Geographical Information Systems (Option)

As an Archaeology, Geography or Environmental & Resource Science student, you can pursue an option in GIS, the field that connects geography to data. Offered in partnership with Fleming College, this option will allow you to visualize, question, analyze, and interpret data to understand relationships, patterns, and trends.

An option is a “mini-minor” – a set of courses in one discipline that can be completed in conjunction with any undergraduate degree program, allowing you to focus on an additional subject of interest.

Students pursuing this emphasis will spend their third year fulfilling the course requirements for your choice of either the Emphasis in Geographical Information Systems (Applications) or the Emphasis in Geographical Information Systems (Cartography) at Fleming College. As a student admitted to either the Emphasis in Geographical Information Systems (Applications) or the Emphasis in Geographical Information Systems (Cartography), you will register as a full-time Fleming student and attend classes at Fleming’s Frost Campus in Lindsay.

Once you have completed all three semesters of the GIS Application Specialist or GIS Cartographic Specialist program, you will need to have a minimum grade of 60% in all courses to receive the corresponding Ontario College Graduate Certificate along with seven upper-level Trent Science credits. Of the seven credits, 4.5 will count as 3000-level science credits in your major and 2.5 will count as unassigned 3000-level science credits. You will also need to complete 3.0 credits in your fourth year to fulfill the requirements of your single- or joint-major degree.

Application procedures

• As an applicant you must consult with the chair(s) of the appropriate departments or programs at Trent
• Completed application forms must be submitted to the chair of Geography by January 20 of your second year
• Selection is based on the program of courses completed and on cumulative averages to date, including mid-year grades in second year
• You will be informed of the result of your application prior to the opening of registration at Trent in the spring. If your application is successful, you will receive a letter of acceptance and contact information for the program at Fleming
• If admitted to the program, you are required to apply online to the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS)

Fees

For the third year of the program, you will pay tuition to Fleming College (consult the Fleming website for details on fees). For the other three years you will pay tuition at Trent. You are also required to pay the appropriate fee to the Ontario College Application Service.

Courses

• The prerequisites for the program consist of at least 10.0 university credits, with suitable standing towards a Trent Honours degree, including the 1000-level introductory course plus at least 2.0 additional credits in your major
• Should successfully complete GEOG-ERSC 2090H and at least 1.0 credit from Computing & Information Systems before the third year
• All Geography majors should have successfully completed GEOG-ERSC-BIOL 2080H
• You are urged to acquire as much computer programming experience as possible beyond the required courses in order to equip yourself for the Technical Issues component of the Fleming year
• Experience in algorithm design with C++ programming and visual Basic Languages is an asset
• For information on courses, check the Calendar for the Honours degree requirements in Geography or Environmental & Resource Science/Studies.

Program Coordinators

Chair of the Department of Geography Chair of the Environmental & Resource Science/Studies Program Environmental & Resource Science/Studies 705-748-1011 ext. 7199 ers@trentu.ca

Geography 705-748-1011 ext. 7686 geography@trentu.ca