Tara Lynne Clapp, Associate Professor and Chair
Annie Booth, Professor
Zoë Meletis, Associate Professor
Sinead Earley, Assistant Professor
Website: www.unbc.ca/environmental-studies
Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (BA)
Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (BA) (Okanagan Diploma in Environmental Studies Degree Completion)
Joint Major in English and Environmental and Sustainability Studies (BA)
Joint Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Political Science (BA)
Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies
Minor in Global Environmental Change
Minor in Social Dimensions of Natural Resources Management
Area of Specialization - Global Environmental Studies
Area of Specialization - Communities and Environmental Citizenship
Area of Specialization - Natural Resource Management
Area of Specialization - Indigenous Perspectives
Area of Specialization - Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity
Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies
The Bachelor of Arts in Environmental and Sustainability Studies emphasizes a social science and humanities perspective on environmental and sustainability challenges and opportunities. The program provides a strong philosophical, social and scientific basis for understanding the full diversity of environmental and sustainability issues, and positions students to be effective agents of social and environmental innovation, who can promote mitigation of, and/or adaptation to, environmental challenges. An understanding of the foundations of environmental citizenship is emphasized. The degree offers students substantial opportunity for experiential learning through a number of courses.
Students must complete the common degree requirements, the requirements of the Area of Specialization, and elective credit hours in any subject as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours including any additional credit hours necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Undergraduate Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirement
100 Level
| Introductory Ecology | |
| Chemistry of Everyday Life | |
| or | General Chemistry I |
| or | Weather and Climate |
| or | Introduction to Aquatic Systems |
| or | Physics for Future Leaders |
| Introduction to Environmental Citizenship | |
| The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada | |
| Planet Earth | |
| or | Introduction to Planning |
| Contemporary Political Issues |
Note: (Computer Applications) is recommended for students without computing experience.
200 Level
| Expository Writing | |
| or | Introduction to Creative Writing |
| Environmental Perspectives | |
| Introduction to Environmental Policy | |
| Resources, Economies, and Sustainability | |
| or | Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism |
| Introduction to GIS |
Upper-Division Requirement
300 Level
| Gender, Environment and Sustainability | |
| Public Engagement for Sustainability | |
| Low-Carbon Transitions: Theory and Practice | |
| Aboriginal Perspectives on Land and Resource Management |
400 Level
| Environmental Law | |
| Environmental and Professional Ethics | |
| Global Environmental Policy: Energy and Climate | |
| Environmental and Sustainability Studies Senior Seminar | |
| Tenure, Conflict, and Resource Geography | |
| or | Indigenous Women: Perspectives |
| or | First Nations Perspectives on Race, Class, Gender and Power |
| or | Indigenous Issues in International Perspective |
| or | Experiential Course in First Nations Studies |
| or | Critical Development Geographies |
| Environmental Justice | |
| or | Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making |
| Environmental Problems and Human Behaviour | |
| or | Human Adaptability and Environmental Stress |
| or | Landscapes, Place and Culture |
| or | Environmental Anthropology |
Areas of Specialization
Students must choose one of the following Areas of Specialization. Courses used to fulfill major requirements above may not be used to satisfy an Area of Specialization requirement.
1. Global Environmental Studies
2. Communities and Environmental Citizenship
3. Natural Resource Management
5. Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity
Global Environmental Studies
Required
| Social Geography | |
| Introduction to Global Studies |
Eight of the following:
| Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making (if NOT taken as a requirement for the major) | |
| Critical Development Geographies | |
| Changing Arctic: Human and Environmental System | |
| Geographies of Culture, Rights and Power | |
| Any INTS 3-credit language course | |
| Globalizations | |
| Introduction to the Circumpolar North | |
| Lands and Environments of the Circumpolar North 1 | |
| Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar North 1 |
Communities and Environmental Citizenship
Required
| Sustainable Communities: Structure and Sociology | |
| or | Community Development |
| Social Geography |
Seven of the following:
| Introduction to Canadian Business | |
| Organizational Behaviour | |
| Environment and Society | |
| Community Engagement and Inclusion Studio | |
| Rural Community Economic Development (CED) | |
| Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities | |
| First Nations Perspectives on Race, Class, Gender and Power | |
| Migration and Development | |
| Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making | |
| Changing Arctic: Human and Environmental Systems | |
| Health Geography | |
| Food, Agriculture, and Society | |
| Foundations of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism | |
| Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism | |
| Municipal Government and Politics |
Natural Resource Management
Students should note that some of these courses have prerequisites. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they have completed these prerequisites.
Required
| Field Skills | |
| Introduction to Natural Resources Management and Conservation | |
| The Practice of Conservation | |
| Foundations of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism |
One of the following:
| Introduction to Traditional Ecological Knowledge | |
| Cartography and Geomatics | |
| Resource Inventories and Measurements | |
| Integrated Resource Management | |
| Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism |
Five of the following:
| Community Engagement and Inclusion Studio | |
| Field Applications in Resource Management | |
| Natural Resources Planning | |
| Conservation Planning | |
| Recreation and Tourism Impacts | |
| Protected Area Planning and Management | |
| Conservation Area Design and Management | |
| Contemporary Issues in the Circumpolar World |
Indigenous Perspectives
Required
Three of the following:
| Ethnography of Northern British Columbia | |
| Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities | |
| Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio | |
| Social Geography |
Six of the following:
| Ethnobotany | |
| Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio | |
| Indigenous Planning Studio | |
| Any FNST 3-credit language course | |
| Any FNST 3-credit culture course | |
| Research Methods in First Nations Studies | |
| First Nations Religion and Philosophy | |
| Indigenous Women: Perspectives | |
| Law and Indigenous Peoples | |
| First Nations Perspectives on Race, Class, Gender and Power | |
| Indigenous Issues in International Perspective | |
| Experiential Course in First Nations Studies | |
| Traditional Use Studies | |
| Indigenous Geographies of Climate Resilience | |
| History of Indigenous People of Canada |
Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity
Required
| Canada: Places, Cultures and Identities | |
| Lesbian and Bisexual Lives |
One of the following:
| Anthropological Perspectives on Inequality | |
| Environmental Justice (if NOT taken as part of the Major’s requirements) | |
| Democracy and Diversity |
Two of the following:
| Indigenous Women: Perspectives | |
| Introduction to Gender Studies | |
| Gender and Cultural Studies: An Introduction |
Three of the following:
| Land and Indigenous Reconciliation Studio | |
| Contemporary Challenges Facing Aboriginal Communities | |
| Image of the Indian in Film | |
| Law and Indigenous Peoples |
One of the following:
| Migration and Development | |
| Critical Development Geographies | |
| Politics of Climate Change |
Electives and Academic Breadth Requirement
Elective credit hours are required as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (See Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth). Electives may be at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours.
Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (Okanagan Diploma in Environmental Studies Degree Completion)
This 60 credit-hour program of study is available only to students from Okanagan College with a diploma in Environmental Studies (Environmental Management Option or Interdisciplinary Environmental Arts Option).
If the diploma in Environmental Studies is completed, with the course choices noted*, the completion of the following courses through ÂÜÀòÉäÇø will result in the completion of the BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies.
*Note: Students must take Okanagan College's PHIL 251 Environmental Ethics, WMST 222 Ecofeminism and GEOG 210 Introduction to Environmental Issues, GEOG 311 Environmental Management and INDG 204 Indigenous Concepts and Frameworks as part of their course choices at Okanagan College, or additional ÂÜÀòÉäÇø courses meeting these requirements are required.
Degree requirements:
Diploma in Environmental Studies from Okanagan College, minimum Cumulative GPA of 2.00, plus 36 credit hours
Area of Specialization: 24-29 credit hours
Elective credit hours in any subject as necessary to ensure completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours at ÂÜÀòÉäÇø.
Curriculum
Lower-Division Requirement
| * | Introductory Ecology |
| or | Contemporary Political Issues |
| Introduction to Environmental Citizenship | |
| Environmental Perspectives |
*Students who have completed the Interdisciplinary Arts diploma option should take BIOL 110, and students who have completed the Environmental Management diploma option should take POLS 100.
Upper-Division Requirement
300 Level
| Public Engagement for Sustainability | |
| Low-Carbon Transitions: Theory and Practice |
400 Level
| Environmental Law | |
| Global Environmental Policy: Energy and Climate | |
| Internship | |
| Environmental and Sustainability Studies Senior Seminar | |
| Tenure, Conflict, and Resource Geography | |
| or | Critical Development Geographies |
| or | Indigenous Women: Perspectives |
| or | First Nations Perspectives on Race, Class, Gender and Power |
| or | Indigenous Issues in International Perspective |
| or | Experiential Course in First Nations Studies |
Total: 30 credit hours
Students must complete an Area of Specialization. Area of Specialization requirements may be reduced by 6 credit hours (with the exception of the Natural Resource Management Area of Specialization), depending on what has been completed through the Okanagan College Diploma.
Area of Specialization
Students must choose one of the following areas of specialization.
- Global Environmental Studies
- Communities and Environmental Citizenship
- Natural Resource Management
- Indigenous Perspectives
Courses used to fulfill major requirements above may not be used to fulfill an Area of Specialization requirement.
Joint Major in English and Environmental and Sustainability Studies (BA)
See Calendar Entry under English
Joint Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Political Science (BA)
The Joint Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Political Science is for students who want both a broad understanding of environmental issues and the political knowledge needed to respond to those issues. The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a Joint Major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Political Science is 120 credit hours.
Program Requirements
Lower-Division Requirement
| Introduction to Ecology | |
| or | Introduction to Natural Resources Management and Conservation |
| Introduction to Environmental Citizenship | |
| Environmental Perspectives | |
| Introduction to Environmental Policy | |
| The Aboriginal Peoples of Canada | |
| Planet Earth | |
| Resources, Economies, and Sustainability | |
| or | Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism |
| Introduction to GIS | |
| Introduction to Global Studies | |
| Contemporary Political Issues | |
| Canadian Government and Politics | |
| Canada in Comparative Perspective | |
| Political Philosophy: Antiquity to Early Modernity |
Upper-Division Requirement
| Landscapes, Place and Culture | |
| or | Environmental Anthropology |
| Environmental Law | |
| Gender, Environment and Sustainability | |
| or | Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making |
| or | Environmental Justice |
| Public Engagement for Sustainability | |
| Environmental and Professional Ethics | |
| Global Environmental Policy: Energy and Climate | |
| Environmental and Sustainability Studies Senior Seminar | |
| Aboriginal Perspectives on Land and Resource Management | |
| Society, Policy and Administration | |
| or | Society, Policy and Administration of Natural Resources |
| How Government Works | |
| or | Canadian Politics and Policy |
| Democracy and Democratization | |
| Political Philosophy: Early Modernity to Post-Modernity | |
| or | Theories of Justice |
| Politics of Climate Change | |
| Democracy and Diversity | |
| or | Comparative Northern Development |
| Seminar in Political Philosophy | |
| Environmental Problems and Human Behaviour | |
| or | Human Adaptability and Environmental Stress |
Elective and Academic Breadth Requirement
Students must take electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, including taking any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation on Academic Breadth).
Minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies
The minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies offers an opportunity for students in other disciplines to learn how individual lives are connected with environmental systems, and to gain understanding and perspective on key environmental and sustainability issues.
A maximum of two courses (6 credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major or another minor may also be used to fulfill requirements for a minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. The minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies requires the completion of 18 credit hours, 12 of which must be at the upper-division level.
Required
| Introduction to Environmental Citizenship | |
| Introduction to Environmental Policy | |
| Environmental and Professional Ethics |
Three of the following:
| Sustainable Communities: Structure and Sociology | |
| Environmental Law | |
| Environmental Perspectives | |
| Gender, Environment and Sustainability | |
| Public Engagement for Sustainability | |
| Global Environmental Policy: Energy and Climate | |
| Indigenous Environmental Philosophy | |
| Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making | |
| Tenure, Conflict, and Resource Geography | |
| Environmental Justice | |
| Aboriginal Perspectives on Land and Resource Management | |
| Environmental Problems and Human Behaviour |
Minor in Global Environmental Change
The Global Environmental Change minor offers students a well-rounded perspective on global change issues. The minor encompasses the science of global change and change predictions, the political realities of environmental change, and the way policy intersects with science.
The Global Environmental Change minor requires the completion of 21 credit hours, 12 of which must be at the upper-division level. A maximum of two courses (6 credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major or another minor may also be used to fulfill requirements for the Global Environmental Change minor.
Required Courses
| Environmental Perspectives | |
| Global Environmental Policy: Energy and Climate |
Two of the following:
| Introductory Ecology | |
| or | Ecology |
| Plant Ecology | |
| Weather and Climate | |
| Northern Contaminated Environments | |
| Biometeorology | |
| Storms | |
| Air Pollution | |
| Introduction to Remote Sensing |
Three of the following:
| Environmental Economics and Environmental Policy | |
| Environment and Society | |
| Sustainable Communities: Structure and Sociology | |
| Environmental Impact Assessment | |
| Environmental Law | |
| Introduction to Environmental Policy | |
| Political Ecology: Environmental Knowledge and Decision-Making | |
| Tenure, Conflict, and Resource Geography | |
| Environmental Justice | |
| An Introduction to Environmental History | |
| Topics in Environmental History | |
| Introduction to Global Studies | |
| International Organization | |
| Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism | |
| Contemporary Political Issues | |
| Society, Policy and Administration of Natural Resources | |
| Environmental Problems and Human Behaviour |
Minor in Social Dimensions of Natural Resources Management
The minor in Social Dimensions of Natural Resources Management prepares students to engage the public and First Nations in collaborative processes dealing with the range of values encompassed within the practice of natural resources management. By completing the minor, students become familiar with planning policy and practice as it applies to natural resources management, the range of values and social considerations that apply to a number of resource sectors, and tools for soliciting and involving multi-stakeholder interests.
The minor in Social Dimensions of Natural Resources Management requires the completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours of study. A maximum of two courses (6 credit hours) used to fulfill the requirements for a major, or another minor, may also be used to fulfill requirements for this minor. Students must ensure that all prerequisites are fulfilled prior to registering in any course.
Required Courses
| Environmental Law |
One of the following:
| Community Engagement and Inclusion Studio | |
| Public Engagement for Sustainability |
One of the following:
| Community Development | |
| Resource Communities in Transition |
An additional five of the following courses (no more than two courses in any single program [e.g., ENPL]):
| Ethnobotany | |
| Introduction to Planning | |
| Community Engagement and Inclusion Studio | |
| Social Research Methods | |
| Indigenous Planning Studio | |
| Environmental Perspectives | |
| Introduction to Environmental Policy | |
| Public Engagement for Sustainability | |
| Introduction to Traditional Ecological Knowledge | |
| Indigenous Environmental Philosophy | |
| Internship | |
| Tenure, Conflict, and Resource Geography | |
| Indigenous Geographies of Climate Resilience | |
| Northern Communities | |
| Topics in Environmental History | |
| Agroforestry | |
| Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism | |
| Municipal Government and Politics | |
| Community Development | |
| Resource Communities in Transition |
Updated: December 5, 2024