Overall Rating Platinum
Overall Score 85.74
Liaison Mike Wilson
Submission Date Dec. 13, 2023

STARS v2.2

University of Victoria
AC-4: Graduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Camille Lauridsen-Hoegh
Sustainability Intern
Campus Planning and Sustainability
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Majors and degree programs 

Does the institution offer at least one sustainability-focused major, degree program, or the equivalent for graduate students?:
Yes

Name of the sustainability-focused graduate-level degree program:
Masters of Arts or Science and PhD in Environmental Studies

A brief description of the graduate-level degree program:
The School of Environmental Studies offers three interdisciplinary focus areas: ecological restoration, ethnoecology, and political ecology. Students benefit from a comprehensive range of learning opportunities that encompass natural and social sciences, humanities, and traditional ecological knowledge. The programs are research-based, ensuring that all students receive supervision from a faculty member and guidance from an advisory committee. Admissions to the program are directly tied to a faculty member who agrees to work with the student and serve as their major advisor.

Graduate students in Environmental Studies have access to a diverse array of research facilities throughout the campus. Alongside state-of-the-art labs dedicated to ethnoecology, restoration and conservation ecology, and visualization, the university’s location on southern Vancouver Island provides convenient proximity to marine and alpine ecosystems, freshwater wetlands, rivers, lakes, and the temperate rainforest. This setting also presents opportunities for collaboration with First Nations, government agencies, environmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as corporations.

Website URL for the graduate-level degree program:

Additional degree programs (optional) 

Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (2nd program):
Masters of Arts or Science and PhD in Geography

None
A brief description of the graduate degree program (2nd program):
The graduate degree program in Geography at UVic places a strong emphasis on the interdisciplinary nature of the field, allowing students to pursue highly tailored Master’s (MA and MSc) and PhD degrees aligned with their specific research interests.

UVic offers a wealth of diverse research opportunities, fostering valuable connections with local and international research partners. The Geography department has notable strengths in various research areas, including coastal systems, human geography, physical geography, resource management, and geographic information sciences.

Located on Southern Vancouver Island, UVic benefits from its proximity to a range of unique ecosystems, including marine and alpine environments, freshwater wetlands, rivers, lakes, and temperate rainforest. This geographical advantage provides students with easy access to conduct fieldwork. Additionally, many graduate students engage in international projects, affording them research opportunities around the world.

Collaboration is a key aspect of the program, with opportunities for partnerships with local First Nations, government agencies, environmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as corporations. This collaboration enriches the research experience and allows students to engage with real-world challenges and stakeholders in their research pursuits.

Website URL for the graduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, graduate-level degree program (3rd program):
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A brief description of the graduate degree program (3rd program):
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Website URL for the graduate degree program (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused graduate-level degree programs:
1.Anthropology: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/anthropology/graduate/index.php
2.Biology: https://www.uvic.ca/science/biology/graduate/index.php
3.Business: https://www.uvic.ca/gustavson/gill/mba/sustainablebusiness.php
4.Civil Engineering: https://www.uvic.ca/ecs/civil/graduate-students/index.php
5.Community Development: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publicadmin/graduate/future-students/grad-programs/community-development/index.php
6.Earth and Ocean Sciences: https://www.uvic.ca/science/seos/grad/index.php
7.Indigenous Language Revitalization: https://www.uvic.ca/education/indigenous/graduate/index.php
8.Indigenous Governance: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/igov/future-students/maig/index.php
9.Law: https://www.uvic.ca/law/graduate/index.php
10.Nursing: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/nursing/graduate/index.php
11.Ocean Physics: https://www.uvic.ca/science/physics/research/research/ocean/index.php
12.Political Science: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/politicalscience/graduate/index.php
13.Public Health and Social Policy: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/publichealthsocialpolicy/future-students/graduate/mph/index.php
14.Social Dimensions of Health: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/socialdimensionshealth/programs/masters-students/index.php & https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/socialdimensionshealth/programs/phd-students/index.php
15.Social Work: https://www.uvic.ca/hsd/socialwork/current/msw/index.php
16.Sociology: https://www.uvic.ca/socialsciences/sociology/graduate/index.php

Minors, concentrations and certificates 

Does the institution offer one or more graduate-level sustainability-focused minors, concentrations or certificates?:
Yes

Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate:
Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Nationhood

A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:
The graduate certificate in Indigenous Nationhood is a collaborative effort among faculty members from Uvic’s Indigenous Governance, Political Science, and Law units. This partnership is formed for several significant reasons:
1. All three units share a common focus on Indigenous-based community-centered work. They recognize the importance of centering Indigenous perspectives, experiences, and aspirations in their research and teaching.
2. Each unit approaches questions of Indigenous self-determination and resurgence from distinct but complementary angles. This diversity of perspectives enriches the program and opens new areas of inquiry that are critical to understanding and supporting Indigenous communities.
3. The faculty members of these three units have a long history of successful collaboration. They have worked together on previous projects and continue to engage in ongoing partnerships, leveraging their collective expertise and knowledge to create a robust program.
Each program brings its own unique strengths to this collaborative effort, contributing valuable insights and methodologies.

Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate:

Additional minors, concentrations and certificate programs (optional) 

Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (2nd program):
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Name of the graduate-level sustainability-focused minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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A brief description of the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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Website URL for the graduate minor, concentration or certificate (3rd program):
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The name and website URLs of all other graduate-level, sustainability-focused minors, concentrations and certificates:
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Optional Fields 

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.