The Environmental Studies minor provides an opportunity to delve into key questions about the different ways of knowing and critically interpreting our relationships with our natural environments. This interdisciplinary program blends core environmental learning in the Arts and Sciences with electives drawn from a wide diversity of courses in environmental thought, management, policy, and sciences.
The Environmental Studies minor can be completed in a number of degree programs, but cannot be completed as part of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Bachelor of Environmental Studies, or Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Natural Sciences).
This section specifies the minor requirements only. Please refer to the appropriate Bachelor degree for information on additional requirements. Students are encouraged to consult an Academic Advisor early to ensure timely completion.
Declaration requirements
Prior to declaring a minor in Environmental Studies, students must have been admitted to another UFV degree program that permits the declaration of minors or extended minors, and be in good standing in that program.
Students are encouraged to formally declare entry into the Environmental Studies minor as early as possible in their university studies to facilitate advising, access to courses, and timely completion of their degrees.
Program outline
Lower-level requirements: 12-15 credits
Required courses
Course
Title
Credits
ENV 200
Living in Our Watershed
3-4
or GEOG 257/ CMNS 257
Environment: Science and Communications
IPK 102
Introduction to Indigenous Studies
3
or PHIL 100
Reasoning: An Introduction to Critical Thinking
Two of:
6-8
AGRI 124
Introduction to Horticulture
AGRI 163
Pest Biology and Identification
BIO 106
Ecology from an Urban Perspective
BIO 210
Introduction to Ecology
GEOG 103
The Physical Environment
GEOG 111
Environmental Issues and Strategies
Upper-level requirements: 15-20 credits
Course
Title
Credits
One of:
3-4
ENV 410
Environmental Seminar
IPK 386
Indigenous Worldviews of Turtle Island
PHIL 318
Environmental Ethics
Four courses from the following two streams (see Note 1)
AGRI 311, AGRI 321, AGRI 323, AGRI 324, AGRI 327, AGRI 328, AGRI 331, BIO 310, BIO 330, BIO 335/GEOG 335, BIO 370, BIO 408, BIO 409, BIO 410/GEOG 410, BIO 421, BIO 426, BIO 430, BIO 497 (discontinued), GDS 332, GEOG 302, GEOG 303, GEOG 304, GEOG 307, GEOG 308, GEOG 315, GEOG 319/BIO 319, GEOG 357/BIO 357, GEOG 402, GEOG 419/BIO 419, or IPK 477/BIO 477
Note 1: Students can choose courses from both streams or select all four courses from a single stream.
Note 2: Students can only use a course once to meet a program requirement.
Note: No more than four credits may be in directed studies/directed readings courses.
Students in other programs
Students completing a Geography or Physical Geography major, extended minor, or minor cannot use more than eight GEOG credits towards the Environmental Studies minor.
Students completing a Biology major, extended minor, or minor cannot use more than eight BIO credits towards the Environmental Studies minor.
Students completing a Philosophy major, extended minor, or minor cannot use more than eight PHIL credits towards the Environmental Studies minor.
Students who have previously completed an Agricultural Technology diploma cannot use more than eight upper-level AGRI credits towards the Environmental Studies minor.
