Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 53.92
Liaison Mat Thijssen
Submission Date Oct. 26, 2021

STARS v2.2

University of Waterloo
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Mat Thijssen
Sustainability Manager
Sustainability Office
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Majors, degrees and certificate programs

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

Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate degree program:
Environment, Resources, and Sustainability

A brief description of the undergraduate degree program:
Environment, Resources and Sustainability is a student-centered learning environment that bridges insights from the natural, physical, and social sciences to help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges – from water scarcity to pollution to loss of biodiversity. With the flexibility of the program, students can focus on topics of personal interest because the problems and opportunities instructors are working on are diverse. Current areas of interest and strength that define our teaching and research include the sustainability of resources (e.g., foodlands, fresh water, coastal zones, energy, wildlife); ecosystem conservation and restoration; environmental politics and behavior; and sustainability policy and governance. Students can join the regular or co-op option.

Website URL for the undergraduate degree program:

Additional degree programs (optional) 

Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Environment and Business

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A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
The Environment and Business Program, the only program of its kind in Canada, is focused on developing an in-depth knowledge of environmental issues and the business world, in order to prepare the next generation of smart leaders to integrate sustainability as part of their business plans. The program equips students with skills from environmental reporting and evaluation, to entrepreneurship, to engagement and communication, and includes a co-operative education component so students graduate with over 20 months of job experience.

Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (2nd program):
Name of the sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
Environmental Engineering

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A brief description of the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
Canada’s largest Environmental Engineering program combines the technical rigour of an engineering degree with scientific know-how and environmental insights. Students take courses in engineering, chemistry, biology, geology, and more, drawing on interdisciplinary knowledge to tackle water, soil, and air pollution challenges and prevent future issues. Students will gain 2 years of paid experience through Waterloo’s co-op program. Required courses for the degree include Environmental and Sustainability assessment, Energy and the Environment, Law and Ethics, Decision-Making for Environmental Engineers, and Economics and Life Cycle Cost Analysis.

Website URL for the undergraduate degree program (3rd program):
None
The name and website URLs of all other sustainability-focused, undergraduate degree program(s):
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Minors and concentrations

Does the institution offer one or more sustainability-focused minors or concentrations for undergraduate students?:
Yes

Name of the sustainability-focused undergraduate minor or concentration:
Minor in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability

A brief description of the undergraduate minor or concentration:
Similar to the full undergraduate program, any student from Waterloo can also minor in Environment, Resources, and Sustainability to add breadth to their home program. The minor requires 10 courses from environmental studies and ERS.

Website URL for the undergraduate minor or concentration:

Additional minors and concentrations (optional) 

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