This program is open only to students in the B.Arts听Faculty Program Environment.
How does economics influence the decisions we make as a society about resource extraction and waste management?
The resources necessary for human society are extracted from the Earth, used as raw materials in our factories and refineries, and then returned to the Earth as waste. Human society is dependent upon geological processes and the resources they produce. Our use of resources creates waste, and geologic processes determine the fate of wastes in the environment. Understanding Earth's geologic processes provides us with the knowledge to mitigate many of our society's environmental impacts due to resource extraction and waste disposal. This knowledge is not always enough because economics in society often plays a controlling role in how we use and abuse our environment. Economics frequently affects what energy sources power our society and how our wastes are treated. Economics also contributes to our understanding of how we value Earth's environment. Earth sciences and economics are essential for our understanding of the many mechanisms that affect Earth's environment.
This Concentration educates students in the fundamentals of each discipline. The student's education in economics provides the fundamentals of this discipline and their application to the resultant effects of economic choices on Earth's environment. Examples of these applications include the economic effects of public policy towards resource industries and methods of waste disposal, and the potential effects of global warming on the global economy. Students learn of minerals, rocks, soils and waters which define much of Earth's environment and how these materials interact with each other and with the atmosphere. Courses in specific subdisciplines of Earth Sciences combined with courses presenting a global vision of how the Earth and its environment operate provide the student with the necessary knowledge of geologic processes. Examples of this knowledge include the effects of mineral and energy extraction on the environment and how industrial waste interacts with solids and liquids in the environment. The Earth Science and economics pedagogic paths merge in the final year when the students apply what they have learned in the Concentration to current environmental issues. In addition, students are required to take an introductory-level Ecology course, and have options to take courses in Sociology, Anthropology, Geography, Biology, and Engineering听that are relevant to the Domain.
Pre-requisite or Co-requisite Courses for Program
To graduate from the Faculty Program in Environment, students are required to complete two pre-/co-requisite courses. These courses should be completed by the end of your U1 year. These 100-level courses, if taken exclusively for the purpose of fulfilling this program pre-/co-requisite requirement, may be taken using the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Option. Contact the Bieler School of Environment's Program Adviser for more information.
Numeracy course:
One of the following courses, or equivalent (e.g. CEGEP objective OOUN) -
AND Science course:
One of the following science courses, or equivalent (e.g. CEGEP objective Chemistry OOUL) -
(M)
Note: AECH 110 is听the听pre-req for one of this Domain's Required courses, EPSC 210
See also Information for students听for details concerning:
- Majors and Concentrations
- Suggested First Year courses
- Taking courses Outside your Faculty or on the "Other" campus (Science students, in particular, need to be aware of the Restricted Courses list)
- ENVR course sections - beware!
- Numeracy requirement for B.A. Faculty Program Environment students
- Statistics course(s) overlap
- Your Faculty's Student Affairs Office
Program Requirements
NOTE: Students are required to take a maximum of 34 credits at the 200 level and a minimum of 12 credits at the 400 level or higher in this program. This includes Core and Required courses.
Core: Required Courses (18 credits)
Core: Complementary Course 鈥� Senior Research Project
(3 credits*)
(6 cr) (M) (in Barbados)
(3 cr)
(6 cr) (in Panama)
(6 cr) (in Barbados)
* Only 3 credits will be applied to the program; extra credits will count as electives.
Concentration: Required courses (15 credits)
Concentration: Complementary courses (18 credits)
3 credits of Statistics:
(M)
or equivalent such as
6 credits of Economics:
(M)
(not offered 2025-2026)
9 credits of Advanced Courses chosen from two Areas:
Area 1: Development / Environmental Management
*Note: You can take ENVB 529 or GEOG 201 but not both; you can take BIOL 451 or NRSC 451 but not both; you can take ANTH 451 or GEOG 451 but not both.
(M) (in Barbados)
(M) (offered alternate years, in Panama)
* (in Africa)
* (in Africa)
(M)
* (M)
(offered alternate years, May term)
(offered alternate years, May term)
*
听
(in Africa)
* (in Africa)
(offered alternate years, in Panama)
(offered alternate years, in Panama)
* (M) (in Africa)
Area 2: Environmental Resources
*Note: You can take BREE 217 or GEOG 322; you can take ENVB 305 or BIOL 308.
*
* (M)
* (M)
(offered winter 2025 and alternate winters)
*
(M) (not offered)