GEOG 391Field Research
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Environment
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 4 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Field research course in which a specific area will be analyzed from a geographic point of view. Individual or group analysis of specific field problems.
Prerequisites
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed the following:
- ENVS278 - Applied Statistics for Environmental Research (0.50)
- Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
- Obtained all of the following milestones: Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System Milestone
- Must have completed the following:
Antirequisites
- Not completed any of the following:
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| TUT 001 | 5706 | 55 / 55 | T 14:30–16:20 |
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAB 101 | 8388 | 0 / 25 | W 10:30–12:20 |
| LAB 102 | 8389 | 0 / 25 | W 12:30–14:20 |
| LAB 103 | 8390 | 0 / 25 | W 14:30–16:20 |
| TUT 001 | 7364 | 0 / 75 | M 08:30–10:20 |
| TUT 701 | 8214 | 41 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Reviewed on UW Flow
73% liked it70% easy98% useful
From 11 ratings and 5 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
Not easy if you have a s*** group. Choose your group members WISELY, I made a poor decision and me and one other group member did most of our course project together. Otherwise very interesting course with a lot of leeway to choose your own project to focus on using lab work! I had Wesley Van Wychen, and he was a good prof, but can be a pretty tough grader. Overall great course.
Apr 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
I honestly didn't care much for this class; however, I don't think that's the professor's or TA's fault. I didn't necessarily dislike it either. It was okay. I was taught by Dr. Wesley Van Wychen (flow won't let me list him as my prof lol). I prefer a more traditional classroom environment, and in my opinion, there wasn't much direction with this sort of self-driven course. That being said, if you're into that sort of thing, this course allows you to pick your own research topic throughout the semester, so long as it relates to physical geography in some sort of way (and also, this course is literally titled "field research", so yeah, it's gonna be self-driven). I was a little disappointed…
Dec 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
This course is almost entirely dependent on who your group members are. Choose wisely.
Aug 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Took it with prof Beebe. The course wasn't hard and is very independent. You have to get your samples and conduct your analysis yourself but the prof is there to help. My only issue was the grading with prof. Beebe. He doesn't explain why he gives you the grade he does and only gives you a number which was really unhelpful. Take it with Quinn if you can
May 2023 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
One of the best courses. It allowed independent group study to an extent. We were free to choose our study topic in our group and go to field and collect samples whenever we liked. Also analysis was also hands on. It gave an opportunity to learn field work.
May 2017 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
4 posts and comments in 3 threads mention GEOG 391, July 2014 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2019
Can more new grads post their undergrad stats please? 26 points, 64 comments
“They're fun to read.”
u/Ballplayerx97: “… ENVS 178/278 + GEOG 181/281 + Planning design dont remember the code Favorite major course: GEOG 391 (91) Number of all nighters: 3 mainly when people did no group work and I was stuck doing it all. …”
Now with exams over, what were the best and worst courses you took this semester? 20 points, 25 comments
“Mine were, Best: CS241 (assignments were fun, it was cool how they built upon one another and concluded in making a simple compiler) Worst: STAT231 (still don't know what a p-value is) Honorable …”
u/Ballplayerx97: “Best: GEOG 391 - Got to work in a group and design and carry out our oen unique field research and then write a report on it for the prof. Worst: GEOG 368 - Incredibly boring geography course, very dry prof, insane amount of lectures and notes with no clear outline for the exam. …”
Spring 2014
Course over-ride codes for GEO 0 points, 7 comments
u/brandonszalony: “Hey everyone, I e-mailed Susie Phillips yesterday about a course over-ride code for GEOG 391, but she still hasn't gotten back to me... I am a GEOG minor, but the course is only for GEOG majors, and I still want to take it. There is still spots available too. …”
u/thecaveisreallydark: “Pretty sure you're going about this the wrong way, dude. You should have been emailing people earlier if you wanted in on this course and didn't meet the requirements / reserved spot criteria. …”
u/brandonszalony: “… Actually, Ian Mackenzie emailed me about 391 today and said basically that at this time GEOG 391 is still reserved for GEOG majors. So I replied and asked about whether or not it would become open to me, being a geog minor, at any point. …”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them