Global Development Studies

Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies degree

Global Development Studies (GDS) is a broadly interdisciplinary program designed to equip students with the critical academic knowledge, skills, and experience required to function effectively as development professionals in Canada or abroad, or to continue on to graduate or to other professional studies.

The program requires a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 upper-level (300- or 400-level) credits.

Entrance requirements

The BA in GDS has the same entrance requirements as the Bachelor of Arts degree at UFV. Please see the Bachelor of Arts degree entrance requirements.

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 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.

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 internship courses will apply to all students enrolled in Global Development Studies courses.

Program duration

The Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies program is normally completed within four years of full-time study, with students taking 10 courses per calendar year.

Location

The majority of the courses in the program will be offered on the Abbotsford campus. All students are required to complete an off-campus internship, which may be in Canada or, preferably, overseas.

Program outline

Lower-level requirements

Note 1: All 12 credits must be in one language. The language requirement may be waived for students who are able to demonstrate that they already possess at least intermediate competence in a language other than English; less than intermediate competence may yield a partial exemption.

Upper-level requirements

Note 2: The reasoning requirement can be met by completing PHIL 100 or ARTS 100, or by completing CMNS 251 or CMNS 360 within the required GDS courses.

Note 3: Please see the science requirements on the Bachelor of Arts calendar page for more information on courses that meet this requirement.

Note 4: Students must complete GDS 310/GEOG 396/SOC 396 or GDS 311/GEOG 398/SOC 398 before they can enrol in GDS 400.

Minors in other programs

Students may opt to use their electives to add a minor or extended minor in another discipline.

Program requirements

Program regulations, which include continuance and probation, course repetition, readmission, graduation requirements, and maximum length of time to complete program are the same as the corresponding program regulations for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Please see the Bachelor of Arts degree program requirements.

Undergraduate continuance

Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or higher) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV's Undergraduate Continuance policy (92).

Residency

Students must complete at least 25% of the credits required at UFV. Therefore, 30 of the 120 credits in the degree must be completed at UFV. 15 of these credits must be at the upper level. Transfer credits and credits earned through prior learning assessment, including course challenge, do not meet this requirement. Please see UFV's Credentials policy (64).

Graduation requirements

Students are responsible for ensuring they are eligible to graduate, and should regularly consult with an Academic Advisor. To be eligible to graduate, students must have completed the program with a minimum program and cumulative 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.