University of Victoria
AC-5: Immersive Experience

UVic’s Department of Geography is an example of one of many academic departments that offer field schools. Geography field study courses take students to the edge of glaciers, face-to-face with whales, and knee deep in mudflats. In addition to applying their classroom and textbook knowledge, students also hone their research skills through a major independent field-based project. Field courses that incorporate immersive experience of at least one week or more in length are as listed:

Coastal Field School: In this field school, students will be offered the opportunity to learn in the field about coastal geomorphology, marine protected areas, and biogeography. GEOG 474 (biogeography), GEOG 491 Micro-climate to climate change), GEOG 491 (Hydrological processes). See: http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/geography/undergraduate/fieldschools/Coastal%20Field%20School.php

Field Studies in Coastal & Marine Resources: This course integrates indigenous knowledge and science in resource use and management. The nine-day course is off at the Koeye River Lodge, Heiltsuk territory on BC’s central coast. See: http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/geography/undergraduate/fieldschools/Koeye%20Field%20School.php

Field Studies in Physical Geography: This undergraduate course is a field camp as part of the requirements for GEOG 477. The purpose of Geography 477 is to provide an opportunity to observe and study various aspects of Physical Geography, in the field, in a diverse and extraordinary academic environment. See: http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/geography/undergraduate/fieldschools/Field%20Studies%20in%20Physical%20Geography.php

Cascadia Sustainability Field School: The Geography program hosts an annual field school where students travel to urban cities in North American and Europe studying urban and regional sustainability. Students are offered the unique opportunity of learning in the field from local planners, academics, and activists who are responding to ecological, social, and economic challenges of the 21st century. This Department of Geography has been offering courses since 2012. Courses offered: GEOG 388 and 391. See: http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/geography/undergraduate/fieldschools/Sustainability%20Field%20School.php

#Biketoria: GEOG 491 course provides students a unique applied learning experience focusing on active transportation planning. The course is built around student projects that directly support research, outreach, and other needs of the City, with respect to the ambitious plan to build an ages and abilities cycling network connecting each neighbourhood in Victoria by 2018. Offered at a downtown Victoria location, GEOG 491 represents an exciting pilot for the region’s new Civic Studio initiative, affording a space for community embedded learning. See: http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/geography/undergraduate/fieldschools/Biketoria.php

UVic offers five other immersive, sustainability-focused educational study programs both for undergraduate and graduate-level students. These programs include:

School of Business:
ISIBM International Summer Institute for Business Management (Available for Graduate-level only). “Sustainability is part of our business model. Our summer program provides exposure to the financial, social and environmental considerations business must take into account in today’s global marketplace.” See: http://www.uvic.ca/gustavson/international/international/summer/summer-studies/index.php?utm_source=uvic&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=isibm

School of Environmental Studies (undergraduate field programs):
-Red Fish School of Change
-Biodiversity and Conservation of Coastal BC
-Community and Regional Coastal- Marine Conservation
-Advanced Principles & Concepts in ER
-Bamfield Marine Sciences Center with UVic, Marine Biology program

Anthropology (undergraduate field programs)
-Barkley Sound, Vancouver - Archaeology Field School
-Enthnographic Field School, Cuba
-Jewish Cemetery: Victoria
-Perishable Technologies: UVic
-Soundscapes: BMSC

Environmental Restoration (undergraduate field programs; do not include Continuing Studies field courses)
-Advanced Principles & Concepts in environmental restoration

History (undergraduate field programs).
-Colonial Legacies Field School South
-Ethnohistory Field School

More Field Schools with an immersive experience that is sustainability focussed can also be found at: http://bcfieldschools.weebly.com/2017-courses.html (scroll down to University of Victoria section).

More Field Schools with an immersive experience that is sustainability focussed can also be found at: http://bcfieldschools.weebly.com/2017-courses.html (scroll down to University of Victoria section).