Why Environmental Studies?

The environment is the issue of the 21st century. The relationships between health, sustainability and environmental challenges have created an unprecedented need to come to terms with our impact on the environment. The Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) degree will prepare you to understand, assess and even help reverse the impact.

Environmental Studies is a multi-disciplinary academic field that systematically studies human interaction with the environment in the interest of solving complex problems. It is a broad field of study that includes the natural environment, social and built environments and the sets of relationships among them.


What will I learn about the environment?

The Environmental Studies program introduces you to the social, cultural, economic, political, legal and ethical factors affecting human interaction with the environment. It also provides a basic literacy in the physical and biological sciences. The program helps you understand the many inter-related dimensions of environmental issues and will help you become a knowledgeable, skilled individual capable of analyzing complex environmental issues and formulating effective strategies for change.

What skills will I develop?

You will gain skills and knowledge in the areas of critical thinking, research, analysis, data interpretation and problem solving and will attain an interdisciplinary expertise that will enable you to understand and resolve environmental issues.

You will learn the techniques for obtaining, analyzing and interpreting environmental data, such as literature research, statistics, case study analysis, mapping and analyzing spatial data with Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing, cartography, aerial photography, questionnaire design, land surveying and field sampling design.

You will be educated as an environmental professional trained to practice environmental stewardship and management and to promote a more sustainable, healthy living environment.