- About
- Research
- Prospective Students
- Current Students
- News & Events
- News
- Events
- News & Kudos Archives
- 2023 Archives
- Scientists dig deep and find a way to accurately predict snowmelt after droughts
- Cracking the Case of Missing Snowmelt After Drought
- 2023 Esri Canada GIS Scholarship for SFU
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Daniel Murphy
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Kyle Kusack
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Matthew Taylor
- Anke Baker Wins Staff Achievement Award
- Spring 2023 Virtual Geospeaker Event with Ginger Gosnell-Myers
- CAG Paper Presentation Award - Congratulations to Alysha van Duynhoven!
- Informing & Engaging Urban Youth on Public Hearings: GEOG 363 Final Showcase
- Research Talk: Modeling Urban Wetland Complexities
- Highlight Paper: Quantifying land carbon cycle feedbacks under negative CO2 emissions
- Bright Addae winner of the 2023 SFU ECCE GIS Scholarship Award
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Jonny Cripps
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Diandra Oliver
- 2023 Geospeaker Presentation with Dr. Pauline McGuirk
- Congratulations to Our Graduates - October 2023
- Evaluating the impact of educational goals at SFU
- The Belongings of Precariously Housed People - A Report
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Takuma Mihara
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Adrienne Arbor
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Claire Shapton
- 2023 Distinguished Speaker Presentation with Dr. Deb Cowen
- Cheers to Paul Degrace and his well-earned retirement!
- 2024 Archives
- Professor Nicholas Blomley Honored with the Community-Engaged Research Achievement Award
- Graduate Students Claire Shapton and Marina Chavez Honored with the Community-Engaged Graduate Scholar Award
- Applications now open: 2024 ESRI Canada GIS Scholarship for SFU
- Associate Professor Rosemary Collard achieves 13th place on SFU Altmetric List
- The PEAK feature: GSU hosts inaugural RANGE conference
- Gabrielle Wong wins First Prize in 2023 Student Learning Commons Writing Contest
- Gabrielle Wong receives Warren Gill Memorial Award
- Professor Nick Blomley receives Warren Gill Memorial Award for Community Impact
- Geography Student Union recipient of the FENV 2024 Changemaker Awards
- Senior Lecturer Tara Holland reveals the secret sauce of great teaching
- Senior Lecturer Tara Holland Receives SFU 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Bright Addae
- GIS undergraduate students participate in the Canada-wide 2024 AppChallenge competition
- Senior Lecturer Andrew Perkins Receives SFU 2024 Dean's Award of Excellence in Teaching
- Congratulations to Alysha van Duynhoven, Canada's 2024 ESRI Young Scholar
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Robert Ehlert
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Stephan Nieweler
- Eugene McCann writes on "livable cities" in The Tyee
- Tiana Andjelic wins the 2024 SFU ECCE GIS Scholarship Award
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Marina Chavez
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Mia Fitzpatrick
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Lan Qing Zhao
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Tyler Cole
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Benjamin Lartey
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Olivia Nieves
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to Max Hurson
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to John Sykes
- Farewell to Robert "Bob" Horsfall, Associate Professor
- Thesis Defence - Congratulations to André Araújo
- SFU Geography welcomes ethnobotanist, Leigh Joseph, as professor of Indigenous geographies
- Physical Geography September: What is Physical Geography?
- Alysha Van Duynhoven communicates award-winning research at international GIS conference
- How Dr. Tracy Brennand’s visionary leadership shaped the Department of Geography - a heartfelt thank-you
- Dr. Tracy Brennand honoured with the Canadian Association of Geographers (CAG) Award
- Hallway Screens Slides
- 2023 Archives
- Alumni
Where Can You Go From Here?
Career paths for Geography graduates are extremely diverse. As a multi-disciplinary field that integrates technical skills in GIS, mapping, and data analysis with the ability to understand how the earth's systems interact, communicate complex environmental information, manage projects, think critically and provide an understanding of how human behaviour impacts the spaces and places in which we live, the options for Geography grads are extensive.
Find out more by exploring the career pathways highlighted below. You can find additional career pathways and alumni profiles on our Alumni pages.
Job Prospects
Employment rates amongst SFU Geography graduates are high (typically >95%), with average starting salaries in the $45-50k range (according to the BC Student Outcomes Survey-search by institution/discipline).
Our graduates work across a wide range of career fields, and are employed by organizations and institutions all over the world. Click on the links below to view typical careers for each of our programs, or visit our Alumni page to find out more about the work our graduates are doing.
Human Geography
Human Geographers are interested in the interactions between humans and their environments and seek to better understand how space and place intersect.
Common occupations for human geographers include positions in urban, regional and environmental management, planning and policy making, strategic communications and education, among others.
Global Environmental Systems (GES)
With a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between socio-economic and biophysical systems, graduates of the GES major support environmental decision-making across a range of sectors and industries.
Typical occupations include positions in environmental planning and resource use, system and transportation planning, resource management, knowledge translation and policy development among others.
Physical Geography
Physical geographers are concerned with processes that impact the natural environment and work in areas such as terrain analysis and geotechnical consulting, environmental impact assessment, wildlife habitat protection, forest conservation, natural resource development and atmospheric and soil sciences, among others.
Graduates of our Physical Geography programs have the opportunity to gain accredition as a Professional Geoscientist or Professional Agrologist. In fact, as of Sept 2022, certification as a registered professional agrologist will be required to practice agrology within BC.
Geographic Information Science (GIS)
Geographers with GIS skills are in great demand as more and more industries expand their use of spatial data. All of our degree programs include courses within the field of GIScience and students can gain additional expertise through completion of the GIS Certificate program.
GIS skills are commonly used in urban and land-use planning, healthcare, transportation planning, resource management, public safety and risk assessment, among others.
Not sure which Geography program is right for you? Take our quiz to get started...
Critical Thinking, Research and Analysis
- Read critically and write persuasively with a comprehensive knowledge of grammar and vocabulary
- Use critical thinking skills to evaluate and solve problems
- Conduct research to access, analyze, and apply knowledge
- Use qualitative and quantitative research methods
- Initiate and test hypotheses about earth systems
Data Aquisition, Methods and Modelling
- Develop discipline-specific technical expertise (i.e. use of specialized field equipment, satellite imagery and state of the art software)
- Deisgn and develop computer models
- Use statistical applications to generate and interpret spatial data
- Organize information and maintain records with accuracy
- Gather, organize, analyze and summarize data
- Conduct field studies
- Understand surveying and sampling techniques
- Use computer programs to initiate and expand research
Communication and Teamwork
- Communicate ideas clearly and efficiently in a variety of mediums through listening, clarifying, and responding comprehensively
- Share information and ideas using a range of information and communications technologies
- Lead, support, and work effectively within in a group
- Think from a global perspective and communicate effectively across cultures
Spatial and Environmental Literacy
- Reading, interpreting & creating spatial data products like maps and graphs
- Understand the ways in which humans interact with the physical and built environment
- Develop a multidisciplinary perspective on environmental, social and economic problems
- Understand spatial relations
Project Design and Planning
- Conceptualize, plan and carry out projects
- Work effectively and independently to meet deadlines
- Anticipate and manage risk
- Adapt to changing priorities
- Develop creative solutions to problems
Looking for additional career information?
Visit the following pages for additional resources, profiles and opportunities:
Advice for Prospective Students:
"You never know where life will take you. I followed my interest in geography and aerial photography and now I fly satellites for a living!!"
BRENDAN GOSTMANN
"Geography introduces you to the world, helping you understand the processes you see every day and how they relate to you"
CORY CHEUNG
"Although now retired, I work closely with the community on a variety of projects from heritage to community health. These 'boards' are dominated by fellow geographers. Their careers range from school teachers and principals to librarians, urban planners, museum curators, archeologists, politicians, conservation officers and chief administrative officers. Geography is a well-based academic background with a gateway to a diverse range of opportunities."
TED FOSTER
"If you love working outdoors and have a passion for the environment, a Geography degree and some field experience will get you into a junior position or technician position in most organizations. Organizations are always looking for field technicians so try it out! Once you are in, other opportunities often open up."
SHEENA SPENCER
"The open-ended nature of Geography can give you the flexibility to fit into a position within an organization that you would not have otherwise considered - many jobs and careers are not clearly defined, and are often waiting for the right candidate with the right aptitude to learn and develop.!"
DAVID PEREIRA
"Physical Geography (geoscience) is definitely a good option for people who like travelling, hiking, working outside and exploring."
S. STAHL
"A geography degree is the first step in entering the environmental field. I have found that the most employable or attractive colleagues to work with have a combination of technical or quantitative skills combined with a geography background.!"
GEOG ALUM
"Geography is very well rounded. I am always meeting new people who have careers they never would have envisioned a geography degree to lead to, but all agree their geography degree underpins how they see and interact with the world."