Welcome Prospective Graduates
Potential applicants are referred to the Calendar of the College of Graduate Studies and Research for general information on Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan, the regulations governing graduate programs, and details of graduate student fees and expenses. This booklet aims to provide additional information on those aspects of graduate studies which are specific to the Department of Geography & Planning.
The Department of Geography & Planning at the University of Saskatchewan was founded in 1960 and has maintained an active graduate program since 1963. The department currently offers programs leading to M.A., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees. Individual interdisciplinary programs may be coordinated with other departments on campus.
The Department supports graduate studies in both human and physical geography. Graduate training and research in the Department has usually focussed on the areas of regional development and environmental studies with thesis topics formulated within a northern Canada or Prairie setting. However, a wide range of problems have been examined in graduate heses over the years. The most important factor in developing a thesis research topic is the availability of faculty qualified to supervise the work. Potential students are encouraged to contact faculty who appear to have research interests similar to their own.
The graduate program offered by the Department has three areas of specialization: physical, human, technical and planning. Each of these areas is subdivided into major and minor fields. Normally, both Ph.D. and Master's degrees are awarded in the major fields while only a Master's degree is awarded in the minor fields.
The Department of Geography & Planning is located in Kirk Hall on the University of Saskatchewan campus. It is fortunate to have lecture and seminar rooms, laboratories, and faculty and student offices located together in one unit. Graduate students are usually provided with individual study space (carrels or shared offices) within the department. The department has laboratories devoted to biogeography, geomorphology and hydrology, northern development, and computer cartography and Geographical Information Systems. The department also has two professional affiliates and thirteen adjunct faculty members from the National Hydrology Research Center, Ducks Ulimited Inc., Parks Canada, other deprtments on campus and other universities.
All applicants for graduate studies are evaluated on the basis of their academic record assessed from transcripts of previous university work, letters of reference, and their compatibility with the research activities of the Department. The general research interests of the faculty of the Department are listed on the Department's Graduate Program poster. A further indication of the research activities of the Department is provided by the list of recent faculty publications and graduate student theses on these pages.
