BISHOP'S UNIVERSITY€¦ · Welcome to Environmental Studies and Geography at Bishop's! Go back Environmental Studies and Geography, with the major focus on human-environment interaction,

BISHOP'S UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND GEOGRAPHY

2015-2016 STUDENT HANDBOOK

For further information, see also the Departmental Website: http://www.ubishops.ca/academic-programs/social-sciences /environmental-studies -

geography/index.html

http://www.ubishops.ca/academic-programs/social-sciences/environmental-studies-geography/index.html

http://www.ubishops.ca/academic-programs/social-sciences/environmental-studies-geography/index.html

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Bishop’s University Dept. of Environmental Studies and Geography

Student Handbook 2014-15

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CONTENTS [Click on heading’s hyperlink to jump to that section]

INTRODUCTION

FACULTY MEMBERS

DEPARTMENTAL FACILITIES

PROGRAMME PLANNING AND COURSE SELECTION

OUR PROGRAMMES

The “Environmental Studies” Concentration:

Major, Environmental Studies Concentration (48 credits)

Honours, Environmental Studies Concentration (60 credits)

Environmental Studies minor (24 credits)

The “Geography” Concentration:

Major, Geography Concentration (45 credits)

Honours, Geography Concentration (60 credits)

Geography minor (24 credits)

SUGGESTED TIMELINE (93-credit B.A Degree, Environmental Studies Concentration)

DO I HAVE ALL THE COURSES I NEED TO GRADUATE?

REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE HONOURS PROGRAMME

Summary of dates and values related to the completion of the Honours Thes is

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS



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INTRODUCTION Welcome to Environmental Studies and Geography at Bishop's!

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Environmental Studies and Geography, with the major focus on human-environment interaction, is a broad discipline which analyzes the distribution and interrelationships of physical and human phenomena on the earth. It combines subject matter and methodologies from both the natural and social sciences. At the founding of the Department in 1961, the underlying academic objective of our programme was to provide to undergraduate students a solid grounding in the systematic elements of geography as possible, keeping in mind the faculty and financial resources available to us. This focus upon breadth within the discipline has been strengthened in recent years to one which emphasizes Environmental Studies, both from Human and Physical perspectives.

A second focal point in the Department's approach to the teaching of Environmental Studies

and Geography has been the incorporation of as much of a field component as possible into the frameworks of many of our courses. The Sherbrooke Census Metropolitan Area of 110,000 people provides much scope for practical projects on Human Environmental Geography. At the same time the glacial features of the surrounding Appalachian region, the history of settlement and resource development, and a significant river and drainage basin, each provide a ready field laboratory for Physical Environmental Geography projects. As new areas within the discipline of Environmental Studies and Geography have emerged, the Department has attempted to recognize these developments with new and topical courses. To that end, the Department attempts to rotate a number of courses so that a wide offering is made possible.

In addition to the academic programme of the Department, the Bishop's University Geographical Society (BUGS) organizes more informal field trips, social events and career information activities. This is a student-run organization that receives financial support f rom the Students' Representative Council, and the moral support and involvement of the faculty members of the Department. On occasion, BUGS organizes excursions to climb Mount Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Thus, students entering the Department of Environmental Studies and Geography at Bishop's should be prepared to understand the entire discipline - both human and physical aspects. You should also be prepared to do original work in the field, ask and answe r basic questions about the environment and our impact upon it. Finally, you should be prepared to become a full, active member of a small, personalized Department.



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FACULTY MEMBERS

Our full-time faculty members include:

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Dr. Darren Bardati (on leave, Winter 2015) Office: J122 Tel: 822-9600 (ext. 2462)

Dr. Bardati joined the Department in 1996 and is a natural resource geographer. He received his B.A. (Honours) from Bishop’s, and both his Master’s and PhD degrees from McGill University. He teaches courses in resource management, EIA, GIS, watershed management, and outdoor recreation. His research concerns community-level adaptation to climate change, local food resilience, and watershed management .

Dr. Tom Fletcher Office: J123 Tel: 822-9600 (ext. 2476)

Dr. Fletcher has a Ph.D. from McGill, an M.A. from the University of Maryland and a B.A. from Louisiana State University. He is responsible for many of our human environmental courses. His current research is on environmental equity and hazardous waste regulation.

Dr. Norman Jones (on leave, fall 2014) Office: J121 Tel: 822-9600 (ext.2477) Dr. Jones joined the Department in 1993 and is a physical geographer. He received his B.A. from McMaster, his M.Sc. from Alberta and the Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo. His research interests include: glacial environments in the Canadian Rockies, and f lood hazards in the Eastern Townships.

Dr. Elisabeth Levac (Departmental Chair) Office: J152 Tel: 822-9600 (ext.2499)

Dr. Levac is an Associate Professor in the Department. She holds a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from Dalhousie University in Halifax. Her research interes ts are in the area of Holocene paleoceanography and paleoclimatology, as well as the role of pollen in allergies . She teaches courses on climatology, oceans and geology. Her research interests include: paleoceanography, paleoclimatology, pollen monitoring and allergies, aerosols.



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Dr. Matthew Peros Office: J218 Tel: 822-9600 (ext. 2783)

Dr. Peros has a Ph.D. from University of Toronto and a M.Sc. from York University, both in Physical Geography, and a B.Sc. in Archaeological Sciences from U. of Toronto. He was selected for the Canada Research Chair in Climate and Environmental Change and is started at Bishop’s in the summer of 2011. His research interests include paleoclimatology and geoarchaeology. He has expertise in climate change in the Canadian Arctic, cultural and environmental chang e in the Caribbean.

Our part-time faculty include:

Dr. Albert Haller Office: Molson 111 Tel: 822-9600 (ext. 2494)

Dr. Haller holds a Ph. D. in Geography from the University of Western Ontario. His expertise is in physical, cultural and historical analyses of northern environments, especially the Canadian Arctic.

Prof. Suzan MacNider Taylor Office: J123 Tel: 822-9600 (ext. 2476)

Prof. Taylor graduated with an MSc. From Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) and was employed in 2011-12 and in 2012-13 in the ESG department. She will be teaching ESG 262 Intro to GIS this year.



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DEPARTMENTAL FACILITIES

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Our departmental facilities are located on first floor of the Johnson Building. They were renovated in 2010-11 and are for the use of Bishop's University students involved with specific courses of study in Environmental Studies and Geography. The facilities of the Department will be open during normal daytime class hours on weekdays. The facilities may be used at other times with a Department faculty member's permission and supervision.

Our facilities include:

Multi-media Classroom/Laboratory (J150)

A multi-media equipped room used for Power Point and other video presentations . This room seats about 40 students, and is home for the majority of intermediate and senior level courses and all lab-related courses.

GIS Computer Lab (J151)

The computer facility hous es several PCs, used in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) courses and other techniques -based courses. The Departmental terminals are connected to the University's central computer system. Students may use the computers for course papers and assignments, subject to the regulations posted in the computer lab. No person shall copy any of the files or programs found on Departmental computers. Students must respect the posted regulations of the Computer Lab.

Seminar Room (J153)

Also a multi-media equipped room, it contains a large oval table that sits about 16 students , excellent for face-to-face discussions. Seminar courses and discussion groups meet in this room, which also is a general meeting place for students.

Environmental Studies & Geography Laboratory (J154)

A laboratory facility used for analyses of samples collected by students in physical environment related courses. Equipment for the analyses of soils, river sediments and glacial deposits are available in this room.



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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

PROGRAMME PLANNING AND COURSE SELECTION

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The Department of Environmental Studies and Geography offers a range of courses at the introductory, intermediate and senior levels of study. As a systematic discipline, the Department assumes that students have some exposure to geography and/or environmental studies at the secondary or college level, yet all students should progress from the introductory courses through the more specialized, senior courses. The "a" denotes Fall term courses and "b" denotes Winter term courses . The introductory courses, ESG 100 (Intro to Environmental Studies), 126 (Intro to Human Geography) and 127 (Intro to Physical Geography) are normally prerequisites for many of the upper year courses, so all students should enrol in them from the outset.

This Student Handbook summarizes the programs below, and provides additional information regarding the Regulations for the Honours programme.

Our programmes are listed in detail in the Academic Calendar (paper and electronic versions) at the following site:

http://www.ubishops.ca/academic-programs/calendar/index.html

The Academic Calendar is the official document used in programme planning and course approvals.

Beyond these documents, we invite you to talk to the members of the Department on a one -to- one basis for any questions or problems you may have. As a rule, you should always verify your course and programme choices with the Departmental Chairperson. Get approvals in writing! Memories fade after two or three years and the burden of proof is always on the student.

Students studying Environmental Studies and Geography should be prepared to devote time to field work outside of normal classroom hours. Such studies often take place on week-ends and there may be a small cost involved with the trip. Field trips are scheduled at the outset of each course in an attempt to avoid scheduling conflicts.

http://www.ubishops.ca/academic-programs/calendar/index.html



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OUR PROGRAMMES

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The Department of Environmental Studies and Geography offers the following programmes:

Major, Environmental Studies Concentration (48 credits)

Honours, Environmental Studies Concentration (60 credits)

Environmental Studies minor (24 credits)

Major, Geography Concentration (45 credits)

Honours, Geography Concentration (60 credits)

Geography minor (24 credits)

Areas of Concentration: Students must register in either the Environmental Studies Concentration or the Geography concentration.

T h e “E n v i r o n men t a l S t u d i es ” Concentration

Major, Environmental Studies Concentration (48 credits) Go back

1. Core Required Courses 11 courses 33 credits

Students must take all of the following courses, preferably in the annual sequence noted:

Year 1: ESG 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies ESG 126 Introduction to Human Geography ESG 127 Introduction to Physical Geography MAT 190 Precalculus Mathematics ELA 116 Effective Writing or a University-level English Literature 3 credit course

Year 2: ESG 224 Human Impact on the Environment

ESG 260 Research Methods ESG 261 or another quantitative course: BMA 140, EMA 140, PMA 160 or PHY 101 ESG 262 Introduction to GIS ESG 267 Global Environmental Change

Year 3: ESG 300 Environmental Studies Seminar



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2. Additional Required Courses 5 courses 15 credits

Students must complete 5 courses from one of the three following lists (laboratory credits do not count toward the total credits required):

Stream A) Environmental

Impact and Policy:

ESG 175 Economi c Geogra phy

Stream B) Science and the

Environment:

ESG 226 Phys i ca l Ocea nogra phy

Stream C) Environmental

History and Thought:

ESG 212 Urba n Geogra phy ESG 248 Geogra phy of Food

ESG 249 Res ource Ma na gement

ESG 227 Bi ogeochemi ca l a nd Envi ronmenta l Ocea nogra phy

ESG 250 Geomorphol ogy

ESG 162 Ca na da : A Na ti on of Regi ons

ESG 163 Introducti on to

ESG 264 Outdoor Recrea ti on ESG 266 Envi ronmenta l Pol i cy

ESG 339 The Ca na di a n Arcti c

ESG 340 The Ci rcumpol a r North

ESG 251 Soi l s a nd Vegeta ti on ESG 265 The Atmos phere a nd

Wea ther

ESG 269 The Ea rth’s Crus t

La nds ca pe a nd Cul tura l Geogra phy

ESG 211 Hi s tori ca l Geogra phy of

the Ea s tern Towns hi ps

ESG 348 Urba n Pl a nni ng ESG 349 Wa ters hed

Ma na gement

ESG 361 Gl a ci a l Envi ronments ESG 362 Adva nced Geogra phi c

Informa ti on Sys tems

ESG 268 Huma n La nds ca pe a nd Envi ronmenta l Cha nge

ESG 339 The Ca na di a n Arcti c

ESG 350 Envi ronmenta l Jus ti ce ESG 354 Envi ronmenta l Impa ct

As s es s ment

ESG 358 Interna ti ona l

ESG 363 Na tura l Ha za rds ESG 364 Fi el d Cours e i n

Envi ronmenta l Studi es a nd

Geogra phy

ESG 340 The Ci rcumpol a r North ESG 353 La nds ca pe

ESG 366 Ethi ca l Pers pecti ves on

Envi ronmenta l Probl ems

Envi ronmenta l Is s ues ESG 362 Adva nced Geogra phi c

Informa ti on Sys tems

ECO 103 Ma croeconomi cs

ESG 365 Mi d-l a ti tude Wea ther Sys tems

ESG 367 Cl i ma te Cha nge

BIO 196 Intro to Cel l ul a r a nd

ENG 118 Li tera ture of the Envi ronment

HIS 104 The Devel opment of the

Wes t

ECO 102 Mi croeconomi cs ECO 237 Economi cs of the

Envi ronment

Mol ecul a r Bi ol ogy BIO 197 The Evol uti on of Li fe

BIO 205 Di vers i ty of Li fe I

HIS 105 The 20th Century Worl d HIS 211 Ca na da Si nce 1945

PHI 140 Intro to Ethi cs

ECO 337 Ecol ogi ca l Economi cs POL 101 Introducti on to

Modern Governments

POL 214 Publ i c Admi ni s tra tion

BIO 206 Di vers i ty of Li fe II BIO 207 Genera l Ecol ogy

BIO 327 Adva nced Ecol ogy

BIO 321 Bi ogeogra phy

PHI 240 Topi cs i n Bus i nes s Ethi cs

PHI 245 The Phi l os ophy of

Sci ence

POL 334 Publ i c Pol icy Ana l ys is PBI 241 Evol uti ona ry Ps ychol ogy

PSY 293 Mul ti cul tura l

Ps ychol ogy

MAT 191 Enri ched Ca l cul us I PHY 191 Introductory Phys i cs I

CHM 191 Genera l Chemi s try I

CHM192 Genera l Chemi s try II

PHI 246 Phi l os ophy of Art REL 100 Wes tern Rel i gi ons

REL 101 Ea s tern Rel i gi ons

SOC 107 Ca na di a n Fi rs t Na ti ons

SOC 322 Urba n Soci ol ogy CHM 241 Envi ronmenta l Chemi s try I

CHM242 Envi ronmenta l

SOC 207 North Ameri ca n Fi rs t Na ti ons

Chemi s try II Pl e ase n ote: Some of the re quired cou rses l isted may h ave on e of more p rere quisites. I t is the student’s re sponsibility to e n sure the s e p rereq uisites are completed ; these completed p re requisites may b e coun ted as Electives.

SUGGESTED TIMELINE (93 credit B.A. Degree, Environmental Studies Concentration)

I n u s ing this gu ide, p lease b e a ware that: 1) wh ile a ll core req uired cou rses a re offered eve ry ye ar, the y va ry e ach ye ar wh ether the y a re offered i n the fall or winter s emes ter - wh ich will affect p re-requisites for u p per ye ar courses; 2) n ot all other ESG cou rs es a re offered eve ry ye ar; 3) Th e 11 core re quire d courses are i n bold

Ye a r 1 - Fa ll s emester 1 - ESG100

Ye a r 2 - Fa ll s emester 1 - ESG260

Ye a r 3 - Fa ll s emester 1 – 5

th a d d itional re quire d ESG

2 - ESG127 2 - ESG224 2 - El e cti ve_ 3 - MAT190 4 - ELA116 or English lit

3 - ESG262 4 – 3

rd a d d itional re q uired ESG

3 - El e cti ve_ 4 - El e cti ve_

5 - El e ctive 5 - El e cti ve_ 5 - El e cti ve_

Ye a r 1 - Wi n ter s emester

Ye a r 2 - Wi n ter s emester

Ye a r 3 – Wi n te r semester

1 - ESG126 2 – 1

st a d d itional re quire d ESG

3 – 2nd

a d d itional re quired ESG

1 - ESG267 2 - ESG261 or other quant. course 3 - 4

th a d d itional re quired ESG

1- ESG300 2 - El e cti ve_ 3 - El e cti ve_

4 - El e ctive 4 - El e cti ve_ 4 - El e cti ve_ 5 - El e ctive 5 - El e cti ve_ 5 - El e cti ve_

+ Un i ve rsity-wide EWP re q uirement

DO I HAVE ALL THE COURSES I NEED TO GRADUATE? Check those boxes! Go back

1. Co re Re q uired Co u rses 11 cou rs es 33 cre d i ts

ESG 100 I n trod uction to En vironmen tal Studies

ESG 126 I n trod uction to Hu man Geo grap hy ESG 127 I n trod uction to Ph ysical Geograph y

MAT 190 Pre ca l culus Ma thematics (or more adva nced ca lculus course)

ELA 116 ESG 260

Effe cti ve Wri ting or a Un iversity-level En glish Literature 3 cre d it course Re s earch Me thods

ESG 224 Hu ma n I mpact on the En vironment

ESG 267

ESG 262

Gl ob al En vi ronmental Ch ange

I n trod uction to GIS On e q u an titative a nalyses cou rses: ESG 261, BMA 140, PMA 160 or PHY 101

ESG 300 En vi ron mental Studies Seminar (win ter te rm, l ast ye ar of p rogramme)

Un i ve rsity-wid e EWP re quirement

2. Ad d i tional Req uired Co u rses 5 cou rs es 15 cre d i ts

Stre a m A or Stre a m B or Stre a m C (s ee p revi ous p age for cou rse l ists)

cou rs e n umb er an d n ame: cou rs e n umb er an d n ame:

cou rs e n umb er an d n ame: cou rs e n umb er an d n ame: cou rs e n umb er an d n ame:

+ 45 cre d i ts other cou rses (if in 93 cre d it p rogramme) + 75 cre d i ts other cou rses (if in 123 cre d it p rogramme)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Bishop’s University Dept. of Environmental Studies and Geography


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Honours, Environmental Studies concentration (60 credits) Go back

Same required courses as for the Major, Environmental Studies Concentration, plus:

ESG 461 Honours Research Proposal ESG 462 Honours Thesis

Plus, six additional ESG credits, for a total of 60 credits.

And a minimum of 70% overall average.

(For more information, see Regulations Concerning the Honours Programme later in this Handbook).

Environmental Studies Minor (24 credits) Go back

The Environmental Studies Minor encompasses the study of several major natural systems including the atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere, as well as the effects of human activities on the three systems. The programme is intended to provide students with an interdisciplinary approach to the natural environment, an approach that is embedded in the Liberal Arts tradition of Bishop's University. The objectives of the programme are not only to equip students with the scientific knowledge of their environment, but also to enrich this knowledge with a study of the social, political and policy aspects necessary to effectively analyze complex environmental systems.

The Environmental Studies Minor consists of the following required courses:

ESG 100 Introduction to Environmental Studies ESG 126 Introduction to Human Geography ESG 127 Introduction to Physical Geography ESG 224 Human Impact on the Environment

In addition, students must take four more ESG courses for a total of 8 courses, 24 credits, selected from the Department of Environmental Studies and Geography.



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T h e “Geo g r a p h y ” Concentration

Major, Geography Concentration (45 credits) Go back

For a major in the Geography Concentration, students must complete successfully at least 45 credits (15 courses) in ESG, including the required courses ESG 126, 127, 260 and 261.

Honours, Geography Concentration (60 credits) Go back

For an honours degree in Geography, students must acquire at least 60 credits (20 courses) in ESG, including the four required courses for the Major (ESG 126, 127, 260 and 261) and the Honours Proposal and Honours Thesis courses (ESG 461 and 462 - described under Regulations Concerning the Honours Programme later in this Handbook).

Geography Minor (24 credits) Go back

A minor in Geography requires 24 credits (8 courses) in ESG, including the required courses ESG 126 and 127. Keep in mind that upper year courses have the introductory courses as prerequisites.



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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE HONOURS PROGRAMME

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Admission to the Honours Programme is by permission of the Department. In order to be eligible to enter the Honours programme a student must have a cumulative average of 70% in all Environmental Studies and Geography courses taken at Bishop's University.

A degree with Honours requires the completion of 60 credits, including ESG 461 (Undergraduate Thesis Proposal) and 462 (Undergraduate Thesis) and all other required courses within the programme.

Students considering graduate studies are encouraged to enrol in the Honours programme, since most Canadian graduate schools now require an "honours" designation. Students who wish to transfer into the Honours programme should consult the Chairman of the Department at an early stage in their academic career.

About the Undergraduate Thesis

The undergraduate thesis is a course of independent research in which the onus is on the student to design, carry out and present the results of an original research project. Students should be aware of the high degree of motivation and self -discipline needed to successfully complete an honours thesis. The student works under the supervision of a faculty member but the course is not faculty-led.

The successful completion of the undergraduate thesis involves several well -defined steps. The initial task of the student is the identification of a specific research topic. This topic may fall within any of the broad sub-areas of Geography and the student should be guided, in the first instance, by his or her own personal interests. There are, however, some practical constraints on the choice of a research topic. The four main constraints are: 1) data availability and accessibility; 2) the resources of the Department, both in terms of faculty expertise and the physical

resources for data gathering and analys is; 3) the constraints of time. The Thesis is intended to be one course among five in each of

two semesters; 4) financial considerations. Some forms of data gathering, analysis and presentation may

involve the student in considerable out-of-pocket expens es, e.g., mail questionnaires, photocopying, etc.



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In short, a study which examines the evolution of beach profiles on the coral atolls southwest of Bora Bora, while potentially very rewarding, would not be encouraged in ESG! Even places like Toronto, Montreal and Cape Cod may pose time and money problems, while also attempting to complete courses back at Bishop's.

The undergraduate thesis normally contains several distinct components:

1) The statement of the research problem and/or the hypothesis that is being tested in the

thesis. The choice of an appropriate methodological approach is an integral part of the statement of research purpose.

2) A literature review which situates the research project within the broader context of geographical research.

3) Presentation of the data (quantitative and/or qualitative). Data types include field measurements in physical geography, questionnaire and interview surveys, primary historical sources, secondary statistical data, etc.

4) Analysis and results of the data. Depending on the nature of the data and the methodology selected, the analysis of the data may take a number of distinctive forms. Maps are also an important part of data analysis and presentation.

5) Bibliography and References .

Procedures, Deadlines and Evaluation

All ESG theses should be completed at Bishop's, as opposed to another University on transfer credit or student exchange. Students must register in ESG 461 and be accepted into the Honours programme during registration in September.

Here are the normal steps to take:

Step 1 - Signalling your intent to pursue the Honours

Deadline: Before the end of the previous Winter semester

Before the end of the winter semester of the academic year, students intending to apply for admission to the Honours programme for the next academic year should indicate their intentions to the Chair of the Department, and should discuss the choice of a thesis topic.



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Step 2 - Submitting the Thesis Statement

Deadline: The Friday before Fall semester add/drop deadline

The Honours student must develop, in consultation with the faculty supervisor assigned by the Chair, a thesis statement. This statement must be submitted for Departmental approval no later than the Friday before the University Add/Drop date. If the thesis statement is not approved by the Department, the student must withdraw from ESG 461, and thus, the Honours programme. It is the student's responsibility to complete the process of withdrawal from the programme before the Add/Drop deadline.

What is the Thesis Statement?

First, the Thesis Statement is NOT a Thesis Proposal; it is a pre-Proposal. We understand that you are just beginning your Proposal, but we need some evidence that you have a good idea of what you want to do, and how you will do it to ensure your success . The Thesis Statement should be only a few pages long, written clearly and succinctly, and include the following:

- Title of the thesis (on cover page with student's name) - Introduction (background, purpose, hypothesis or research question) - Preliminary Literature Review - Outline of proposed methods, including possible sources - Proposed method of analysis - Anticipated timetable for work completion, ensuring that work conforms to Departmental deadlines - Preliminary bibliography

Students should consult style manuals such as those listed later in this Handbook.

How will the Thesis Statement be evaluated?

Thesis Statements will be evaluated on the following bases:

1) suitability of topic as a subject for geographical investigation 2) the student's conceptualization of the nature of the topic and the areas to be

investigated 3) suitability of the research and analytical methods for both topic and the student

concerned



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4) feasibility of completing the study within the time allowed

If the Thesis Statement is accepted, the student may remain in the Honours programme. If the Thesis Statement is NOT accepted, the student may be required to withdraw from the Honours program.

Step 3 – Developing the Honours Proposal (ESG 461)

Assuming acceptance of the Thesis Statement, the student must then complete a detailed Thesis Proposal (ESG 461). The Proposal must include four major sections:

1. an Introduction, including a detailed hypothesis or research question, a description

of the study area, and a conceptual background (ie, how does the proposed study fit into the relevant literature);

2. a detailed Literature Review; 3. a Methods section, including a detailed discussion of the research methods to be

used to collect and analyze data; 4. an extensive Bibliography.

During the academic year, it is expected that the student will meet regularly with his/her adviser. The frequency of these meetings and how each student should prepare for them is left to the student and the adviser to arrange. It is understood that the work schedule agreed to by the adviser and the student may vary, according to the adviser and student's needs and demands. However, all Departmental deadlines and regulations must be respected.

Step 4 – Submitting the Honours proposal, including an informal presentation

Deadline for submission of the Thes is Proposal: On or before the last day of classes in the Fall Term

The student will submit to his/her adviser a final copy of the Proposal, including a detailed introduction, a literature review, a discussion of the approach/methods to be adopted in the thesis, and an extensive bibliography. An informal presentation and discussion of the Thesis Proposal will be made to the department at the end of the Fall Term.

Evaluation of the Thesis Proposal

Faculty are free to discuss the Thesis Proposal with the student and the student's adviser. Each



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faculty member has the right to make oral and written commentary on each Thesis Proposal.

Following the submission of the Thesis Proposal and informal presentation, the thesis adviser will suggest a grade for the Thesis Proposal, subject to the approval of the full -time members of the Department.

Step 5 – Developing the Honours Thesis (ESG 462)

Assuming acceptance into ESG 462, the student will complete an Honours thesis with a minimum of seven major sections:

1. Introduction, 2. Literature Review 3. Methods 4. Data Presentation and Analysis 5. Discussion 6. Conclusion 7. Bibliography

All ESG Honours students may meet with members of the Department on several occasions through-out the academic year, as well as an informal presentation and discussion of their thesis at the end of the Winter Term. Honours students are encouraged to discuss their research with their fellow students during these interactive sessions. In this way, we will all benefit from the experiences and suggestions of others!

Step 6 - Submitting the Honours Thesis, including a presentation

Please note that submission of the Honours Thesis happens in 3 stages. There are fairly strict deadlines to adhere to, to ensure Professors have adequate time to evaluate the work in progress and students have time to make changes before final submission, in order to develop the best possible product, and to ensure the student’s success, as follows:

Deadline for Submission #1: Draft completed Honours Thes is: Three weeks before the last day

of classes in the Winter semester

A draft copy of the complete thesis with illustrations included (final copy quality is not necessary for the illustrations) will be submitted to the thesis advisor. On the advice of the Professors involved, changes may be made to the thesis.



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Deadline for Submission #2: Final completed Honours Thes is & public pres entation: Last day of

classes in the Winter semester; Public presentation on the day after the last day of classes A final Completed thesis – for evaluation purposes – will be submitted to the thesis advisor. This copy will be used for the s tudent’s pres enta ti on to the department at the end of the term – usually on the day after the last day of classes . The Final Complete Honours Thesis is then made available to the full-time faculty members of the Department. Faculty are free to discuss the thesis with the student and the student's adviser. Each faculty member has the right to make oral and written commentary on each thesis. The adviser will suggest a grade for the revised draft copy of the thesis, subject to the approval of the full-time members of the Department.

Deadline for Submission #3: Three Final corrected copies of Honours Thes is: Last day of Exams

After receiving comments (if any) from the Professors involved, the student must submit three copies of the final corrected thes is (if corrections are needed) to the Chair of the Department by the last day of examinations. One will be given to the thesis advisor, one will be kept on file in the Department with the Chair, and one will be sent to the Library for archiving.

The normal Departmental penalty of 5% per day for late submissions applies to the Honours Thesis. The Department cannot guarantee that late submissions will be processed in time for May Convocation.



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SUMMARY OF DATES RELATED TO THE COMPLETION OF THE THESIS Go

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Print this page and fill in due dates to remind yourself

ITEM VALUE DATE Date this year

Thesis Statement

Honours Thesis

accept/reject

100%

Before Add/Drop Date

On or before the last day

Sept. 15, 2015

Proposal of classes in the Fall Term Nov. 25, 2015

Oral Presentation

---

During last week of classes

Nov. 23, 2015

Draft completed Thesis

---

Three weeks before end of Winter Term

Mar. 16, 2016

Final completed Thesis

100%

Last day of classes

in the Winter term Apr. 6, 2016

Oral Presentation

---

During last week of classes

Apr. 11, 2016

Final corrected Thesis

(Necessary for

Last Day of Examinations

Apr. 22, 2016 (3 copies necessary) Convocation)



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GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS Thinking Ahead - Planning Your Programme

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You will be spending several years at Bishop's, so there is some need for pla nning your academic programme. Balance is the key here. In general, take ESG courses each term, along with other courses. Always keep in mind that this is a small department and we may not always be offering a specific course during the term and the exact time of day that you wish to take it. Courses are rotated over several years, subject to faculty abilities, student demand and available resources. The Department makes every effort to announce future course offerings, as well as a long-term plan for faculty leaves, etc.

Attendance/Sickness

Attend all lectures and hand assignments in on time. Classes are not optional. Under University regulations, lectures are a required part of your programme (see the Calendar). Students are res ponsible for all material covered in lectures and field trips, even if you were not in attendance. Medical reasons are the exception to this rule. If you are sick, you must contact Health Services (Ext. 2696) immediately. Any examinations, tests or essay deadlines that will be missed require a doctor's note, approved by Health Services. If you are ill, remember that there is a full-time doctor on staff at the Health Clinic, Mackinnon Hall.

Handing Assignments In

All assignments should be handed to the professor, at the start of class, on the day the paper is due. If you are handing in a late paper, have another professor sign, date and place the paper on your professor's desk. Putting papers under your prof's door is risky. In all cases, ALWAYS KEEP A PERSONAL COPY of all papers and assignments. Departmental regulations state that all late papers lose 5 percent per day, including week-ends and holidays. Papers will not be accepted after those papers handed in on the due date have been returned to the res t of the class. One final note on late papers. Don't place yourself in greater difficulties by missing the class in which the paper is due. A late paper is still going to be late by the end of that day, but now you've missed the material from a further class.



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Examinations

Almost every course in Environmental Studies and Geography uses mid-term and final examinations as part of the evaluation scheme. Naturally these examinations put a significant level of stress on you. If you believe that you suffer from some sort of exam anxiety, you should take advantage of the many self-help courses offered by the Counselling Services Department on campus.

Understanding the Appeals Process If, after reading the comments on your paper and listening to the professor's commen ts when returning the papers, you still feel that you have not been graded properly...

1. Make arrangements to see him/her on a one-to-one basis, outside of class time. You

will not gain anything by confronting the professor during the class, circulating petitions or storming off to see the Dean.

2. Be sure that you re-read the paper or exam in question. Be sure of yourself and be

prepared to DISCUSS the paper, not whine about the grade. Be prepared to let the professor explain his/her position - and even to have a chance to re-read the paper.

3. Bishop's has an established appeals process, found in the Academic Calendar. You

should always start with your professor. Most issues are solve d at this level. If you still have a problem, follow the appeals process carefully, consulting the calendar and the Departmental Chairperson and Handbook. Every student has the right to consult the University Ombudsperson.

Writing Term Papers

The instructor's requirements and expectations for writing term papers will be made clear near the beginning of the course. Listed below are some of the printed materials that may be helpful in preparing essays:

Durrenberger, R.W. Geographical Res earch and Writing. New York: Crowell.

This is a general book covering all fac ets of geography, and includes a list of aids to geographic research, bibliographies, indexes, periodicals, map and photo sources, etc.



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Northey, M. and David Knight Making Sense in Geography and Environmental Science s.

Toronto: Oxford University Pres s.

This is a recommended addition to all course texts. It assists in understanding all forms of geographic research and writing, including field notes, reports and the undergraduate thesis. It is usually available at the B.U. Bookstore.

Haring, L.L. and John F. Lounsbury Introduction to Scientific Geographic Res earch. Iowa City:

Wm. C. Brown.

This book is more specific to statistical analysis but also contains guidance on field work and general methods in geography.

Kitchin, R. and N. Tate, Conducting Res earch into Human geography: theory, methodology and

practice. Toronto: Prentice-Hall.

An excellent overview for conducting Human Geography research, and geographical research in general.

Northey, M. and Lorne Tepperman Making Sense in the Social Sciences . Toronto: Oxford

University Press.

An excellent source for all social science students. The book includes writing DOs and DON'Ts, as well as information on data collection and presentation.

Documents

BISHOP'S UNIVERSITY€¦ · Welcome to Environmental Studies and Geography at Bishop's! Go back Environmental Studies and Geography, with the major focus on human-environment interaction,