Geography Student

Geography Graduates

Graduates from VIU’s Geography programs either enter the workforce or pursue higher post-graduate education. Some graduates enter VIU’s Advanced Diploma in GIS Applications program, which can be taken either face-to-face or online. Other graduates take master’s degree programs in geography, planning, or natural resource management, while others enter professional programs, such as education or law. In British Columbia’s secondary schools, geography is a popular teachable subject and some graduates choose to enroll in teacher training in VIU’s full-time Post Baccalaureate Degree Program.

Labour market demand for geography graduates remains strong – regionally, nationally, and internationally. Students at VIU have the opportunity to acquire practical skills in geographic communication, spatial analysis, spatial statistics, geographic information systems (GIS), and remote sensing (RS) -– skills that are transferable to any number of employment opportunities. Globally, GIS and RS are multi-billion dollar industries that constantly require graduates with a solid geographic background – intellectually and technically.

For further information on career opportunities, review
Careers in Geography, Geomatics, and Planning.

As part of the #WhereAreTheyNowVIUGeog series, we checked in with Deanna McGillivray, a 2013 VIU BA Geography Graduate. Deanna was fortunate to be able to combine her geography degree, technical training from VIU's Advanced Diploma in GIS program (2014), and public engagement experience gained through summer outreach positions and class projects into a career in the Regional District of Nanaimo’s Regional & Community Utilities Department. Today, she’s a Special Projects Coordinator for Wastewater Services.

She had this to say about how a VIU geography degree prepared her for her day-to-day work: “There’s a lot of variety in the projects I work on. One day, I might be organizing a public open house or talking to school kids about #Unflushables, and another I might be preparing a report about an upcoming bylaw amendment. Others have said it before, but VIU’s Geography program and faculty equip students with a well-rounded foundation of geographic knowledge and professional skills that they can build upon in the workforce to create a meaningful career. This strong foundation has given me the flexibility to take on new opportunities as they arise and the confidence and humility to understand that there will always be more to learn. The picture is from recent SepticSmart education workshop I hosted for residents with septic systems."

Deanna McGillivray