Program Overview

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Climate and Environmental Change Degree

The Climate and Environmental Change degree is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle the climate crisis. This program combines biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science with human geography to address challenges such as flooding, permafrost thawing, drought, and forest fires.

Overview

In this program, students will master practical tools like computer modeling and hone the skills to build a low-carbon future. The program includes hands-on experience in labs and fieldwork, as well as paid work experience through co-op.

Courses

First-Year Courses

• GEOG 181 – Designing Effective Maps
• ENVS 195 – Introduction to Environmental Studies
• ENVS 178 – Environmental Applications of Data Management and Statistics
• EARTH 121 – Introductory Earth Sciences
• One course from:
  • MATH 104 – Introductory Calculus for Arts and Social Science
  • MATH 127 – Calculus 1 for the Sciences

January to April

• GEOG 102 – Environmental Systems: Processes and Change
• GEOG 207 – Climate Change Fundamentals
• ENVS 131 – Communications for Environmental Professionals
• ENVS 278 – Applied Statistics for Environmental Research
• One course from:
  • PHYS 111 – Physics 1
  • CHEM 120 – General Chemistry 1

After First Year

Most of the classes will be Geography courses. With the remaining classes, students can choose electives from the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.

Sample Upper-Year Courses

• ENVS 200 – Field Ecology
• GEOG 307 – Societal Adaptation to Climate Change
• GEOG 407 – Environmental Hydrology of Terrestrial Ecosystems
• GEOG 420 – Ice Sheets and Glaciers

Customizing the Degree

Students can add additional areas of expertise to their degree by including one of the specializations within the program:

• Geomatics
• Economy and Society
• Aviation

Students can also choose one of the minors available to all Waterloo students.

Faculty and Degree

• Faculty: Faculty of Environment
• Degree: Bachelor of Science in Climate and Environmental Change
• Available as a co-op program: Yes
• Available as a regular program: Yes
• Available as a minor: No

Co-op Program

The co-op program provides students with relevant paid work experience. Students will alternate between school terms and paid co-op work terms throughout their degree.

Co-op Work-Study Sequence

Starting in the second year, students will normally alternate between school and work every four months, integrating their classroom learning with real-world experience.

Year	September to December (Fall)	January to April (Winter)	May to August (Spring)
First	Study	Study	Off
Second	Study	Co-op	Study
Third	Co-op	Study	Co-op
Fourth	Study	Study	Co-op
Fifth	Co-op	Study	-

Career Opportunities

With a degree in Climate and Environmental Change, students can pursue a variety of careers, including:

• Climate modeler
• Climate risk scientist
• Policy analyst
• Carbon market analyst
• Renewable energy specialist
• Environmental consultant

Possible employers include:

• Federal, provincial, and municipal governments
• Local and international NGOs
• Consulting firms
• Research centers
• Colleges and universities

Admission Requirements

• Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses, including English (ENG4U) and any Grade 12 U Mathematics
• Recommended courses: Biology, Earth and Space Science, or World Issues
• Expected admission range: High 70s

How to Apply

Students can apply directly to this program on their application. For more information on admission requirements, students can search the university's admission requirements.