The Faculty of Environment examines environmental issues from several perspectives. It is the home of the Department of Environment and Resource Studies, the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, the School of Planning, the Centre for Knowledge Integration, and the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development which offers undergraduate programs in Environment and Business, and International Development. The Faculty is recognized for its interdisciplinary, integrative, and problem-solving approach to research and teaching. Faculty members and students apply diverse knowledge and methods from different disciplines to understand human relationships with both built and natural environments. The Faculty uses innovative teaching techniques to explore the many contemporary issues in the study of the environment.
In the Department of Environment and Resource Studies, students and faculty focus on solving environmental and resource problems in the classroom, out in the field, and in the wider community. Students learn how to use techniques, skills, and comparative knowledge from the fields of (1) ecology and other ecosystem science, (2) environmental governance, policy, decision making, and thence action and change, (3) environmental, social, and sustainability assessment, and (4) transdisciplinary integration of these other three fields.
Geographers combine natural science, social studies, and information technologies to understand the complex interaction of natural and human forces that define landscapes, regions, and communities – and the environmental challenges facing them. The Department of Geography and Environmental Management gives students the opportunity, through innovative programs such as Geomatics, and Geography and Aviation, to develop practical skills and a deeper understanding of environmental systems and challenges.
Planners are professionals who guide the design, development, and management of healthy, vibrant communities. Planners may also address challenges of sparsely populated regions, parks and protected areas, and resource hinterlands. The School of Planning's programs provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for a successful career as a professional urban and regional planner.
The School of Environment, Enterprise and Development includes programs in Environment and Business and International Development. Environment and Business provides all the foundations of a business degree - economics, finance, accounting, management, and marketing – combined with an environmental education including field ecology, human geography, and environmental research techniques. Most significantly, integrated courses show how businesses can be both sustainable and profitable.
International Development brings together various disciplines of study, teamwork, and individual insight to recognize, analyze, and respond effectively to complicated human development problems in the world's most challenged communities. International Development integrates ethics, cultural and political understanding, knowledge of the natural and planned environment, and business skills to respond with lasting ideas and solutions to development problems.
Environment and Business as well as International Development are programs for students who are passionate about change that is responsible, accountable, and sustainable.
Knowledge Integration (BKI) is an arts and science degree about tackling new and complex problems. Knowledge Integration students specialize in interdisciplinary collaboration, and personalize their degrees by applying those skills to their specific interests across the arts and natural, social, and applied sciences. While based in the Faculty of Environment, Knowledge Integration students can access courses and resources in all University of Waterloo faculties.
There is a high degree of interaction among the Faculty's units. Faculty members in each School or Department participate in the curriculum of the other units. Interaction with other parts of the University is also fostered, and joint appointments of faculty members with other Faculties and Schools/Departments have been made. Students are encouraged to choose courses from across the whole University.