School of Environment and Sustainability launches undergraduate program

Undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan will soon have the option to add a specialization in sustainability to their degree plans.

By Jennifer Thoma
The School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), known for its three interdisciplinary graduate programs, is introducing the Undergraduate Certificate in Sustainability, an addition available to students in all disciplines currently pursuing a three or four-year degree. The U of S is one of the first universities in Canada to offer such a program.

Composed of 21 credit units, students are required to take the introductory and capstone courses offered through SENS.  A first-year Native Studies class is also required. The remaining twelve credits will leverage existing courses already held on campus as part of the student's degree plan.

The certificate program is highly interdisciplinary and encompasses scholarship from the social, natural, and physical sciences, arts, and humanities. The sustainability concept addresses the complexities of the human-environment system and the interdependencies of the economic-environmental-social systems.

"Sustainability is one of the fastest-growing environmental fields in Canada, and there is a great demand for this type of program at the undergraduate level," said SENS Executive Director Toddi Steelman. "The certificate will provide distinctive, dynamic programming to students, ensuring graduates have the theoretical knowledge and applied skills to become sustainability leaders in a diverse, competitive workforce."

"Sustainability is an immensely important issue and is at the core of what we do on campus," said University of Saskatchewan Students' Union (USSU) president Max FineDay. "I commend SENS for prioritizing this program and engaging all students -graduate and undergraduate—to think more sustainably about the world around them."

The certificate will have its first intake beginning September 2014.

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For more information:

Lesley Porter

Communications Specialist, School of Environment and Sustainability and Global Institute for Water Security

306-966-1019

lesley.porter@usask.ca