Environmental Studies

Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree

Environmental Studies represents an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to examining human-environment relationships. The Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) equips graduates with the tools needed to engage in proactive environmental citizenship. Graduates of this program will be prepared to work as environmental professionals in Canada and abroad. They will have developed the depth of knowledge required to graduate or to continue on to other professional studies.

Students who plan on working in environmental science fields, and who may seek additional related professional accreditation after graduation, are encouraged to consider the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Natural Sciences).

Applicants who are unsure about which credential to pursue (BES or BES-NS) should make an appointment with the Advising Centre or or contact Environmental Studies for more information.

Entrance requirements

Option 1: Secondary school (for students with secondary school graduation only)

1. B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
2. A minimum grade of C+ in English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 (see Note) and a minimum of a B average in two additional Approved Grade 12 courses.

   Note: Students may also present English 12, English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples, AP English, or IB English A (standard level or higher level), or out-of-province equivalent.

Option 2: University entrance (for students who have attended some post-secondary school)

1. Prerequisites for ENGL 105 or CMNS 125.
2. One of the following:
   • A minimum GPA of 2.50 on the last 18 credits of university-level courses attempted, including completion of GEOG111 and GEOG 103 with a grade of C or better.
   • Completion of a minimum of 30 credits in courses numbered at the 100 level and above, with a CGPA of 2.00 on all credits attempted.
   • Completion of a minimum of nine credits in courses numbered at the 100 level and above, transferable to a degree program, with a minimum GPA of 3.00 on all credits attempted.
   • Completion of a post-secondary career or technical diploma (minimum of two years post-secondary credit) from a recognized Canadian or international post-secondary institution, with a minimum CGPA of 2.50 (equated to the UFV grading scheme), calculated on all courses taken.
   • Completion of a three- or four-year Bachelor's degree from a recognized Canadian or International institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.00 (equated to the UFV grading scheme). Students who have completed a previous degree are governed by UFV's Subsequent and Concurrent Bachelor Degree policy (98).

Option 3: Combined post-secondary/secondary school admission

Students who have attended or are currently attending a post-secondary institution, have fewer than 30 credits applicable for BA entrance at the time they apply for admission, and have a minimum CGPA of 2.00 on all post-secondary courses attempted, may be considered for admission based on secondary school requirements.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider Qualifying Studies and/or a meeting with an Academic Advisor.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

1. Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply.

   Additional documents required for a complete application:

   • Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all secondary and post-secondary institutions attended showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details.
2. Applicants will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section) and will be applied toward tuition fees.
3. In cases where course work is in progress, an admission decision may be made conditional upon completion of academic requirements.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. Additional fees for course field trips and practicum courses will apply to all students enrolled in Environmental Studies courses, and students enrolled in courses within the degree, e.g. Geography.

Program duration

The Bachelor of Environmental Studies program can be completed in four years of full-time study, with students taking 10 courses per calendar year.

Location

Most courses are offered in Abbotsford. Students may choose to complete a practicum in order to meet requirements. Practicums may be Canada-based or international.

Program requirements

To be eligible for the BES students must satisfy the following general requirements:

1. 120 credits with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.00, of which 60 must be completed at UFV.
2. 45 upper-level credits, of which 30 must be completed at UFV.
3. CGPA of 2.00 in all upper-level credits.

In addition, students must complete courses in three streams:

1. Environmental core
2. Research, methods, and engagement core
3. Breadth requirements

The remaining credits required to meet the 120-credit requirement for degree completion may be chosen from among university-level courses in any discipline. Please check the course descriptions section of the calendar for details.

Program outline

BES students are required to take the following:

Environmental core: 20–26 credits

Note 1: Students must be admitted to the Co-operative Education program in order to take COOP courses. Co-op students may use two additional COOP courses in place of electives.

Note 2: Demonstration of previous environmental work (paid or unpaid) corresponding to professional competency learning outcomes is subject to program chair review. See the BES website for more details.

Research, methods, and engagement core: 19-22 credits

Note 1: Students are encouraged to complete their Statistics requirement within the first 30 credits (direct entry) or first year in the program (transfer students).

Note 2: Environmental careers are very diverse, with many requiring practical experience in communications and media, GIS, statistics, and others demanding graduate-level study. Because students will choose to pursue different pathways, they are encouraged to select the Professional and Research Skills course of greatest relevance to their goals.

Breadth requirements: 34–38 credits

Elective courses

Students will also complete 34–47 elective credits. A minimum of 45 upper-level credits are required to complete the degree.

Thematic lists

Some of the following courses have prerequisites. Please check the course descriptions section of the calendar for details.

List 1A: Society and Culture

List 1B: Political Economy

List 1C: Professional and Research Skills

List 2A: Society, Culture, and Economy

List 2B: Professional and Research Skills II

List 2C: Sciences II

Note: No more than four credits may be in directed studies/directed readings courses.

Co-operative Education option

Students in the Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree program are strongly encouraged to apply for Co-operative Education. Co-operative Education is common to most Environmental Studies programs. The Co-operative Education option provides students with the opportunity to acquire paid, career-related work experience in conjunction with their studies in the Bachelor of Environmental Studies program. Co-operative Education experiences can be used to meet the program's professional competency requirement. See the Co-operative Education section for more details.

Co-op students will use COOP 110 to satisfy part of the Environmental Core requirements, and two additional COOP courses in place of electives.

Minors in other programs

Students completing the Bachelor of Environmental Studies may combine this with any existing minors or extended minors offered at UFV, with the exception of Biology, Geography, Environmental Studies, or Physical Geography. In such cases, the transcript will specify both the BES and extended minor or minor program completed.

In order to complete the degree in a timely fashion, students wishing to combine the BES with any permitted minor and/or extended minor must seek approval of the appropriate program advisors. Students who wish to combine the degree with a minor or extended minor may need to complete more than 120 credits and will need to meet the graduation and program requirements for both the degree and the selected minor or extended minor.

Courses at other institutions

UFV students who wish to take academic work at other institutions for credit toward the degree must obtain permission in advance from an Advisor. A Letter of Permission request is available at ufv.ca/registrar/forms or can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Students must be in good standing (CGPA > 2.00) to receive a Letter of Permission. When approval has been granted, the Office of the Registrar will issue a Letter of Permission to the student.

Policies relevant to the BES

Course Repeat policy (86): Students may not register for a course more than twice without the permission of the department head/director for the discipline or their designate. All attempts will be recorded on the transcript, but only the highest grade will be included in the GPA. Transfer courses are considered in the number of attempts. A “W” or “AU” course is not counted as a duplication. Multiple repeats of the same course count as a single duplication.

Undergraduate Continuance policy (92): Students must have a CGPA of at least 2.00 to remain in good academic standing. Failure to meet or maintain a 2.00 will result in restrictions on registration and may lead to academic suspension.

Subsequent and Concurrent Bachelor Degree policy (98): Students who have already completed a degree at the bachelor’s level may be granted an additional bachelor’s degree provided that the two degrees are different, and that the student has met the program requirements. Students will complete at least one third of the total credits required for the additional degree, including at least 30 additional upper-level credits, beyond the credits taken in the first or concurrent degree. All 30 upper-level credits must be obtained through completion of UFV courses.

Transfer Credit policy (107) and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) policy (94): Students who successfully complete academic course work at another post-secondary institution can transfer this credit to UFV to satisfy BA degree requirements. They can also earn academic credit through an assessment of prior learning.

Residency

Of 120 credits for the BES, at least 60 must be completed at UFV. At least 30 upper-level credits must be completed at UFV.

Graduation requirements

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure all program requirements are met. This should be done by regular consultation with an Advisor. To be eligible to graduate, students must have completed the BES program with a minimum program GPA of 2.00.

Students must apply for graduation in the first month of their final semester. Visit the Graduation webpage for more information. The final deadline for students who wish to attend the June Convocation ceremony is April 1 of each year, with all program requirements completed by April 30.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.