Environmental Studies – Degree Requirements |
Honours BES Degree Course Requirements - 120 Credits
Students must pass courses worth a minimum of 120 credits (equivalent to 20 full-year courses) in order to graduate with the Specialized Honours BES degree. At least 60 credits and a maximum of 90 credits shall be environmental studies courses. An overall grade point average of at least 5.00 (C+) must be maintained.
Students choose their courses in the Honours BES program according to the following requirements:
General education (12 credits):
Following York's philosophy of undergraduate education, BES students are required to study in the humanities and natural sciences.
- Humanities requirement: the BES humanities requirement can be satisfied by taking ES/ENVS 1800 6.00 or a 1000-level course (at least six credits) from the following: classical studies; English; French studies; history; humanities; languages, literature and linguistics or philosophy.
- Science requirement: the science requirement is met by taking ES/ENVS 1500 6.00 Introduction to Science for Environmental Studies or a first-year (six-credit) biology, chemistry or physics course from the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
Note: students who declared environmental management as their area of concentration are required to take either ES/ENVS 1500 6.00 or an equivalent course to fulfill their science requirement.
Required core environmental studies courses (18 credits):
or
Notes:
- Students choosing the course-based options (CBO) will not be required to enrol in ES/ENVS 3011 3.00 or ES/ENVS 4000 6.00. However, students must select alternative courses in their declared area of concentration to replace the requirements. Those who have already completed ES/ENVS 3011 3.00 are not under any obligation to complete ES/ENVS 4000 6.00 and can still opt for the CBO.
- Students enrolled in the environmental management area of concentration are required to take ES/ENVS 2410 3.00, ES/ENVS 2420 3.00, ES/ENVS 2009 3.00 and ES/ENVS 3010 3.00.
Area of concentration requirement (at least 12 credits):
Faculty requirement (27 credits):
A minimum of 27 credits at the 3000 and 4000 level in environmental studies (ENVS) courses in addition to the above. Of these, at least nine credits must be at the 3000 level in the declared area of concentration and at least nine credits must be at the 4000 level in the declared area of concentration. The remaining nine credits will be satisfied by taking ES/ENVS 4000 6.00 and one other three-credit course at the 4000 level. For the course-based option (CBO) students need to take two three-credit 4000-level courses in their area of concentration to replace ES/ENVS 4000 6.00.
Out-of-Faculty elective requirements (24 credits in student area of concentration):
In addition to the general education requirements, students must take 24 credits of electives outside of the Faculty. These courses are selected based on student's interest and/or other combination program requirements outside the BES program.
Free electives:
Students must take up to 27 credits from any undergraduate program (including FES). These courses are based on student's interest and/or other combination program requirements outside the BES program.
*Note: course-based option (CBO): students requesting the CBO are not required to enrol in ES/ENVS 3011 3.00 and ES/ENVS 4000 6.00, however both of these courses must be replaced with courses from their area of concentration beyond the Faculty requirement.
BES Degree Course Requirements - 90 Credits
Students will automatically be placed in the 90-credit bachelor program if they do not achieve or maintain the minimum grade requirements for the Specialized Honours degree program. Students registered for a Specialized Honours degree may choose to graduate with a 90-credit BES if they fulfill that program's requirements.
In order to graduate with a BES degree, a student must successfully complete 90 credits and achieve the minimum grade point average of 4.00 (C) as well as the requirements as outlined below:
General education (at least 12 credits):
Following York's philosophy of undergraduate education, BES students are required to study in humanities and the natural sciences.
- Humanities requirement: the BES humanities requirement can be satisfied by taking ES/ENVS 1800 6.00 or a 1000-level course (at least six credits) from the following: classical studies; English; French studies; history; humanities; languages, literature and linguistics or philosophy.
- Science requirement: the natural science requirement is met by taking ES/ENVS 1500 6.00 Introduction to Science for Environmental Studies or a first-year (six-credit) biology, chemistry or physics course from the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
Note: students who declared environmental management: policy, resources and conservation as their area of concentration are required to take either ES/ENVS 1500 6.00 or an equivalent course to fulfill their science requirement.
Required core environmental studies courses (15 credits):
or
Note: students enrolled in the environmental management area of concentration are required to take ES/ENVS 2410 3.00, ES/ENVS 2420 3.00; further, they are required to take both ES/ENVS 2009 3.00 and ES/ENVS 3010 3.00.
Area of concentration requirement (at least 12 credits):
Faculty requirement (24 credits):
A minimum of 24 credits at the 3000 or 4000 level in environmental studies (ENVS) courses in addition to the above. Of these, at least 12 credits must be in the declared area of concentration; the remaining 12 credits must be taken in the context of the program checklist.
Out-of-Faculty elective requirements (12 credits):
In addition to the general education requirements, students must take 12 credits of electives outside of the Faculty. These courses are selected based on student's interest and/or other combination program requirements outside the BES program.
Free electives:
Students must take up to 15 credits from any undergraduate program (including FES). These courses are selected based on student's interest and/or other combination program requirements outside the BES program.
Students pursuing the 90-credit bachelor in environmental studies are required to declare an area of concentration. Course selection will be determined through the normal academic advising and program checklist processes.