Environmental Studies

Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Natural Sciences) degree

Environmental Studies represents an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to examining human-environment relationships. The Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) (Natural Sciences) equips graduates with the tools needed to engage in proactive environmental citizenship and to work in environmental science fields in Canada and abroad. Upon completion, students will have developed the depth of knowledge required to continue to graduate or other professional studies, and they may seek additional related professional accreditation after graduation.

Students interested in a more flexible Arts- and Sciences-based program in environmental studies are encouraged to consider the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES).

Applicants who are unsure about which credential to pursue (BES or BES-NS) should make an appointment with the Advising Centre 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 1).
3. Prerequisites for BIO 111.
4. Prerequisites for CHEM 110 (See Note 2).
5. Prerequisites for STAT 104 or STAT 106.

Note 1: 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.

Note 2: Applicants who plan to complete additional Chemistry should complete the prerequisites for CHEM 113 while in secondary school or through upgrading once at UFV. See CHEM 113 for the current prerequisites for this course.

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

1. Prerequisites for ENGL 105 or CMNS 125.
2. Prerequisites for BIO 111.
3. Prerequisites for CHEM 110.
4. Prerequisites for STAT 104 or STAT 106.
5. One of the following:
   • A minimum CGPA of 2.50 on the last 18 credits of university-level courses attempted, including completion of GEOG 111 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 transferable credits in courses numbered at the 100 level and above, with a minimum CGPA 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 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).

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

With appropriate planning, the 120 credits required for the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Natural Sciences) degree can be completed in four years of full-time study. Because upper-level courses are offered on a limited basis, students should seek the help of an Advisor to plan their coursework in advance, in order to complete their degree in a timely manner. Part-time studies are available.

Location

The majority of courses in the program will be offered on the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses; required Agriculture courses are offered in Chilliwack. Students may choose to complete a practicum in order to meet requirements. Practicums may be Canada-based or international.

Program outline

BES (Natural Sciences) students are required to take the following:

Environmental core: 24–30 credits

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

Research, methods, and engagement core: 23–26 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: 53–61 credits

Note 1: Students wishing to complete additional courses in Chemistry will be required to take CHEM 113 and CHEM 114. Please see calendar for prerequisites for CHEM 113. Courses in 200-level Chemistry and above are highly recommended for students continuing on into Environmental Science employment and graduate school.

Note 2: Students wishing to apply for the Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) designation will need to take courses from this list that fits the B.C. Institute of Agrologists' definition of “agrology”. These students are also encouraged to complete a sixth course from List 2C, including one or more upper-level AGRI courses.

Elective courses

Students will also complete 7–24 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 (Natural Sciences) 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 (Natural Sciences) 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.

Program requirements

All students are required to complete a minimum of 120 credits, to include a minimum of 45 upper-level (300- or 400-level) credits.

Minors in other programs

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

In order to complete the degree in a timely fashion, students wishing to combine the BES (Natural Sciences) degree with any minor and/or extended minor (except Biology, Geography, or Physical Geography) must seek approval of the appropriate program advisors. Students should be aware that if they choose to fulfill the requirements of both the degree and a minor or extended minor, they will most likely need to complete more than 120 credits in order to meet all requirements, and will need to meet the graduation/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 (Natural Sciences)

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 (Natural Sciences) 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.