The first year of the Environmental and Urban Sustainability program is structured around a core of courses focused on the development of the skills required for academic and future success in the workplace: field methods, research design, academic writing, critical thinking and demographic analysis. In years two, three and four these skills are honed as students interpret environments, examine ecological processes, explore urban policy, critique sustainable initiatives, and use the principles underlying physical and natural environments. Students can select courses from a variety of fields including geography, history, philosophy, politics and public administration, sociology, law and business, architectural science, economics, chemistry, biology, occupational and public health and urban planning. The flexibility in the curriculum allows students to focus on a specific field of interest. For example, students can choose to focus their studies on environmental management, environmental policy, environmental design, community studies, or natural science, or they can sample widely from among the options.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The environmental sector is one of the largest employers in the Canadian economy. With a background in environment and urban sustainability students are prepared for success in a number of stimulating career opportunities depending on the focus you have chosen for your studies. As the number and complexity of environmental challenges grow, employers in the private sector, non-government organizations, consulting firms and governments are seeking graduates with a well-rounded understanding of the issues, who are able to act as analysts, managers and communicators. The program may also serve as a stepping stone to further studies, such as those offered in colleges of education, law schools and a variety of graduate programs.

CURRICULUM INFORMATION

The program in Environment and Urban Sustainability draws on the ideas, traditions, methods and practices of a broad range of disciplines from the social sciences, natural sciences and professional programs. The overall structure of the first year of the program is common to the other programs in the Faculty of Arts (i.e., Criminology, English, Geographic Analysis, History, Politics and Governance, Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology). The following years provide the opportunity to select a wide variety of professional courses from across the university to allow for specialized study.

Semesters One and Two:

The Environment and Urban Sustainability program is introduced through two courses, Environment and Sustainability and Sustaining the City's Environments. In addition to these courses, students must complete two courses teaching key skills in Critical Thinking and Academic Writing and Research. Finally, students select a total of five courses from other social science disciplines and from humanities disciplines and one course from outside the Faculty of Arts – these courses may form the basis for undertaking a Minor if so desired.

Semesters Three and Four:

In their second year, students take courses in Reading Neighborhood Environments, Patterns of Demography and Environment, Applied Ecology, Geography of the Physical Environment, and Research and Statistics. In addition, students have options in choosing from among a wide array of Professional, Professionally-Related and Liberal Studies courses. Possibilities for Minors exist with the careful planning of courses. An optional internship is available between second and third years.

Semesters Five through Eight:

Four courses (Ecological Processes in the Canadian Landscape, Nature in Fragments, Physical Geography in Decision Support, Urban Policy Strategies for Sustainable Development) form the core of the third year. In their final year, students take the capstone courses, Field Studies in Urban Ecology and Senior Projects in Environment and Urban Sustainability, to extend their expertise before moving into the workplace or on to graduate study. The wide variety of options allows students the opportunity to explore environment and sustainability issues in greater depth. In addition, the available choices from a broad range of disciplines complement students' professional studies and broaden their career preparation. Students may choose to focus upon courses within specific subfields or to sample broadly from across the curriculum. A second optional internship is available between third and fourth years.

Transferability Guidelines

Students admitted to the Bachelor of Arts in any of Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Philosophy, Politics and Governance, Psychology or Sociology may transfer from their current program and plan to any one of the other eight  plans for the Fall term of their second year of studies. Applications are available through the Program Office and must be submitted by February 2nd. Transfer applications are considered on a competitive basis subject to program capacity, and therefore, program choice cannot be guaranteed.

In order to transfer to Environment and Urban Sustainability from any of Criminology, English, Geographic Analysis, History, Philosophy, Politics and Governance, Psychology, or Sociology, students must: (1) have a CLEAR Academic Standing at the end of the Winter term of their second semester of studies; and (2) have successfully completed EUS 102 or EUS 202. It is strongly recommended that students complete both EUS 102 and EUS 202 in first year.

Liberal Studies 

Students must take two lower level liberal studies courses and four upper level liberal studies courses to graduate.