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Development and Sustainability

Graduate Certificate

To study development and sustainability is to study social transformation particularly those changes that affect the quality of life of individuals and groups within the broader context of environmental change. The problems of social transformation are urgent and complex, and often they transcend the boundaries of conventional academic disciplines. Development and sustainability examines the problems in, processes involved, and the prospects for the sustainable transformation of human, natural, and material resources in various contexts and at various levels of social interaction, from the local, national, and regional to the international/global level.

To study development and sustainability as social transformation, one must draw upon many disciplines in order to obtain a balanced understanding of historical and contemporary processes. These disciplines include, but are not limited to: anthropology, business, communication, economics, education, geography, history, law, political science, psychology, resource and environmental management, and sociology.

This graduate certificate in development and sustainability links faculty teaching and research across nine units in the university, and enables students to coordinate their graduate studies so as to concentrate on development issues, using a multidisciplinary approach. Students move through their programs in their departments while also being in regular contact with those with common interests in development across the university.

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements

Students will be admitted to the university and will graduate from their home departments according to departmental, school and faculty regulations.

On being granted regular admission to a graduate program in any department, school, or faculty in the University (including special arrangements), students will be informed about the certificate by the steering committee. Though working on projects, theses, and essays is not a requirement of the certificate, students who elect to complete projects, theses, essays in the unit of admission (known as the home department) in a development-related subject will be encouraged to participate.

Program Requirements

Students must meet all course requirements as shown below.

A list of courses for this program is published in advance (). Students will be advised early about these required courses, to enable them to plan their programs in consultation with their supervisory committees. Students should plan course choices leading to the certificate well ahead.

Completing the certificate may require completion of more courses than the degree requires and may thus prolong completion time.

Students will graduate with a regular graduate degree offered by their home units, and a certificate that recognizes their concentration in the field of development studies.

Required Courses

Students complete a total of four courses including the core seminar course

DEVS 801 - Issues, Concepts & Cases in Development and Sustainability (5)

A multidisciplinary survey of the issues that confront scholars and practitioners in development and sustainability, the major theories and concepts, and the methods used to analyze and interpret data, with a focus on historical and contemporary case studies. Prerequisite: Must be enrolled in a graduate program at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
June Francis
Jan 5 – Apr 11, 2016: Mon, 4:30–8:20 p.m.
Burnaby

*students are advised to complete the core seminar course in the first half of their graduate studies

and three additional courses from at least two different schools or departments (or non-departmentalized faculties) from the .

Continuation Requirements

Students will maintain satisfactory progress, defined as a 3.00 cumulative grade point average, as a graduate student in the University, and will be informed of their progress toward the certificate.