Forest Resources Technology Diploma and BA Major in Geography, Natural Resource Management
Students undertaking the Geography degree in Natural Resource Management will be challenged to think critically from a variety of perspectives, analyze problems and seek resolutions to natural resource conflicts. Students with the dual credential of a Forestry Diploma and a BA - Geography, Natural Resource Management will be eligible to register as an Allied Science Forester in Training (ASFIT) and work towards becoming a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) with the Association of BC Forest Professionals (ABCFP).
Program Requirements
Graduates of the VIU Forestry Resources Technology Diploma transferring into the Geography BA program must first satisfy the requirements for the Forest Resource Technology Diploma in Years 1 and 2, and then continue on in Years 3 and 4 to satisfy the requirements for a BA degree in Geography (Sustainable Resource Management stream).
Students coming into year 3 of the joint program will receive equivalency credit for FRST 121 in place of GEOG 226 or 228, MATH 181 in place of GEOG 221, FRST 328 in place of GEOG 328, and the DER can be met with ENGL 115 and ENGL 125 (or two of any other DER courses). All the other FRST courses count as electives toward the Geography BA.
For further details on transferring from the Forestry Resources Technology Diploma to the Geography BA program contact the Chair of the Geography Department, at 250.753.3245 Ext. 6296 or GeoChair@viu.ca.
YEAR 3 | Credits |
GEOG 100 – World Regional Geography | 3 |
GEOG 101 – Environmental Geography | 3 |
GEOG 211 - Atmospheric Environments | 3 |
GEOG 212 - Earth Environments | 3 |
GEOG 240 - Human Environments | 3 |
GEOG 290 - Regions of Canada | 3 |
GEOG 322 - Geographic Communication | 3 |
GEOG 350 - Natural Resource Management | 3 |
GEOG 326 - Remote Sensing | 3 |
Total Credits | 27 |
YEAR 4 | Credits |
GEOG 324 - Research Methods | 3 |
GEOG 352 - Managing Natural and Social Capital OR GEOG 356 - Policy, Resources and Sustainability | 3 |
GEOG *372 or *373 - Climatology or Biogeography | 3 |
GEOG *374 or *376 - Hydrology or Geomorphology | 3 |
GEOG *452 - Applications in Natural Resource Management | 3 |
GEOG 467 - Field Studies in Geography I | 3 |
Upper-Level GEOG Elective | 3 |
Upper-Level Elective | 3 |
Total Credits | 24 |
Total Upper-Level GEOG Credits | 30 |
Total Upper-Level Credits (including FRST Credits) | 42 |
Grand Total Credits (including FRST Credits) | 122 |
* denotes courses offered on a rotational basis.
Professional Accreditation
Note the VIU Forestry program is not an accredited degree. One option for gaining RPF designation is completing a BA Major in Geography (SRM) coming in from the Forest Technology Program, and then going on to do a Masters at UBC. For full details on professional requirements follow this link to the Association of BC Forest Professionals website.
Graham Sakaki
"After completing my Forestry diploma, I immediately transferred into third year of the Natural Resource stream in Geography at VIU. There is a seamless transition into the Geography program. The Geography route was great for me, and I highly recommend the transfer option.
While completing my BA, I was able to become more involved around Campus through volunteering, work-op and research assistant (RA) positions. These experiences enabled me to meet many people on campus and throughout the community which aided me in obtaining my current job." - Graham Sakaki
Amanda Jefferies
"I decided to do the transfer program because I wanted to further my education and the Geography department allowed me to do so. I also knew that having a Bachelor’s degree would be an asset when starting a career.
This type of degree helps you learn and develop a wide range of skills that employers are looking for. A Geography degree is a broad based academic degree that will give you many options. My advice for you if you decided to go down this route, make sure you get involved with the Geography department and the Geographic Students’ Union. Your fellow geographers and professors are one of your biggest foundations for success." - Amanda Jefferies
Mike Anderson
"A bachelor’s degree in Geography is applicable to many professions from city planning to environmental protection. A degree in geography is also a path to becoming professionally certified in the forest industry – another reason that motivated me to enroll in the program.
I wanted to advance my understanding of natural resource management beyond the forest industry. The geography program interested me because of the variety of courses offered in the physical and social sciences. I would recommend the geography option to forestry students who are seeking a diverse degree option that offers a chance to learn about the world around us from multiple perspectives. Concepts and processes are emphasized in geography, which I think compliment the technical field skills learned in forestry well." - Mike Anderson