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Sustainable Development Minor
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Requirements
Interested students must be in good academic standing and receive approval from the REM Academic Advisor to be enrolled in this minor.
Note: Students enrolled in the REM major may enroll in the sustainable development minor.
Program Requirements
Lower Division Requirements
Complete one of
The Earth is experiencing the most dramatic environmental changes it has for thousands of years. How did we end up here? Provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the forces behind our ever-increasing environmental footprint. Highlights how ideologies and societal structures have shaped how we interact with the environment and explores the necessary changes for a more sustainable future. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Sessional Instructor Alexander Cancelli Frank Gobas |
Online |
Students will be exposed to a broad overview of the field of planning. The course will introduce students to the role of a planner while exploring the practice of planning (human settlements and community planning) in varying contexts within Canada and internationally. Students with credit for PLAN 200 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
||
B101 | TBD |
and
Introduces the challenges and opportunities for developing sustainable communities and a sustainable world, through the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and alternative perspectives around sustainability (e.g. Indigenous, just sustainabilities etc.). Students will also learn from the practical experience of diverse experts and sustainability professionals. Conventional approaches to sustainable development will be critiqued to ensure considerations for equity and social justice. Highlights will be showcased from the Global North and Global South. Students with credit for REM 281 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Tammara Soma |
Online |
Upper Division Requirements
Complete all of
Engages students in understanding how to plan and cultivate sustainability at the community and city level, taking into consideration the environmental, economic, and social aspects of development. Explores and analyzes policy instruments, planning tools, and strategies from around the world for engaging people and institutions in building sustainable communities. Prerequisite: One of PLAN 100, PLAN 200, REM 100, or SD 281; and 45 units. Students with credit for REM 381 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Laura Tate |
Online |
Engages students in creating innovative solutions to real-world challenges of sustainability and development, using studio-based approaches. Explores mechanisms for effective social and environmental change and develops policies and strategies for implementing sustainability in different locations and at different scales. Prerequisite: SD 281; one of SD 381 or SD 481; and 75 units.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Tammara Soma |
TBD |
From sustainability debates to policy windows and strategic goals (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals), students engage with tools and concepts to enable equitable change across contexts and sectors. This includes how policy is created, who the main players are in effecting change, and how we track and adapt to outcomes. Prerequisite: One of PLAN 100, PLAN 200, REM 100, or SD 281; and 60 units. Students with credit for REM 481 may not take this course for further credit.
*Students may elect to fulfil the following electives portion of the SD minor by enrolling in one of several alternative term length programs, but the program must address aspects of sustainability and lead to at least nine units (e.g. Civic Innovation Change Lab, Semester in Dialogue, etc.). Students opting for this pathway for their electives should contact the REM Advisor for more information and must obtain approval from the REM Undergraduate Chair before proceeding.
Complete two of*
Examines methods, theories, and concepts for understanding how past cultures interacted with their bio-physical surroundings. Integrates diverse kinds of data and knowledge to understand these relationships. Topics to be addressed include local and traditional ecological knowledge, paleoenvironmental reconstruction, human-environment interaction, human-induced environmental changes, paleodiet, and domestication. Prerequisite: ARCH 101 or ARCH 201; or any two of ARCH 100, REM 100, GEOG 100, EVSC 100; and 45 units.
Ethnoecology is the study of the relationships between people and their environment. It is motivated by and situated in current issues, such as food security and food sovereignty, ethics, climate change, and cultural loss and reconnection. We will explore these issues through case studies from cultures around the world and directly from ethnoecological researchers. Prerequisite: Students must have completed a minimum of 30 units. Students with credit for ARCH 329 ST-Ethnoecology may not take this course for further credit.
Examines the historical development, spatial organization, and social impact of market function, firm structure and operation, economic policy, and regulation and deregulation at various scales from local to global, from a geographical perspective. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100.
An introduction to the major approaches and key ideas of the professions of urban governance; urban planning and urban policy. Through a focus on contemporary theory, process-based understanding, and specific issues and examples, the course examines key trends and interventions and promotes critical reflection on urban development. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Leanne Roderick |
TBD | ||
B101 |
May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Mon, 1:30–3:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
B102 |
May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Mon, 3:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
B103 |
May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Mon, 5:30–7:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
An examination of urban geographies of crisis, concentrating on what crisis is, what it is used for, how it is differentially experienced, and how it is distributed unevenly. Case studies of environmental, economic, social, and political crises are the main focus. The course concludes by addressing the future(s) of cities. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100.
Examines the reciprocal influences between humans and nature through time. Topics may include settlement, agriculture, technology, politics, urbanization, science, and conservation. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100 or REM 100. Students with credit for HIST 377 may not take this course for further credit.
Examines the reciprocal influences between humans and nature through time. Topics may include settlement, agriculture, technology, politics, urbanization, science, and conservation. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Students with credit for GEOG 377 may not take this course for further credit.
New formations of wealth and power that contribute to international health disparities and consideration of the relations of power both between and within nation-states that make some people sick and keep others well. Economic and political collusions that make people sick. Infectious disease and child survival, health implications of war, biotech, and the politics of food and water. Prerequisite: 45 units. Recommended: HSCI 130.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Dr. Susan Erikson |
Jun 25 – Aug 2, 2024: Mon, Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Social determinants of health and health inequities. Explores how and why the social advantages and disadvantages that people experience - based on their social position(s) and social circumstances - determine their health status and overall well-being. Prerequisite: 60 units and two HSCI 200-level courses with a minimum grade of C-, one of which may be taken concurrently.
A study of the humanistic, scientific, political, and ideological discourses deriving from concern with the natural environment. Using classic and contemporary sources, this course examines the interaction of humans with the non-human world, and includes such topics as human communities and nature, the immersion of the individual in nature, nature and the human habitat. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities.
Examines ethical issues of global concern, with a focus on debates about poverty, environmental change, and armed conflict. Introduces students to relevant political and ethical theories, such as cosmopolitanism and nationalism, utilitarianism, theories of human rights, and ethics of care. Assesses various policy responses to these global challenges. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken IS 319 with this topic may not take this course for further credit.
Examines "International Development" within a series of historical frames, including the history of imperialism, the history of international relations, globalization, and the cultural and intellectual history of North-South relations. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have credit for HIST 358 may not take IS 358 for further credit.
Examines international efforts to respond to global environmental challenges, such as climate change, deforestation, and the degradation of the oceans. Investigates obstacles to effective action and possible ways forward. Explores the role of a range of key actors, including states, intergovernmental organizations, multinational companies, NGOs, and social movements. Prerequisite: 45 units.
The changing relationships between unions and environmental groups; how work in various industries contribute to climate change; and how climate-change policies affect workers in different ways. The consequences of climate policies for different categories of workers, identified by economic sector, geographic location, gender, ethnicity, and Aboriginal status. Prerequisite: 30 units. Strongly Recommended: LBST 101.
Explores the qualitative and quantitative methods used by planners in both urban and regional settings. Students gain a basic understanding of approaches used for collecting, analyzing and communicating relevant-data between and within different communities. Introduces the roles of planners and other participants/actors in planning processes. Reviews issues in current professional planning practice and requirements for professional planning accreditation, including planners’ professional ethics and responsibility to the public interest. Prerequisite: PLAN 100 or PLAN 200.
Problems arising from the disparities in power and wealth between the highly industrialized countries of Europe and North America, and the under-industrialized countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
James Busumtwi-sam |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Tue, 8:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
An examination of the structures and processes and the main substantive decisions of the United Nations and related international organizations. Based upon in-depth study of the UN Charter, the Security Council, General Assembly, Secretary-general and Secretariat and their constitutional and political interactions since 1945, with special attention to the theory and practice of international organization advanced by the principal Western countries, the Soviet Union and Soviet bloc, the People's Republic of China and leading Third World countries. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.
A survey of some of the ways that psychological theorizing and research, and social psychology in particular, can be applied to environmental sustainability. Introduces students to some of the environmental challenges faced by contemporary humans and the psychological implications of those challenges. Prerequisite: PSYC 201 and PSYC 260. Students with credit for PSYC 391 Psychology and Environmental Sustainability may not take PSYC 366 for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Michael Schmitt |
May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Tue, Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Builds on foundational ecological concepts to study the ecological processes that govern the dynamics of populations. Uses quantitative models to examine the role of data, variability, uncertainty, and assumptions in science and decision making. Students learn how to improve the sustainable use of natural capital by applying scientific data, ecological theory, ecological models, critical thinking, and Adaptive Management to societal decisions. Uses R to code, run, and interpret ecological population models. Prerequisite: REM 100 or EVSC 100; BISC 204 or GEOG 215 or REM 211; STAT 201 or STAT 203 or STAT 205 or GEOG 251 or equivalent. Recommended: REM 225. Quantitative.
An interdisciplinary approach to transforming energy systems in pursuit of sustainable climate and society. Perspectives include thermodynamics, resource potentials, technological potentials, economic evaluation, implementation of transformative public policies, political-economy assessment of policy constraints, national and sub-national governance options, behavioural change potentials, global diplomacy, and pursuit of greater equity within and between countries. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Social Sciences.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Will Niver |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Mon, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 2:30–3:20 p.m. |
Burnaby Burnaby |
|
D101 |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D102 |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 11:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D103 |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
|
D104 |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 1:30–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Explores the transportation system and how to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as well as other sustainability goals. Topics include zero-emissions vehicles, low-carbon fuels, shared mobility, vehicle automation, and reduced vehicle use. An interdisciplinary approach is followed, including analyses of environmental and resource impacts, consumer behaviour, systems, technology change, and climate policy. Prerequisite: 45 units or permission of instructor.
Provides an overview of policy and governance approaches used to manage the natural environment from international to local levels. The history, basic concepts, and key strategies of modern environmental policy are presented and discussed. Students then analyze and critique environmental policy across scales regarding climate, forests, oceans, and urban landscapes focusing on determining the effectiveness and efficiency of different approaches to regulate and manage the environment. Prerequisite: One of REM 100, GEOG 100, GEOG 111, or EVSC 100; and 45 units. Students with credit for REM 356 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.
Provides students with the tools to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current food system and will encourage them to critically analyze diverse solutions from both the global South and global North to build a more sustainable food system. Students will work collaboratively with the instructor to examine diverse and interdisciplinary approaches to food sustainability and strengthen their problem-solving skills. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students who have taken REM 363-3 "Special Topics" in Spring 2019 and Fall 2019 may not enroll in this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Tammara Soma |
TBD |
An introduction to the political economy and culture of capitalism in relation to global problems. Case studies may focus on issues of population, famine, disease, poverty, environmental destruction, social inequality, and nation-state violence. Resistance, rebellion and social movements in response to these problems also will be addressed. Writing/Breadth-Social Sci.
Modernization narratives have placed food and agriculture on the margins of social thought. The current ecological crisis requires us to take a new look at the global agrifood system and its social, political and ecological relations. This course develops analytical perspectives on contemporary issues concerning food, ecology and agrarian change. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
Offers a new perspective on global hegemonic transformations which take different forms in different historical periods, animated by powerful discourses of discipline, opportunity, development and sustainability. Helps students explore alternatives through the examples of multiple forms of sovereignty, global citizenship and democracy. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W. Students with credit for SA 430 are not eligible to take this course for further credit.
An examination of environmental issues in their social context. Environmental issues are on the leading edge of contemporary public concern and public policy debates. This course will examine such issues as the relationship between social organization and mode of subsistence, the politics of hunger, and the way in which human societies in their particular social, historical, and cultural contexts view and interact with the natural world. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W.
Complete one of*
Challenges associated with continuing innovation are examined and students work to generate innovative solutions by challenging existing economic models. Students learn about sustainable opportunity, recognition, and screening, and understand how great ideas to 'save the planet' can get off the ground. Prerequisite: BUS 360W (or another upper division Writing (W) course) with a minimum grade of C-; 60 units. Recommended: BUS 338. Students with credit for BUS 494 when offered as Sustainable Innovation may not complete this course for further credit.
Examines key challenges and opportunities organizations face in integrating sustainable business practices within corporate strategy. Identifies organizational capabilities needed to support existing sustainable commitments and strategies to allow for innovation. Prerequisite: BUS 360W with a minimum grade of C-; 60 units. Students with credit for BUS 49X Selected Topics (Sustainable Operations) may not take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Thu, 11:30 a.m.–2:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Businesses are realigning and in some cases, reinventing their organizations toward more sustainable business models. Management systems and initiatives will be examined that enable organizations to reduce their firms' negative environmental and social impacts while, in many cases, increasing profits and competitive advantage. Prerequisite: BUS 360W and (BUS 381 or BUS 374), all with a minimum grade of C-; 60 units. Students who have taken BUS 457 cannot take this course for further credit.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
Focus will vary from term to term. Prerequisite: ECON 302 with a minimum grade of C-. Quantitative.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Kevin Wainwright |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
An exploration of the relationships between the development of cities, transportation, and infrastructure from an economic geography perspective. Greater Vancouver provides a location to explore, apply, and critique the theoretical perspectives presented in seminar. Prerequisite: One of GEOG 323, 324, 362, or 363.
An investigation into the major themes and arguments in the environmental histories of North America, emphasizing how different individuals and groups have used, perceived, and managed their environments over time. Content may vary from offering to offering; see course outline for further information. HIST 432 may be repeated for credit only when a different topic is taught. Prerequisite: 45 units including nine units of lower division history. Students with credit for GEOG 432 may take HIST 432 for credit only when a different topic is taught.
Relationships between the physical environment in which people live and their health and well being. How the built environment affects physical activity, obesity, exposure to pathogens and toxins, health status, mental health, and risk of illness and injury. How urban form, physical infrastructure, and landscape and building design can promote health. Prerequisite: 60 units including HSCI 230 (or 330) with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for HSCI 309 may not complete this course for credit.
An in-depth overview of environmental health, environmental risks and human activity in relation to environmental health in the context of disease prevention, surveillance and control. Prerequisite: 90 units, including HSCI 204 and HSCI 230 (or 330), with a minimum grade of C-.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Christopher Buse |
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Tue, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
|
Burnaby |
An examination of Indigenous peoples' perspectives on political, social and legal issues involving their rights as first citizens of Canada and North America, and the practical and political relations with various levels of government. Issues examined include: Indigenous rights and title, self government models and concepts, constitutional matters, the impact of federal government policies, including their impact on women's lives, and Indigenous communities and politics. Prerequisite: INDG (or FNST) 101 or 201W. Recommended: POL 221. Students with credit for FNST 401 may not take this course for further credit.
Examines contemporary writings regarding Indigenous environmental logic and environmental concerns of contemporary times. Studies effects of resource extraction upon Indigenous nations, globalization, genetic modifications, health, intellectual property, spiritual beliefs, culture and society, art and language and compares these with specific Indigenous logic at the time of contact. Prerequisite: 45 units. Students with credit for FNST 433 may not take this course for further credit.
The quality of institutions' exercises a crucial influence on the prospects for development. Aims are to interrogate this claim through analysis of different paths of economic growth and change across the developing world. Examination of the ways in which politics influences economic growth and distribution; the relationships between political systems and patterns of development; and the politics of institutions and state formation. Prerequisite: 90 units.
Develops an understanding of the interactions between international organizations, economic theory, and implementation of economic policies. Explores as well the impact of their interventions in some chosen countries. Prerequisite: 45 units.
Provides an advanced evaluation of public policy, policy analysis, and policy change, focusing on problems in urban and regional planning and resource and environmental management. Prerequisite: PLAN 100 or PLAN 200; and 60 units.
Examines the processes and practices of considering land in municipal and regional planning settings. Topics may include the historical development of land use and spatial planning at the local level in Canada, the evolving principles and practices of land development, valuation, sustainability, resilience, and climate planning. Through alternative approaches to land via economic, policy, legal, socio-cultural and socio-environmental lenses, the course equips students to become municipal land use planners. Prerequisite: PLAN 100 or PLAN 200; and 60 units.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Meg Holden |
May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Fri, 9:30 a.m.–1:20 p.m.
|
Vancouver |
|
B101 | TBD |
Explores diverse Indigenous perspectives on governance, resource, land and water management, intergovernmental relations and economic development in the context of contemporary settler colonialism in Canada. Skills include critical thinking, anti-colonial, economic, political and policy analyses. Prerequisite: One of REM 207, ARCH 286, or any INDG course; and 75 units. Students with credit for REM 407 may not take this course for further credit.
Explores diverse Indigenous perspectives on governance, resource, land and water management, intergovernmental relations and economic development in the context of contemporary settler colonialism in Canada. Skills include critical thinking, anti-colonial, economic, political and policy analyses. Prerequisite: One of REM 207, ARCH 286, or any INDG course; and 75 units. Students with credit for PLAN 407 may not take this course for further credit.
Examines the interaction of human settlements and the natural environment in both urban and regional settings. Students gain an understanding of the decisions, policies, and plans that have profound impacts on the health and integrity of social and ecological systems. Topics may include planning for nature-based solutions, environmental justice, and resilience. Prerequisite: PLAN 100 or PLAN 200; and 60 units.
Examines the politics and policies of energy, including historical and technical perspectives. Topics include alternative energy, climate change, regulatory policy, and the economics of energy, as well as practical case studies. Students who have completed POL 459 in 2009 and 2010 may not complete this course for further credit. Writing.
Examines the educational problems entailed in developing human awareness and understanding of the environment. Explores environmental issues through a multi-disciplinary approach and relates historical and contemporary problems in human-environment interactions to school curricula from the elementary to the secondary level. Includes a laboratory component. Grading will be on a pass/fail basis. A field activity fee will be levied in this course. Normally offered in summer term only. Prerequisite: 90 units or permission of instructor. Students may be required to successfully complete a Criminal Record Check. Students with credit for EDUC 452, EDUC 454 or ENV 452 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.
Examines the educational problems entailed in developing human awareness and understanding of the environment. Explores environmental issues through a multi-disciplinary approach and relates historical and contemporary problems in human-environment interactions to school curricula from the elementary to the secondary level. Includes a laboratory component. Grading will be on a pass/fail basis. A field activity fee will be levied in this course. Normally offered in summer term only. Prerequisite: EDUC 401W/402W or Corequisite: EDUC 403. Students may be required to successfully complete a Criminal Record Check. Students with credit for EDUC 454, REM 452, or ENV 452 may not take this course for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
David Zandvliet |
TBD | ||
David Zandvliet |
TBD |
Students investigate dimensions of the global environmental crisis related to water security, including: human rights, political science, development economics, gender policies, geopolitics, regional integration and security, international law, national legislation, public health, trade, agriculture, energy generation, and water resources management. Prerequisite: 75 units and REM 100 or EVSC 100 or GEOG 100.
Technology issues relevant to global sustainable development are considered from engineering, historical and anthropological perspectives. Topics include hydroelectric dams, alternative power generation systems, and the science of climate change. In-depth case studies emphasize interdisciplinary exploration of these themes. Prerequisite: Minimum 60 units. Students may take only one of SD 412, ENSC 412 or ENV 412 for credit. Breadth-Science.
Technology issues relevant to global sustainable development are considered from engineering, historical and anthropological perspectives. Topics include hydroelectric dams, alternative power generation systems, and the science of climate change. In-depth case studies emphasize interdisciplinary exploration of these themes. Prerequisite: Minimum 60 units. Students may take only one of SD 412, ENSC 412 or ENV 412 for credit. Breadth-Science.
Permits SD students to expand their knowledge base and apply their critical thinking within the field of sustainable development in an area not examined in depth in regular courses. Enrollment is limited. Variable units: 1, 2, 3, 4. Prerequisite: 60 units and permission of the department.
Section | Instructor | Day/Time | Location |
---|---|---|---|
TBD | |||
TBD |
Provides students an opportunity to apply ideas and models acquired in the program to a practical problem in sustainable development. Required for SCD PBD students. Certificate students must apply for special permission to take this course. Enrollment is limited. Prerequisite: Permission of the department.
A specific topic within the field of sustainable development, not covered by regularly scheduled, required courses in the program. The subject matter may vary from term to term. Prerequisite: 60 units.