University of Calgary
ER-12: Sustainability Immersive Experience

The U of C offers a number of study abroad opportunities with a focus on sustainability: "Students for Development Internships " o The SFD program will support approximately 1,000 senior-level students (3rd year undergraduate through to PhD) from across Canadian universities to participate in internships for a minimum of three months with partner organizations in SFD-eligible countries, for academic credit. The goals of the SFD internship Program at the University of Calgary are to expose students to real life development situations by providing them with a relevant and practical educational experience, and a platform for global networking between students and development organizations in the developing world related to issues of food security other sustainable poverty alleviating initiatives. o http://www.ucalgary.ca/uci/abroad/sfd "Energy and Environment Specialization" (CEERE undergrad) o The Energy and Environment Specialization provides education and training necessary for understanding, avoiding, minimizing and (effectively and efficiently) solving industrial challenges related to the impact of energy utilization on the environment. It prepares high-quality undergraduate students for careers in engineering that link energy and the environment. Students are trained in a traditional engineering discipline while obtaining interdisciplinary knowledge of direct and indirect environmental impacts of energy-related activities, including its exploration, generation, production, storage, transformation, transportation, transmission, usage and recovery. o http://www.schulich.ucalgary.ca/ceere/undergraduate "Sustainable Energy Development" (MSc) o The Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development Program is an interdisciplinary program for professional individuals seeking a broad-based education in energy and sustainable development. Integrating course offerings from the faculties of law and environmental design, as well as the schools of engineering and business, this graduate program incorporates assessment, planning, implementation, coordination, and leadership in the area of sustainable energy development. o http://www.ucalgary.ca/pubs/calendar/grad/current/sustainable-energy-development-sedv.html "Energy and Environmental Systems Interdisciplinary Specialization" (ISEEE) o The program teaches students to integrate and apply the knowledge from many disciplines, including those in the applied, natural, and social sciences. The EES Specialization will train students to become decision makers in assessing energy systems and developing effective solutions for a sustainable energy future. o http://www.iseee.ca/for-students/ "Community Service Learning" (Faculty of Arts) o Community service learning (CSL) is a form of experiential learning in which students, enrolled in a credit course, integrate a community service activity with related course content. These course projects involve students working to assist a nonprofit community organization or initiative, usually with a research or writing project, as they build subject-area knowledge and skills. o http://arts.ucalgary.ca/undergraduate/experiential-opportunities/community-service-learning "Environmental Management Certificate" (continuing education) o The program explores uniquely Canadian problems within a global perspective and students learn systems, processes, tools, strategies, risk management techniques and legal requirements that help you assess and manage air, water, soil and waste. It blends theory and practice while focusing on the need for sustainable development and the use of market-driven solutions. o http://conted.ucalgary.ca/public/category/courseCategoryCertificateProfile.do?method=load&certificateId=1706232 "Health, Safety and Environment Certificate" (continuing education) o The program trains students to manage workplace and environmental health and safety issues which are critical to workers, organizations, and the environment itself. Students learn to identify, evaluate, and communicate information about workplace and environmental conditions that may have adverse impacts on human health, and develop the knowledge and skills to plan and implement strategies to control and manage potential problems, as well as motivate proactive behavioural change. o http://conted.ucalgary.ca/public/category/courseCategoryCertificateProfile.do?method=load&certificateId=1706235 "Belize Field School in Primatology" (Anthropology) o The field school will train students in all aspects of primate field research. With this methodology and fieldwork training, students will be in a position to develop an accurate, realistic, and sophisticated research proposal, well grounded in current literature. o http://anth.ucalgary.ca/home/field-schools "China: Solving Global Problems: Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Renewable Energy" o This program focuses on solutions to global environmental problems with an entrepreneurial spirit. Students from both the Schulich School of Engineering (SSE) and the College of Engineering at Shantou University in China (STU) will work collaboratively within the context of an entrepreneurial start-up company on a problem of global importance – global warming. Field trips during the program include visiting Guangzhou and Shenzhen, cities in Guangdong Province (Micro-Wind Turbine and Solar Panel Manufacturing Facility), and Nan’ao Island to see the Wind Energy Farm. "Europe: Sustainability and Environment of Coastal Europe" o This program focuses on sustainability from the perspective of the environmental, cultural, urban and historical Geography of the coastal regions of Europe. The itinerary focuses on Europe’s examples of regional sustainable development, sustainably urban design, environmental problems and policies, and the significance of the historical development of cities within this region. The primary objective will be for students to see firsthand examples of sustainable communities, transit, and environmental management that occur within European cities. (Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Spain) "Mexico: Rapid Urbanization in a Megacity: The Case of Mexico City" o This program addresses the challenges of urban development in Mexico City, one of the largest megacities in the western hemisphere. Seeing the city from street level allows participants to experience, participate in, observe, reflect upon and analyze urban issues associated with megacities and rapid urban growth, including infrastructure, environment and waste management, spatial inequalities, urban agriculture, the informal sector, governance, housing solutions, and the management of public and private spaces. "Spain (Seville): Ecological Systems" o This course examines ecology and its large scale patterns and processes, the elements of time and space in the ecosystems, regulatory elements and the application of ecological principles in solving environmental problems. "Ghana: African and Development Studies in Ghana" (Anthropology) o Using primatological research as a point of entry, this program to Ghana provides an opportunity to experience diverse habitats and encounter groups of organisms not common in North America. It not only covers logistical components of research such as study design, data collection and analysis, but it also examines the human pressures occurring in this part of the world and the conservation issues that arise from these pressures. The cultural environment of Ghana exposes students to circumstances that are different from their own which, in turn, provides a fresh and insightful back drop to understanding human-environment relations.