Department of Environment and Resource Studies

The Faculty of Environment expects that students enrolled in any of its Academic Plans should be able to demonstrate competence in writing. Accordingly, all students newly admitted to the Faculty are required to write the English Language Proficiency Examination (see the English Language Proficiency Program section for the Faculty of Environment for more information on this requirement). Because of the necessity of communicating research and project results during studies and in careers after graduation, writing skills are particularly important in Environment and Resource Studies.

Applicants who have been out of school for a number of years are considered on the basis of their work experiences, their involvement in environmental activities or interests in environmental studies, as well as their past academic record.

There are 6.5 core units in the Academic Plan. In addition, 3.0 units must be selected from ERS and/or ENVS courses. The first-year introductory courses examine major environmental themes from the viewpoints of the natural and social sciences. In the second year, further work in natural ecology and the social sciences, including techniques for investigating environmental questions and experience in conducting a systematic enquiry through the device of small group projects, helps to introduce other perspectives and themes running through environment and resource studies. Additional course work on research design, methodology, and information or data handling is also required in the second year.

The core requirements for the third and fourth years include an in-depth examination of the development of environmental thought and an independent project course in fourth year, in which the student, working with an advisor, develops a project proposal and undertakes research. Arrangements to receive extra credit for project work have been provided for those who learn most effectively through undertaking self-directed work under the guidance of faculty and other advisors.

The emphasis given to project-oriented learning within the Academic Plan reflects the importance attached to having students develop increasingly sophisticated abilities for coping with situations that are inherently complex, value-laden, ambiguous, and uncertain. Project-oriented learning provides the occasion to practise skills in problem definition, information and data gathering, analysis and synthesis of material, and presentation of results in a suitable format using the most appropriate communications media. Skills of this nature can be refined, adapted and applied in whatever context or situations students choose during and after their university years. An increasing number of students incorporate work with governmental agencies, community organizations, and other groups into projects they select for their third- and fourth-year project assignments and, in a few cases, well-conceived and executed projects have led to employment in a variety of organizations.

Elective courses can be chosen from anywhere in the University and options start from the first year in the Academic Plan. Faculty will advise on this, but essentially there are five possibilities, as follows:

1. The Honours Regular and Honours Co-operative Academic Plans
   Students take the required core courses and whatever sets of elective courses they wish to round out their individual interests and skills. Students may be admitted to the Co-op Academic Plan in the first or second year.
2. A Joint Honours Degree
   Students can elect to take a Joint Honours degree with another department, which will require fulfilling the requirements of a second department as well as Environment and Resource Studies.
   Students from other plans choosing a joint honours plan with ERS as the second major must complete 6.5 ERS core units plus 3 additional ERS and/or ENVS courses for a total 8.0 units. Students in all plans may substitute their home department's equivalent senior honours essay or thesis or senior seminar for ERS 411A/B.
3. A Minor
   Students can elect to take a Minor, which normally requires completion of eight to ten courses in another department, as designated by that department.
   ERS offers a minor to honours students outside of the Environment and Resource Studies department. A total of ten courses (5.0 units) are required with a cumulative average of 65%, with no failures. See Environment and Resource Studies Minor in this calendar for more details.
4. An Option
   Students can elect to take one or more of the recognized Options outside of the Department.

In each case students should give careful consideration to their choices in terms of the educational goals and possible careers they may wish to pursue after obtaining a Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) degree. They would also do well to seek information and advice on the kind of undergraduate courses favoured by graduate programs in which they may be interested.

The recommended course load is five courses per term. Each student must have completed 20 units or the equivalent to graduate, with 13.5 units (27 courses) above 100-level. Of these, 6.5 units are specific required courses. An additional 3.0 units must be selected from ERS and/or ENVS courses, with 10.5 units as free electives. A cumulative overall average of 65% and a cumulative average of 70% in ERS/ENVS courses must be maintained. There are several evaluation techniques used to determine grades.