Program
Built around understanding people, places, and environments, graduate studies in Geography at the University of Saskatchewan explore both human and physical geography. The program is designed for students interested in environmental studies, planning, health, Indigenous Peoples, and natural resource questions. You will engage with geographically grounded research that addresses regional, Canadian, and global challenges.
Why study Geography at USask?
- Build research grounded in strong faculty expertise in hydrology, environment and natural resources, health, Indigenous Peoples, and urban and regional planning.
- Advance graduate study in a department with a long‑standing and active research tradition dating back to 1963.
Quick facts
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Expected length Thesis-based Course-based M.A. 2 years M.Sc. 2 years Ph.D. 4 years - Degree requirements
- Class delivery in-person
- Supervisor approval recommended before applying
- Deadlines and admission details below
Illuminators in geographic research and understanding
Explore how places, environments, and societies connect across local and global scales. This program supports thoughtful, research‑driven inquiry into the geographic issues shaping communities and environments today.
Geography masters and Ph.D. research areas
The department supports graduate studies in both human and physical geography. Graduate training and research in the department focuses on:
- Environmental studies, policy, management, and assessment
- Geographic information science and remote sensing
- Hydrological and ecohydrological processes and modeling
- Landscape analysis and environmental change
- Regional and urban planning history and theory
- Housing, urban form, watershed, and transportation planning
- Indigenous and health studies
Faculty use a range of research methods including quantitative and modeling techniques as well as qualitative research techniques. Field work spans the country with well instrumented field sites in the Canadian North and the Rockies as well as selected urban and rural places across the country and internationally. The department is equipped with graduate student offices, laboratories, and research space for both the social and natural sciences with recent investments provided by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, University, and the Province of Saskatchewan. The department also shares the university commitment to develop partnerships between communities and the university and to engage in research projects that improve conditions for people living in the province.
Research supervisors
Before applying, we recommend contacting a potential supervisor whose research areas align with your interests. Share your academic background and research goals. If they are accepting students, they will instruct you to begin a formal application.
| Name | Research areas |
|---|---|
| Environmental history; Northern studies; Quaternary geology; Marine biology; Paleontology | |
| Health geography; Geographic Information Science; Human spatial cognition; Navigation and wayfinding; Cartography | |
| Hydrometeorology; Isotope hydrology; Earth surface processes; Pedagogy | |
| Land use and transportation planning; Public transit planning and operations; Intelligent transportation systems (ITS); GIS application in urban and transport planning; Travel behaviour, and users? satisfaction and perception; Non-motorized travel modes (cycling, walking); Social equity in planning; Big data analytics | |
| Catchment Science; Cold Regions Hydrology; Stable Water Isotopes; Runoff Processes; Stream Chemistry | |
| Remote Sensing; Grassland Ecology; ; ; | |
| History of Indigenous Health, particularly with respect to the First Nations of Western Canada; Changing public health of the Island Lake First Nations of northern Manitoba during the 20th Century; Diffusion of directly-transmitted, acute infectious diseases; History of Tuberculosis among the First Nations of Western Canada; Impact of cultural change on community health | |
| Environmental impact assessment; Environmental policy and management; Mineral and energy resources; Cumulative effects assessment; Watershed planning and management; Renewable energy / energy transition | |
| Source Water Protection Planning; Watershed Planning; First Nations and Access to Safe Drinking Water; Climate Change Adaptation; Urban Water Issues; Regional Planning; Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change; Sustainable Development Goals | |
| Hydrology; Snow physics; Climate; Impact of land use and climate change on hydrology; Improved prediction of floods and droughts | |
| Local Water Security for Health: Developing practical solutions and community-based tools for evidence-informed decision-making in rural, remote, and marginalised communities, particularly in low resources settings; Water, Disease, and Climate Change: Identifying and spatially analyzing burdens of disease associated with water-related diseases, understanding both social and physical dimensions affecting these patterns, and exploring climate change impacts.; Water and Sustainable Development: a macroscopic view of the water-health nexus demonstrates the need to account for the interconnectedness of water for life, nutrition, and livelihoods to ensure positive health and wellbeing. | |
Tuition and funding
Funding
All successful applicants for graduate studies in the department are considered for support or scholarship on the basis of merit. No separate application is required.
Graduate students at USask can receive funding from a variety of sources to support their graduate education.
Tuition and fees
Thesis or project-based master's program
Students in thesis and project-based master's programs are assessed tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program.
| Term | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2026 | ||
| January 1 - April 30, 2027 | ||
| May 1 - August 31, 2027 | ||
| Total per academic year |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2026 | Winter 2027 | Spring 2027 | Summer 2027 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $617.36 CAD | $854.96 CAD | $46.75 CAD | $46.75 CAD |
Tuition is typically billed and due in instalments, four times per year. Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Thesis or project-based master's program
Students in thesis and project-based master's programs are assessed tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program.
| Term | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2026 | ||
| January 1 - April 30, 2027 | ||
| May 1 - August 31, 2027 | ||
| Total per academic year |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2026 | Winter 2027 | Spring 2027 | Summer 2027 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $617.36 CAD | $854.96 CAD | $46.75 CAD | $46.75 CAD |
Tuition is typically billed and due in instalments, four times per year. Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Doctoral program
Doctoral students are assessed tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program. Both international and domestic PhD students pay the same rate.
| Term | |
|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2026 | $1,879.00 CAD |
| January 1 - April 30, 2027 | $1,879.00 CAD |
| May 1 - August 31, 2027 | $1,879.00 CAD |
| Total per academic year | $5,637.00 CAD |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2026 | Winter 2027 | Spring 2027 | Summer 2027 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $617.36 CAD | $854.96 CAD | $46.75 CAD | $46.75 CAD |
Tuition is typically billed and due in instalments, four times per year. Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Admission requirements
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
- A four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study
- Academic record which shows promise of the ability to successfully pursue advanced study and research
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
- A four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of study
- Academic record which shows promise of the ability to successfully pursue advanced study and research
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- Master's degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 70% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e.e coursework required in Master's program)
- Adequate preparation to undertake research work
Application process and deadlines
Deadlines and important dates
Students who apply by December 2nd will have the greatest opportunity for scholarships.
| Start Term | Application Deadline |
|
September |
February 1 |
Submit an online application
International students - Master's and doctoral students applying for a study permit do not need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma students, as well as Visiting Research students studying over six months, still need a PAL. Review federal international study permit policies before you apply.
Before beginning your online application, be sure that you have carefully reviewed all program information and admission requirements on this page.
During the application, you'll be asked for:
- Personal information such as your name, address, etc.
- Contact information of your three referees
- For your letters of recommendation, two of your referees must be academic contacts, and the third may be academic or professional
- Your complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
At the end of the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable application fee: $125 for domestic students and $145 for international students. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
Submit required documents
Once you've submitted your online application, you will have access to upload your required documents, and provide the contact information for your references. To do this, go to the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab in your application.
Preliminary Statement of Marks
- Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Prelim. Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college and must include a grading key/legend.
- All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
- Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will be required only for applicants offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:
- Completing a relevant test with the appropriate score is required before the application deadline.
- Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
- Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.
You may be required to submit the following documents:
- Research statement
Contact
Department of Geography & Planning
Kirk Hall
117 Science Place
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8
Graduate Chair
Dr. Ehab Diab
Email: ehab.diab@usask.ca
Graduate Administrator
Phyllis Baynes
Email: geography.planning@usask.ca
- Department of Geography & Planning
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements
