Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.44
Liaison Mike Wilson
Submission Date Jan. 29, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Victoria
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Dr. Catherine Mateer
Assoicate Vice President Academic Planning
Vice President Academic & Provost
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Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for undergraduate students?:
Yes

The name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (1st program):
Environmental Studies

A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (1st program):

The School of Environmental Studies is constructed upon three pillars: ethnoecology, ecological restoration and political ecology. This combination makes the program unique in Canada.

Ethnoecology is the study of interactions between people and the ecosystems they inhabit. Students taking courses based on this pillar join faculty Nancy Turner, Trevor Lantz, Wendy Wickwire, James Rowe, and Brenda Beckwith as they do more than document traditional relationships to place: they interpret our changing relationship to nature and bring this knowledge to bear on critical issues of land rights, climate change, and the recovery of knowledge.

Political ecology is an interdisciplinary inquiry into the political and economic principles controlling the relations of human beings to each other and to the environment. Put more simply, it explores the politics and policy necessary in a world where ecology matters. Students taking courses based on this pillar join faculty Kara Shaw, Duncan Taylor, and Michael M'Gonigle in understanding how to create positive change. Understanding the deep blocks to change is the first lesson. The second is that real change happens when we see the subtle shades between black and white solutions.

Ecological restoration is repairing damage we've done to ecosystems. But, repair makes it sound too easy. Students taking courses based on this pillar join faculty Eric Higgs, John Volpe, Brian Starzomski, and Valentin Schaefer in learning that good ecological restoration is about getting the ecology right, but that might only be 25% of the challenge. The rest involves ensuring adequate political support, creating an inspiring design, mobilizing community volunteers, providing long-term economic support, and monitoring and adapting to change complete the picture. These are big challenges requiring an integrated approach.


The website URL for the undergraduate degree program (1st program):
The name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
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A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
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The website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
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The name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
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A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
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The website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
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Does the institution offer one or more sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates for undergraduate students?:
Yes

The name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (1st program):
Restoration of Natural Systems certificate

A brief description of the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (1st program):

The Restoration of Natural Systems (RNS) offers a Diploma and Certificate, which consist of skills-based courses as does another program, the post-baccalaureate Native Species and Natural Process Professional Specialization Certificate. The RNS Diploma is taken both for undergraduate credits and for upgrading by practicing professionals


The website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (1st program):
The name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Human Dimension of Climate Change

A brief description of the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):

Human Dimensions of Climate Change (HDCC) is an undergraduate interdisciplinary minor that focuses on climate change from the perspectives of all the major disciplines that emphasize the human elements of climate change, including psychology, economics, geography, anthropology, law, philosophy, political science, sociology, business, environmental studies, and others. Solutions to the many problems of climate change mitigation and adaptation will require an understanding of the human aspects of the problem. HDCC directly confronts these human aspects.


The website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
The name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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A brief description of the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The name, brief description and URL of all other undergraduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The School of Environmental Studies creates UVic's major sustainability programs. It offers interdisciplinary programs, with courses that examine systemic aspects of environmental issues and explore solutions that cut across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. It also recognize that many aspects of local, national and international environmental problems are inextricably connected to our dominant cultural values, and attendant political, social, economic and educational institutions. The School offers a Major, Minor and General Program for undergraduates, and collaborates on a field school program called the Redfish School of Change. In partnership with the UVic Division of Continuing Studies the School of Environmental Studies offers professional development programs. The Restoration of Natural Systems (RNS) offers a Diploma and Certificate, which consist of skills-based courses as does another program, the post-baccalaureate Native Species and Natural Process Professional Specialization Certificate. The RNS Diploma is taken both for undergraduate credits and for upgrading by practicing professionals. UVic also offers an interdisciplinary minor program called the Human Dimensions of Climate changes, which integrates knowledge from among the social sciences.


The School of Environmental Studies creates UVic's major sustainability programs. It offers interdisciplinary programs, with courses that examine systemic aspects of environmental issues and explore solutions that cut across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. It also recognize that many aspects of local, national and international environmental problems are inextricably connected to our dominant cultural values, and attendant political, social, economic and educational institutions. The School offers a Major, Minor and General Program for undergraduates, and collaborates on a field school program called the Redfish School of Change. In partnership with the UVic Division of Continuing Studies the School of Environmental Studies offers professional development programs. The Restoration of Natural Systems (RNS) offers a Diploma and Certificate, which consist of skills-based courses as does another program, the post-baccalaureate Native Species and Natural Process Professional Specialization Certificate. The RNS Diploma is taken both for undergraduate credits and for upgrading by practicing professionals. UVic also offers an interdisciplinary minor program called the Human Dimensions of Climate changes, which integrates knowledge from among the social sciences.

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.