| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 80.17 |
| Liaison | Mike Wilson |
| Submission Date | May 5, 2020 |
University of Victoria
AC-3: Undergraduate Program
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree, or certificate program for undergraduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program:
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program:
Environmental studies is about the relationship between social, cultural, economic, political and ecological systems. From engaging in community-based research to developing community action plans or working on local ecological restoration projects, students make an impact on real issues affecting local and international communities. The School of Environmental Studies is constructed upon three areas of focus: ethnoecology, ecological restoration and political ecology. Each professor in the School typically has a primary and at least one secondary specialty, which creates an even richer interdisciplinary setting.
Ethnoecology is the study of interactions between people and the ecosystems they inhabit. Students learn how to 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. 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 learn 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:
http://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/environmental/index.php
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program:
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Geography is an integrative, environmental discipline that at its core asks how people impact, and are impacted by, the natural world. As an interdisciplinary field, problems are viewed from multiple perspectives, including physical science, social science and humanities approaches.
Students gain the specific set of tools needed to integrate information from the human and natural perspectives to solve new and complex challenges as they emerge, in the environment and in the world around them.
UVic Geography is taught in four areas: biophysical systems, human geography and development, geomatics, and environment and sustainability. Geography is literally “the study of the world,” examining the complex and fascinating physical and social make-up of the planet. Through a spatial perspective, Geographers grapple with and seek solutions to the most important challenges we face such as: climate change, natural hazards, globalization, urbanization, sustainability, Indigenous rights, and social justice.
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
https://www.uvic.ca/sustainability/topics/academics/index.php
1. Anthropology: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/anthropology/undergraduate/index.php
2. Biology: https://www.uvic.ca/science/biology/undergraduate/index.php
3. Civil Engineering: https://www.uvic.ca/engineering/civil/future_students/undergraduate/index.php
4. Commerce: https://www.uvic.ca/gustavson/undergraduate/future/index.php
5. Earth and Ocean Sciences: https://www.uvic.ca/science/seos/undergrad/index.php
6. Economics: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/economics/undergraduate/index.php
7. Gender Studies: https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/gender/future/index.php
8. Indigenous Studies: https://www.uvic.ca/humanities/indigenous/undergraduate/major/index.php
9. Political Science: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/politicalscience/undergraduate/index.php
10. Psychology: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/psychology/undergraduate/index.php
11. Public Health and Social Policy: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publichealthsocialpolicy/future-students/undergraduate/index.php
12. Social Work: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/socialwork/future/bsw/index.php
13. Sociology: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/sociology/undergraduate/index.php
Does the institution offer one or more sustainability-focused minors or concentrations for undergraduate students?:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration:
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration:
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 Specialisation Certificate. The RNS Diploma is taken both for undergraduate credits and for upgrading by practising professionals.
The undergraduate BA and BSc degree programs have a stream dedicated to Ecological Restoration that also offer an MA and MSc with this specialization.
In addition to regular degree programs, professional development in partnership with the Division of Continuing Studies is offered. This includes the credit Restoration of Natural Systems Diploma, the non-credit Restoration of Natural Systems Certificate, and the post-baccalaureate non-credit Ecological Restoration Professional Specialization Certificate. Courses for the Restoration of Natural Systems Program can be applied towards a BA or BSc degree. Students can take the Diploma concurrently with their degree and graduate with both credentials.
Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration:
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (2nd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (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. This includes 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.
A Minor in HDCC requires the completion of three core courses focusing on climate change and social transformation. The certificate program requires the completion of four core courses, one of which is an experiential learning course
Website URL for the undergraduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
Through minor and diploma options, students are provided with a thorough understanding of the range of ways in which scholars, researchers and activists address and engage with issues surrounding social injustices and initiatives promoting social justice in the contemporary world.
The Social Justice Studies program helps advance UVic's vision by promoting civic engagement and global citizenship as well as valuing equal rights and dignity of all persons. The program asks students to wrestle with questions of wealth inequality globally, racism and its institutionalization, violence, labour rights and conditions, migration and contemporary refugee and asylum debates, and ecological degradation and environmental justice.
The minor degree is intended for students studying toward a major in the field of their choice. The general degree pairs the SJS minor with an additional minor, resulting in the completion of a general degree. The diploma program offered by Social Justice Studies is intended for students who have completed a Bachelor's degree, mature students, and students who wish to earn both a Bachelor's degree and a diploma.
Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration (3rd program):
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused undergraduate minors and concentrations:
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused undergraduate minors, concentrations and certificates:
https://www.uvic.ca/interdisciplinary/
1. Coastal Studies: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/geography/undergraduate/programs/minor/index.php
2. Health and Society: https://www.uvic.ca/interdisciplinary/healthsociety/index.php
3. Global Development Studies: https://www.uvic.ca/interdisciplinary/undergraduate/programs/global-development/index.php
4. Indigenous Community Development and Governance: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/undergraduate/future-students/undergrad-programs/icdg/index.php
5. Public Administration: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/undergraduate/future-students/index.php
6. Marine Science: https://www.uvic.ca/science/biology/undergraduate/programs/marine-sciences/index.php
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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