¶¡ÏãÔ°AV

Sustainable Community Development Post Baccalaureate Diploma

Centre for Sustainable Community Development | Faculty of Environment
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Calendar 2013 Spring

This program is for those with an undergraduate degree or equivalent. The diploma is applicable to a wide range of occupational, professional and academic fields. By combining courses from several disciplines with a specially designed core of study and opportunities for guided practice, the program provides unique perspectives on sustainable community development.

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

General undergraduate admission to the University and formal application for program approval with the centre is required. Students must complete a bachelor's degree or equivalent before applying to this program.

Application deadlines: May 1 for fall term, October 1 for spring term, February 1 for summer term, Intercession and summer session.

For complete application information:

Program Requirements

Students complete a total of 30 upper division units, including 16 units in the following required courses.

  • SCD 301-4 Sustainable Community Development Theory and Practice
  • SCD 401-4 Social Enterprise for Sustainable Community Development
  • SCD 403-4 Leadership in Sustainable Community Development
  • SCD 404-4 Project in Sustainable Community Development

In addition to these required courses, students must complete at least 14 units in elective courses. Select electives from the SCD electives (SCD 410, 412) and from a variety of departments, in consultation with the Centre for Sustainable Community Development’s (CSCD) academic advisor. A list of pre-approved electives is available but students may also propose courses that meet the following requirements.

  • the proposed course must be an upper division course (300-400 division) or higher.
  • the elective proposal must be submitted and approved, in writing, before enrolling and include the course description. Students should complete electives early in the enrolment period.
  • the proposed course must meet the CSCD’s content requirements for being thematically related to SCD or applicable skills for SCD field work. It must be sufficiently related by topic to SCD (e.g. underdevelopment, regional planning, public planning processes) and/or provide research and other skills relevant to SCD practice (e.g. business management, organizational behavior, fieldwork methodologies, qualitative and quantitative analysis). Determination of relevance and applicability will be made by the CSCD director or their designate.
  • a proposed directed studies course from another department requires a detailed study plan to be approved in advance by the CSCD director and the chosen faculty supervisor. The project’s final report must be submitted to the centre as well as to the named faculty member.
  • Students are responsible for prerequisite or other clearances to gain course entry. Many departments waive introductory courses for those with extensive experience. However, other ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV departments give course enrolment priority to their own students and will not necessarily permit SCD students to enrol. Check all Calendar entries and consult both department and CSCD advisors before enrolling.

Other restrictions may apply.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit for work done at other institutions, before or after admission to the program, may be approved provided it meets SCD requirements for relevance to sustainable community development and provided that at least 18 of the total units are completed at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV. All other requirements for transfer credit under general post baccalaureate diploma program regulations apply.

Applications for transfer credit must be initiated at the time of application for admission to ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV or by requesting a Letter of Permission from the admissions office. A GPA of 2.5 in all required and elective courses must be maintained in order to be credited toward the diploma and for continuance in the program.

More information on the centre and its programs is available at the Centre for Sustainable Community Development and its website

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