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BES Program Areas of Concentration

The BES program's four areas of concentration reflect the Faculty’s broad understanding of environmental studies. Their coherence is established with scholarly, professional and pragmatic considerations. Students use these areas of concentration to help define their own path through the program.

Environment and Culture: Philosophy, Arts, Technology and Education

This area focuses on the conceptual, historical and cultural roots of environmental issues, and on environmental arts, education, policy and cultural organizations as crucial sites of environmental action. A focus in this area leads students to develop both a strong theoretical grasp of complex ecological-environmental relations, and critical and creative skills important in transforming these relations.

Sample topics include:

  • environmental ethics and philosophy
  • environmental and sustainability education
  • environment, media and communication
  • human and other animal relations
  • science, technology and the environment
  • environmental literatures
  • community arts

Required course:

Nine credits at the 3000 level from the following list:

Nine credits at the 4000 level from the following list:

Note: ES/ENVS 3900 and/or ES/ENVS 4900 directed reading/study courses do not fulfill the area of concentration requirements, unless prior approval is received by the undergraduate program director.

Urban and Regional Environments: Analysis, Planning and Design

This area of concentration focuses on the interrelationships of the ecological, social, built and organizational environments within the urban and regional setting. It is the intention of this area is to provide a critical understanding of urban and regional environments along with a solutions-based approach to addressing urban and regional issues with an explicitly environmental perspective. By doing this students will attain a thorough knowledge of the theories, histories and current issues of urbanization and regionalization and their effect on environments, but also will learn practical methods of analysis and intervention in different human settlements.

Sample topics include:

  • migration and settlement
  • urbanization and the urban process
  • environmental design/landscape design
  • urban sustainability
  • urban governance and regulation
  • global cities and global urbanization
  • urban social and environmental movements
  • urban and regional planning
  • healthy and sustainable community development
  • urban social relations (class, race, gender)
  • Native/Canadian relations

Required course:

Nine credits at the 3000 level from the following list:

Nine credits at the 4000 level from the following list:

Note: ES/ENVS 3900 and/or ES/ENVS 4900 directed reading/study courses do not fulfill the area of concentration requirements, unless prior approval is received by the undergraduate program director.

Environmental Politics: Development, Globalization and Justice

Communities and environments are being dramatically transformed by the globalization of economies and cultures. This area is concerned with the analysis of these forces and possible responses to them at local, regional, national and international levels. It involves exploring competing approaches to development, politics and justice that are being formulated and put into practice by a variety of social groups, communities, NGOs, governments, corporations and international organizations.

Sample topics include:

  • economic globalization
  • international development
  • sustainable development
  • gender and development
  • human rights and refugee studies
  • social/environmental movements
  • climate change
  • green international business
  • culture and global media

Required course:

Nine credits at the 3000 level from the following list:

Nine credits at the 4000 level from the following list:

Note: ES/ENVS 3900 and/or ES/ENVS 4900 directed reading/study courses do not fulfill the area of concentration requirements, unless prior approval is received by the undergraduate program director.

Environmental Management: Policy, Resources and Conservation

This area examines the origins and nature of environmental challenges facing society through the study of their scientific, socio-economic and political dimensions, and explores ways of addressing these challenges through environmental and natural resource management, conservation and policy approaches. It is concerned with existing and emerging strategies for preventing and managing the impacts of human activities and for conserving the resources of the biosphere in ways that are supportive of sustainable development. It provides concepts, knowledge, and skills that are needed to be effective in environmental management in government, business, and not-for-profit sectors.

Sample topics include:

  • ecology and conservation
  • environmental assessment
  • resource management
  • environmental monitoring and auditing
  • energy and the environment
  • environment and health

Required courses:

Nine credits at the 3000 level from the following list:

Nine credits at the 4000 level from the following list:

Note: ES/ENVS 3900 and/or ES/ENVS 4900 directed reading/study courses do not fulfill the area of concentration requirements, unless prior approval is received by the undergraduate program director.