advisor:
K. Giesbrecht, Sidney Smith Hall, Room 5044, undergraduate.geography@utoronto.ca

General Enquiries: 416-978-3375, mainoffice@geog.utoronto.ca

Website: https://www.geography.utoronto.ca/undergraduate

Regarding Geography and Planning Programs

Admission to major and specialist programs will be determined by a student's mark in 0.5-1.0 GGR credits at the 100 and/or 200-level. See program descriptions for details on the entry requirements. These are limited enrolment programs that can only accommodate a limited number of students. Achieving the marks required does not necessarily guarantee admission to the program in any given year.

Double majors in Geography may only overlap 1.0 credit. Students combining any of our Minor programs with a Specialist/Major program would normally be allowed to overlap only 1.5 credits towards both programs. Double minors can overlap 1.0 credit. Students combining the Focus in Planning and the Focus in Urban Geography can overlap 1.5 credits. Students that choose to specialize or major in one of the three Geography programs cannot minor in the same program but may do so in another Geography program. 

Generally, students may only take 1.0 credit of an Independent Research Project toward their program requirements.