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Environment (BA)

Overview

International Year One (UTP Stage II): Environment provides first-year courses and the foundation for progression to the second year of SFU’s Faculty of Environment. With growing awareness of environmental issues around the world, a degree from the Faculty of the Environment will provide multiple career options in Canada and beyond.

KEY INFORMATION

Duration

  • 3 terms

Intakes

  • January, May, September

Location

  • Vancouver

Your direct pathway to Simon Fraser University

High School
FIC
2nd year Simon Fraser University

International Year One (UTP Stage II): Environment (Arts)

Entry into 2nd year of the following bachelor degree programs

Entry to second year of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Environment

Entry into second year of the Bachelor of Arts (BA), or the Bachelor of Environment (BEnv). The Faculty of Environment offer majors in the following areas (and many are also offered as minor options)

  • Archaeology (BA)
  • Archaeology and Anthropology (joint major)
  • Archaeology and First Nations Studies (joint major)
  • Development and Sustainability (minor only)
  • Human Geography (BA)

Certificates

Alongside obtaining a degree, students are also able to obtain certificates in the following areas:

  • Biological Anthropology
  • Corporate Environmental and Social Sustainability
  • Cultural Resource Management
  • Environmental Literacy
  • Geographic Information Science
  • Sustainable Development
  • Urban Studies

You must complete a minimum of 30 units at FIC with an overall GPA of 2.5 and with a grade of C- or better in all courses upon completion of International Year One (UTP Stage II), in order to be guaranteed admission to the Faculty of Environment.

Careers

Potential career paths

  • Aboriginal liaison
  • Avalanche specialist
  • Cartographer
  • Ecotourism operator
  • Fisheries manager
  • Food safety inspector
  • Forensic investigator
  • Forester
  • Geoscientist
  • GIS programmer
  • Health and safety inspector
  • Heritage consultant
  • Land use planner
  • Landscape architect
  • Meteorologist
  • Museum curator
  • Park ranger
  • Real estate developer
  • Urban planner
  • Water quality inspector
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* Program fees are based on 30 credits of study at C$1,148.92 per credit. Students taking more than 30 credits of study will need to pay additional fees. Not for credit transfer Academic Literacy Course is a requirement for International Year One (UTP Stage II) Direct entry.

For the most up-to-date fees and charges, please visit our fees page.

Program Requirements

To transfer into the Faculty of Environment, students must complete the requirements listed below, which include at least one ‘W’ and one ‘Q’ course.
-> What are ‘W’ and ‘Q’ courses?

A minimum GPA of 2.50, based on completion of 10 courses (at least 30 units, and with a grade of C- or better in all courses), will guarantee admittance to the Faculty of Environment (BA) for successful transfer students from FIC. In addition, a cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required for admission to the university.

All (All (direct) students are required to take (and pass) ILS101/ILSA101 – Integrated Learning Skills and ALC101/ALAC101 – Academic Literacy Course in their first term of study unless exempted. For ALC exempted requirements, please check the English requirements page*

The Faculty of Environment has a number of degree options available.  Please see an advisor for more information.

Required Courses

ARCH100 - Ancient Peoples and Places

Breadth-Social Sciences
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – A broad survey of human cultural development from the late Palaeolithic/Palaeo Indian periods (ca 40,000 BP) to the rise of civilization and empires, in both the Old and New Worlds.

Prerequisite

No prerequisite required

GEOG100 - Our World: Introducing Human Geography

Breadth-Social Sciences
3 units
Faculty of Environment – A geographical introduction to how humans shape our world, with attention also given to how it shapes us. Themes may include: culture, economic activities, environmental change, globalization, politics, population, resources, and urbanization.

Prerequisite

There is a $85 Book fee associated with this course.

GEOG104 - Climate Change, Water, and Society

Breadth-Social Sciences
Breadth-Science
3 units
Faculty of Environment – To be offered in the future at FIC. An examination of climate change, its interaction with water availability, and how humans cope with altered circumstances.

Prerequisite

No Prerequisite Required

INDG101 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies (formerly FNST101)

Breadth-Humanities (Effective Spring 2008)
Breadth-Social Sciences (Effective Spring 2008)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Introduces the nature and goals of Indigenous Studies as an academic discipline that emphasizes cultures and homelands of First Peoples. Students with credit for FNST 101 may not take this course for further credit.

Prerequisite

No prerequisite required

PHIL105 - Critical Thinking (Formerly PHIL001)

Quantitative
Breadth-Science (Effective Summer 2016)
Breadth-Social Sciences (Effective Summer 2016)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – An introduction to the evaluation of arguments as they are encountered in everyday life. The central aim will be to sharpen skills of reasoning and argumentation by understanding how arguments work and learning to distinguish those which actually prove what they set out to show from those which do not.

Prerequisite

No prerequisite required

REM100 - Global Change

Breadth-Social Sciences
3 units
Faculty of Environment – To be offered in the future at FIC. This course provides students with an overview of global environmental change and its causes from a social science perspective, historically and at the present time. Population growth, an increasing ecological footprint and changes in ideology, social organization, economy and technology with be critically reviewed. New ways of thinking in natural and social science will be considered in relation to specific issues such as land, soil and food; energy, raw materials and solid waste; air pollution and transportation; water, oceans and fisheries; climate change; forestry and biodiversity; urbanization, and alternative futures.

Prerequisite

No Prerequisite Required

 

Choose one course from the following list:

ARCH131 - Human Origins

Breadth-Social Sciences
Breadth-Science
3 units
Faculty of Environment – To be offered in the future at FIC. A non-technical survey of the primate background of humans, fossil primates, and fossil humans, and the associated evidence of cultural development. An introduction to physical anthropology.

Prerequisite

No Prerequisite Required

EVSC100 - Introduction to Environmental Science

Breadth-Science
3 units
Faculty of Environment – To be offered in the future at FIC. Introduces students to the study of environmental science. Lecture material spans contributing disciplines, emphasizing integration of diverse concepts to understand environmental problems. Tutorials develop core academic skills in environmental science context.

Prerequisite

No Prerequisite Required

 

Choose one Writing course from the following list:

ENGL112 - Literature Now (Formerly ENGL101)

Writing
Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2016)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences - Introduces students to contemporary works of literature in English and/or contemporary approaches to interpreting literature. May focus on one or multiple genres. Includes attention to writing skills.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes
Students with credit for ENGL101 may not take this course for further credit.

ENGL113 - Literature and Performance

Writing
Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2016)
3 units
Introduces students to plays and performance works created and adapted for the stage, and/or the performative dimensions of other literary forms. May be organized historically, generically or thematically. The course may also explore the links between literary and performance theory. Includes attention to writing skills.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes

ENGL115 - Literature and Culture (Formerly ENGL105)

Writing
Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2016)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – An Introduction to the study of literature within the wider cultural field, with a focus on contemporary issues across genres and media.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes
Students with credit for ENGL105 may not take this course for further credit.

PSYC109 - Brain, Mind and Society

Writing
Breadth-Science
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Introduces the student to issues in Psychology by surveying the research on brain and behaviour and the implications of this work for individuals and society. Beginning with neurons, this course explores the transition to human experience.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes.

WL101 - Writing in World Literature

Writing
Breadth-Humanities
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences - Explores literary texts from diverse linguistic and cultural origins while introducing students to the fundamentals of comparative literary analysis and critical writing. May examine cross-cultural interactions, or compare texts thematically. Writing/Breadth-Humanities.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes. Students with credit for WL102 may not take this course for further credit.

 

Available Writing Course Substitutions

WL102 will be counted as W designation if student took it between Fall 2016 to Summer 2017.
ENGL105 will be counted as W designation if student took it before Fall 2016.
ENGL101 will be counted as W designation if student took it before Fall 2016.
These courses are no longer offered at FIC.

Elective Courses

Choose one Breadth-Humanities course from the following list:

CA135 - Introduction to Cinema (Formerly FPA135)

Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2015)
3 units
Faculty of Communications, Arts and Technology – An introductory course designed to facilitate a fundamental understanding of film technique, style and form in order to develop the skills with which to analyze films of all genres. Through lectures and screenings it will provide an overview of the social, aesthetic and technical development of motion pictures, introducing tools for the formal analysis of the elements of cinema: cinematography and lighting, art direction, performance, editing, sound and the screenplay. The formal and historical elements of documentary, avant-garde and dramatic films will be addressed. The course will involve the screening and discussion of several complete feature films and shorts, as well as excerpts from others.

Prerequisite

No prerequisite required

ENGL112 - Literature Now (Formerly ENGL101)

Writing
Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2016)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences - Introduces students to contemporary works of literature in English and/or contemporary approaches to interpreting literature. May focus on one or multiple genres. Includes attention to writing skills.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes
Students with credit for ENGL101 may not take this course for further credit.

ENGL113 - Literature and Performance

Writing
Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2016)
3 units
Introduces students to plays and performance works created and adapted for the stage, and/or the performative dimensions of other literary forms. May be organized historically, generically or thematically. The course may also explore the links between literary and performance theory. Includes attention to writing skills.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes

ENGL115 - Literature and Culture (Formerly ENGL105)

Writing
Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2016)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – An Introduction to the study of literature within the wider cultural field, with a focus on contemporary issues across genres and media.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes
Students with credit for ENGL105 may not take this course for further credit.

ENSC100 - Engineering, Science and Society

Writing
Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2010)
3 units
Faculty of Applied Science – Reviews the different modes of thought characteristic of science, engineering and computing. Examines the histories and chief current research issues in these fields. Considers the ethical and social responsibilities of engineering and computing work.

Prerequisite

Open to students who have passed 3 UTP II Classes
Corequisite: ENSC105

HIST102 - Canada Since Confederation

Breadth-Humanities
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – A survey of Canadian history since 1867.

Prerequisite

No prerequisite required

HIST204 - The Social History of Canada

Breadth-Humanities
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – A survey of major themes in Canadian social history from the arrival of Europeans to the present day. Particular attention will be paid to the effects of gender, race and class on the experience to Canadians over time.

Prerequisite

HIST102 / WL101 or ENGL112 / ENGL115 with a minimum C- grade

IAT110 - Visual Communication Design

Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2014)
3 units
Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology - Visual communication for art and design in digital media. Students learn the fundamentals of digital raster and vector image creation. Design principles such as form, typography and colour theory as they apply to digital media will be taught. Students will have core projects in digital photography, magazine layout, and kinetic typography.

Prerequisite

Primarily for non-SIAT majors; while SIAT majors may take the course, it does not count for credit for SIAT degree requirements.

INDG101 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies (formerly FNST101)

Breadth-Humanities (Effective Spring 2008)
Breadth-Social Sciences (Effective Spring 2008)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Introduces the nature and goals of Indigenous Studies as an academic discipline that emphasizes cultures and homelands of First Peoples. Students with credit for FNST 101 may not take this course for further credit.

Prerequisite

No prerequisite required

IS101 - Global Challenges of the 21st Century: An Introduction to International Studies

Breadth-Humanities
Breadth-Social Sciences
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Introduces the interdisciplinary field of International Studies to all undergraduates and IS majors. Examines the major global challenges of our time, including poverty and inequality, environmental degradation, nationalism, civil war, and armed conflict. Explores the challenge of global governance and global citizenship.

Prerequisite

WL201 - East/West

Breadth-Humanities (Effective Fall 2009)
3 units
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences – Explores the relationship between Eastern and Western narratives. The focus may include the mutual influence of Eastern and Western cultural traditions and modernity’s, the construction of the ‘East’ in the West and of the ‘West’ in the East, theories of Orientalism and Occidentalism, and forms of East/West syncretism.

Prerequisite

WL101 or HIST102 & HIST204; or ENGL112; or ENGL115

 

Students select at least 1 additional transferable course within the FIC roster of offerings.

*Courses and programs are subject to change without notice. If you have any questions, please contact the student success advising team.

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