New Undergraduate Students► Resources and FAQ

Welcome to the Department of Geography at McGill University. On this page you will find a number of helpful resources and Q&A to help get you ready for this new academic journey. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our advising and support staff for guidance. We look forward to working with you!

Undergraduate Advising, Student Associations, and Program Directors

Geography Undergraduate Advising Office

Ms. Michelle Maillet 

advisor.geog [at] mcgill.ca

Undergraduate Program Advisor

Book an advising appointment

Michelle's office is located in Burnside Hall, room 322. She is available to answer your questions by advisor.geog [at] mcgill.ca (email), by virtual appointment, or by drop-in office hours Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-4pm in Burnside hall room 322.

Michelle is responsible for all undergraduate programs that fall under the Department of Geography (including majors, minors, honours, joint honours, and Interfaculty programs). She holds a wealth of knowledge about navigating the McGill bureaucracy and can help you be strategic with your undergraduate studies. She even holds a BA degree and MA degree in Geography from McGill University herself! Do not hesitate to contact her for any Geography-related or general questions that you may have. If she is not the right person to resolve your issue, she can connect you with the appropriate person/service/office.

For more information on the role of the advisor, how they may be of service, and what they expect of the students they advise, see the PDF icon Fall 2023 Advising Syllabus.

Student Associations

McGill Undergraduate Geography Society (MUGS)

The McGill Undergraduate Geography Society, also known as MUGS, is active in a range of academic and social activities, including the annual publication of Fieldnotes, a journal of undergraduate research. All students in Geography, Urban Studies & Sustainability, Science and Society programs are members of this association.

Access the PDF icon MUGS Degree Planning Guide for helpful degree planning information and examples of course plans from graduated students.

Keep up with all things MUGS-related with the MUGS Facebook page, MUGS Facebook Group and MUGS Instagram account. You may also reach the executive team at mcgillgeography [at] gmail.com.

Student Association of Sustainability, Science & Society (SASSS)

Students in the SSS program have their own student association, in addition to being part of both MUGS and MESS, the McGill Environmental Students' Society. For more information on SASSS, the Student Association of Sustainability, Science & Society, please refer to the SSS program website here.

Keep up with all things SASSS-related with the SASSS Facebook page, SASSS Facebook Group, SASSS Instagram account, and SASSS website. You may also reach the executive team at internal.sasss [at] mcgillasus.com.

Program Directors

Prof. Sarah Moser

sarah.moser [at] mcgill.ca

Geography Undergraduate Affairs Committee Chair

Prof. Moser is the current Chair of the Undergraduate Affairs Committee (UAC). This committee addresses matters involving our undergraduate students and our bachelor’s programs, and has both faculty and student members. Its routine duties involve consideration of new courses and programs (or significant changes to them), and discussing any problems raised by MUGS or other student organizations. In all cases, it acts as an advisory body to the department as a whole. As UAC Chair, Prof. Moser is also available to students who wish to discuss individual problems or concerns. She has taught at McGill since 2013.


Prof. Kevin Manaugh

kevin.manaugh [at] mcgill.ca

Urban Studies Program Director
Urban Studies Program facebook group

Prof. Manaugh is the Director of the Urban Studies Program, an interdisciplinary program based in the Department of Geography. As Director, Prof. Manaugh oversees program changes and updates, and co-organizes urban-related activities and events with students. Prof. Manaugh is happy to speak with students about the program, about post-Urban Studies plans, and about co-organizing urban activities. 


Prof. Brian Robinson

brian.e.robinson [at] mcgill.ca

Sustainability, Science and Society Program Director
SSS Program website

As the Director of the Sustainability, Science and Society (SSS) program, Prof. Robinson oversees the continued development and evolution of the program, which is nearing its 12th anniversary. Contact him if you have questions about how to make the most out of your SSS degree and experience in the program, including regarding undergraduate research opportunities. Working closely with the Program Advisor, Prof Robinson is also happy to help address issues that may arise regarding course planning.


Fall 2023 Department Undergraduate Student Orientation slide deck and other resources

PDF icon Fall 2023 Geography Undergraduate Orientation slide deck

PDF icon MUGS Orientation slide deck

PDF icon Fall 2023 Advising Syllabus


Registration dates and other important deadlines

Fall 2023

Winter 2024

For more information about key academic dates & other important dates for the fall 2023 and winter 2024 terms, see the complete details posted here.


Q & A to help get you started

Registration and minerva waitlists

Detailed instructions on how to use the minerva registration menu and how to operate minerva waitlists can be found on the Courses and Programs website.

Q: What courses should I register for in my first year at McGill?

A: U0 students should register for courses to complete their Foundation year program requirements. In BSc and BA&Sc degrees, this program is managed by your assigned Faculty advisor. In BA degrees, the program is managed by the Foundation year/U0 advisor at OASIS. U1 students can start working on their major(s) and minor(s). U1 students can take 200-level courses and some 300-level courses that do not have prerequisites, whether they be required, complementary or elective courses. First year is a good time to explore disciplines if you are not sure what program(s) you want to complete. 

Q: A course I want to register for is full, what should I do?

A: Registration as a first year student can be stressful as many courses may already be full once you gain access to the registration menu, but keep in mind you will have until the end of the add/drop period for each semester to finalize your course schedule. As there is a large amount of turnover in enrollment numbers for first year courses during this period, you may still have good chances of getting a seat in the course if you keep a close eye on minerva over the summer months, and as courses begin in September, and in January. In the meantime, try to find something else to take that may still have room for you to register, so you have something else to fall back on just in case. It is not a problem to focus more heavily on your other program(s) in your first year, and then on your Geography program in subsequent years if you have to. Each year, you will have an earlier pick at registration, so it does get easier as you progress with the degree!

Q: How do I register for a course that has an active minerva waitlist?

A: If a course has an active minerva waitlist, you will not be able to register for the course directly; you will first need to add yourself to the minerva waitlist once a spot becomes available there in order to be invited to register once spaces free up in the course. Once you add yourself to a waitlist, monitor your McGill email daily so as not to miss the invitation to register as you will only have a day or less to register. If you do not respond by the deadline indicated in the invitation to register, you will be bumped off the waitlist and the spot will be offered to the next person in line. If this is the case, you will need to start over from the back of the queue and hope for the best. For detailed instructions on how the waitlist systems functions, click here.

Q: When do I register for courses for the winter term?

A: You should be registering for both the fall and winter terms at the same time. 

Q: Where can I find up to date program information and course lists?

A: You can find up to date program information in the year's eCalendar, or see our Department website for the complete list of programs we offer by degree type.

Q: I have questions about registration to GEOG courses, or about my program. Who can I talk to?

A: When/if in doubt, email your questions to the Geography Program Advisor Ms Michelle Maillet at advisor.geog [at] mcgill.ca, drop by her office during office hours or book a virtual appointment with her to go over your questions together. Michelle is responsible for all undergraduate programs that fall under the Department of Geography (including majors, minors, honours, joint honours, and Interfaculty programs). She holds a wealth of knowledge about navigating the McGill bureaucracy and can help you be strategic with your undergraduate studies. Do not hesitate to contact her for any Geography-related or general questions that you may have. If she is not the right person to answer your question, she can connect you with the appropriate people/office. 

For general registration issues, you may also contact our Undergraduate Coordinator at undergrad.geog [at] mcgill.ca for assistance.

Credit exemptions

An exemption may be granted if you have completed a course at another institution that is equivalent to a McGill course. A non-university credit exemption does not give you course credits. Rather, it means that you must take another course in the place of the one for which you receive the exemption. Your advisor.geog [at] mcgill.ca (program advisor) can help identify suitable alternatives.

For general information on transfer credit and advance standing, click here.

Q: I am a newly admitted student with CEGEP, AP, A-levels, IB, or French Bacc. How do I know if I have credit exemptions and when will these be added to my McGill record?

A: The Admissions office will record your transfer credits on your McGill transcript by October, though in most cases the information will be showing on your record during the summer and prior to starting classes where the following five conditions are met:

  • you have confirmed your offer in a program at McGill
  • your CEGEP, university or exam board has provided us proof of official results (often not until July or August)
  • the course is listed on one of the sub-pages of the "Prospective and newly admitted students" page of this website, and is pre-approved for credit (subject to change)
  • the course is counted towards your degree or program
  • you passed the course with the required minimum grade or better (see individual pages for details)

You can see your transfer credit(s) on your unofficial transcript in Minerva, under the "Student Records" menu.

Note: In general, students can claim up to 30 credits worth of exemptions.

Q: I completed courses at another university prior to admission at McGill. Can I receive transfer credits and use some of these courses towards my program requirements?

A: Up to 1/3 of program requirements can be fulfilled using university transfer credit (i.e. courses competed at another University). You must be awarded a specific course credit at the 200-level or above, and verify with your advisor.geog [at] mcgill.ca (program advisor) to be sure that the course can be integrated in your program. The advisor can also help you figure out if additional steps are needed so that the transfer credit exemptions are added to your McGill record. 

Note: To qualify for a McGill degree, a minimum of 60 credits must normally be completed at McGill.

Course overlap

Program overlap & Faculty-specific regulations on double counting of courses between programs

You may notice that certain courses appear in multiple programs across the Faculties of Arts and Science. However, as double counting of courses between programs is not permitted in BA and BA&SC degrees, if this is the case, you will need to consult your program advisors to determine which program will use the course, and what course substitution will be done in the other to ensure there is no overlap. Program advisors can help you find suitable alternatives to complete your program and degree requirements. In BSc degrees, double counting may be permitted, but only in a few minor programs. Double counting of courses between majors is not permitted. If you are in doubt, do not hesitate to contact your Program and Faculty advisors for case-specific guidance.

Statistics Course Overlap

Credit for statistics courses will be given with the following stipulations:

Credit will be given for only one of the following introductory statistics courses: AEMA 310BIOL 373ECON 227D1/D2ECON 257D1/D2GEOG 202MATH 203MGCR 271MGCR 273POTH 204PSYC 204SOCI 350.

Credit will be given for only one of the following intermediate statistics courses: AEMA 411ECON 227D1/D2ECON 257D1/D2GEOG 351MATH 204PSYC 305SOCI 461, with the exception that you may receive credit for both PSYC 305 and ECON 227D1/D2 or ECON 257D1/D2.

Pre-Admission Statistics Credit Exemptions 

If you have received a credit exemption for MATH 203 from CEGEP or high school studies (including AP, IB and French Bacc), you will not have to re-take the course or an equivalent for your program as credit has already been awarded. You will however need to replace these credits in your program with university-earned credit. See the credit exemptions section above for more information. If you have a doubt or are unsure whether this may apply to you, don't hesitate to check in with your advisor.geog [at] mcgill.ca (Program Advisor).

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