Simon Fraser University
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The only degree of its kind in Canada, graduates of the Bachelor of Environment (BEnv) will gain a good scientific understanding of environmental processes and the social, political and institutional frameworks in which environmental issues are considered. This broad foundation is achieved through an interdisciplinary approach that exposes students to learning opportunities in a variety of departments both within and outside of the Faculty of Environment. BEnv majors are interdisciplinary, containing required and elective courses that are directly related to environment and sustainability. Each BEnv major requires a core of social and natural sciences, as well as courses in methodology and communication. There are two majors and a joint major program available to students enrolled in the BEnv program: Resource and Environmental Management Major - REM majors study a broad range of socio-cultural and biophysical perspectives with emphasis on supporting sustainable resource management communication and decision-making. Global Environmental Systems Major - The GES major focuses on understanding social and biophysical systems at the global scale including climate change consequences and mitigation. Sustainable Business: Joint Major in Business and Environment - For those interested in careers in the private, non-profit and public sectors, this joint major provides graduates with a firm foundation in both business and environment/sustainability as well as course and experiences that integrate these two areas of study.

One of the undergraduate degree programs offered though the Department of Geography is the Environmental Specialty BA where students explore the dynamics of water, forests, soils, the atmosphere and climate change at multiple scales. These insights can be combined with human geographical investigations of the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of human/environment relations to trace how natural resources are identified, valued, extracted, processed, transported and accumulated at sites throughout the world in ways that produce both wealth and poverty, environmental protection and degradation, and create inequities along multiple dimensions. In turn, students explore ways to promote social and environmental justice and sustainable futures. Another undergraduate degree program offered through the Department of Geography is the Geography BA. Students enrolled in this major investigate the relationships between human societies and the biophysical and social environments in which they operate. Human geographers at SFU typically bring a spatial perspective to their analyses of these relationships, deploying such recurrent concepts as location, place, landscape, territory, region, mobility, diffusion, and globalization. Our courses demonstrate the crucial difference that space makes to social and economic systems and provide valuable insights into issues of pressing societal concern: human-nature interactions; resource use and sustainability; local and regional development; urbanization; social inequities; power and justice; and more.

The Program provides a broad, interdisciplinary education, with a solid foundation in the physical and biological sciences, anchored by core environmental science courses.

Sustainable Business Joint Major in Business and Environment - for those interested in careers in the private, non-profit and public sectors, this joint major provides graduates with a firm foundation in both business and environment/sustainability as well as course and experiences that integrate these two areas of study.

Undergraduate students can add the Development and Sustainability Minor to their degree to explore various aspects of sustainability that arise from the complex relationship between development and the environment, including discussion of practice and policy issues in relation to problem-solving and examination of thematic areas at various scales (from local to global) that enhance the quality of life.

This certificate program offers basic accreditation in sustainable community development and is for those who seek a holistic, active, practical credential either as part of an undergraduate degree or as a stand-alone certificate. Certificate students gain a broad knowledge base while applying concepts and practices taught by top professionals in the field. Guest speakers, group work, problem solving and communication skill development are features of all SCD courses. The SCD certificate program offers a wide range of theoretical and practicable approaches to alternate economic strategies and to ecologically sustainable communities, both rural and urban.

The Corporate Environmental and Social Sustainability Certificate (CESS) was designed to address the growing demand for employees who understand the interconnected nature of the economy, environment, and society. CESS students have opportunities to learn about how environmental and social issues impact every aspect of business, from innovation and operations, to annual reporting and organizational culture. Along with developing skills in leadership, communication and collaboration, CESS students will learn to analyze business processes in the context of ecological and social limits.

Minor in Resource and Environmental Management Solving contemporary environmental problems requires an academic background that integrates both natural and social sciences. The Minor in Resource and Environmental Management (REM) that will provide SFU undergraduate students with the basic skills and understanding they need to integrate natural and social systems concepts into resource management applications. http://www.sfu.ca/rem/programs/minor.html Certificate in Environmental Literacy The program addresses the need for undergraduate students from a broad range of disciplines to have a basic understanding of the complexity and interdisciplinary of environmental issues. It seeks to introduce students to physical, ecological, and social perspectives on the environment, with emphasis on the functioning of physical and ecological systems and how human activities have affected and are affected by such systems over time. Typically, the program will also provide students with knowledge of environmental issues as they pertain to their own field of study. http://www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2014/fall/programs/environmental-literacy/certificate.html Certificate in Urban Studies: This certificate studies the nature and functions of the contemporary city from an interdisciplinary perspective. It is suited to those contemplating careers in urban planning, governance, consulting, non-profits, and related urban-oriented careers. http://www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2018/spring/programs/urban-studies/certificate.html