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Resource Management (Planning) Masters
Students who successfully complete this program will be awarded the degree of master of resource management (planning).
In Canada, this planning stream program is distinctive because of its focus on the policy, economic and science aspects of natural resource and environmental planning.
The program is accredited by the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and the Planning Institute of BC (PIBC). A MRM (Planning) graduate is eligible for membership as a certified professional planner and may enjoy improved employment prospects, conference and workshop participation, and access to professional development programs.
間眅埶AV Requirements
Refer to the for admission requirements. Contact the School of Resource and Environmental Management directly for more information (reminfo@sfu.ca). Those with degree qualifications in fields not directly related but with extensive experience in resource management are encouraged to apply.
Applicants will vary in their preparation for the various disciplines in the school. Therefore, admission to the school might be conditional upon the completion of certain undergraduate courses. Detalied application information can be found on the department's website:
Application deadline: January 25.
Program Requirements
Required Courses
Studente complete a total of 55 units, including all of
An introduction to the relevance of social science perspectives, data and analytical tools in resource management, especially as these complement, supplement or critique perspectives from natural science or economics. Equivalent Courses: MRM601.
A professional group workshop course focusing on specific resource and environmental problems. Prerequisite: Eight REM courses or permission of instructor.
A review of population, community, and ecosystem ecology; implications of these areas for methods of resource management and environmental assessment. Equivalent Courses: MRM611.
Introduction to economic concepts for management of the environment and specific natural resources. Key issues are definitions of sustainability, the substitution capability between human-made and natural capital, and the appropriate application of economics to sustainable development analysis and policies. Equivalent Courses: MRM621 MRM662.
Reviews how human and natural processes across earth systems and over a range of scales interact to affect the hydrological cycle, climate, and land surface processes that are relevant to resource management. Equivalent Courses: MRM631.
A study of legal interventions related to resource planning and environmental control. The course looks at several aspects of environmental and recourse law including administrative and constitutional law, fisheries and forestry regulation, and native rights. Equivalent Courses: MRM641.
Theory and techniques of regional analysis; planning models and their application to key resource sectors. Equivalent Courses: MRM642.
This course examines theoretical aspects of conflict and dispute resolution in natural resource management settings and is designed to assist students in understanding the nature of environmental conflict and the role of environmental dispute resolution (EDR) techniques. Equivalent Courses: MRM660 MRM662.
A research project dealing with a specific interdisciplinary problem in resource management, administration or allocation. The study must result in the preparation of a formal paper and the presentation of a seminar. Equivalent Courses: MRM699.
Students will develop skills and insight into the design, implementation and analysis of interdisciplinary research in natural resource and environmental management. This will help prepare students to carry out their own research projects. Students who entered REM during or prior to the Fall 1994 term and who have received credit for any one of MRM 601, 611 or 621 may not take REM 801 for credit. Equivalent Courses: MRM801.
Elective Courses
Students complete a total of 11 units, including three of
A study of the environmental behavior and toxic effects of chemical substances in the environment and the application of methodologies for their assessment and management. Equivalent Courses: MRM610 MRM660.
Methods of constructing simulations models and analyzing them through sensitivity analysis. Application of simulation modelling to research and management of environmental and resource systems. Topics will include management of wildlife, forests, insect pests, fisheries, pollution problems, energy resources, and recreational land use. Prerequisite: REM 611 or permission of the instructor.
Introduction to fishing methods, fisheries ecosystems and the effects of fishing. Application of models of fish population dynamics, methods of data analysis and the quantification of uncertainty. Introduction to selected methods for providing scientific advice on the productivity and status of fish stocks. Focus will be primarily on biological aspects of fisheries assessment while illustrating how these interface with economic, social and institutional concerns of managers. Equivalent Courses: MRM613.
Use of quantitative methods of risk assessment and decision analysis to explicitly take uncertainty into account when making decisions in management of natural resources. Methods of quantifying uncertainty and the resulting risks. Examples from management of forests, wildlife, fisheries, water resources, energy, and toxic chemicals. Communicating information about uncertainties and the resulting risks to resource managers, the public, and scientists. Advantages and limitations of various quantitative methods. Includes computer laboratories. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Analysis of methods of policy-making and problem solving with particular emphasis on natural resource issues. Topics include goal setting, problem definition, program scheduling, policy evaluation, policy implementation and public administration. A practical analysis of the structure and processes surrounding major contemporary policy issues. Equivalent Courses: MRM644.
Evaluation and application of current methodologies for social, economic, and biophysical impact assessment and the ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems. Equivalent Courses: MRM646.
The course examines a combination of both ecological and market-based resource assessment and planning techniques for conservation and use of parks, forests, and protected areas. Visitor behavior and management in recreation and protected areas settings will be examined. Equivalent Courses: MRM647.
This course will examine the social, environmental and economic components of tourism. Topics will include theoretical concepts and elements of tourism, historical evolution, spatial patterns, and case studies of tourism development in various parts of the world. Discussion of tourism planning and management will focus on the development of tourism as a renewable resource. Equivalent Courses: MRM648.
The course provides frameworks and methodologies for understanding the policy and planning initiatives of public and private sector organizations. Foundations for resource assessment, market analysis, product-market matching and regional tourism strategy development are explored in detail. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Management strategies and policies to achieve sustainable flows of energy and materials in the economy. Eco-efficiency strategies reduce these flows while resource substitution strategies seek more environmentally benign flows. Applies expertise from economics, ecology, thermodynamics, engineering, geology and behavioral sciences. Equivalent Courses: MRM650.
The course critically examines approaches employed by communities incorporating tourism into their development strategies. Techniques for optimizing the resource potential of communities from economic, social, cultural and environmental perspectives are explored with a view toward developing policies for 'appropriate' community tourism. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Theory, background, and practical experience in the use of a range of techniques for policy modelling of energy and materials flows in society with the aim of demonstrating how more environmentally and socially sustainable trajectories can be achieved. Techniques include: simulation modelling, optimization modelling, econometric and other forms of parameter estimation, input-output modelling, game playing models, and integrated systems models. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Special topics in areas not currently offered within the offerings of the resource and environmental management program.
Examines the theory and practice of forest management based on an understanding of the linkages between forest ecosystem dynamics, economics, policy and social management. Principles are illustrated with reference to contemporary forestry issues. Prerequisite: REM 611 or permission of instructor.
any course from approved external curriculum such as 間眅埶AV’s Centre for Sustainable Community Development, 間眅埶AV’s The City Program, UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning, or other relevant 間眅埶AV courses such as geography and business.
Academic Requirements within the Graduate General Regulations
All graduate students must satisfy the academic requirements that are specified in the (residence, course work, academic progress, supervision, research competence requirement, completion time, and degree completion), as well as the specific requirements for the program in which they are enrolled, as shown above.