Undergraduate courses

Introduction to the symptoms and sources of environmental problems and approaches to resolving them. Global and local food systems are used as a focal lens through which to view and understand human impacts on ecosystems (e.g. climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation) and how those impacts can be best addressed.

For more information please see ES 200 in the UVic calendar.

An introduction to the discipline of ecology with a focus on understanding biotic processes as they relate to contemporary environmental challenges.

For more information please see ES 240 in the UVic calendar.

Conducted in relation to work or volunteer activities with a host organization identified by the student and approved by the RNS academic director or the director of the School of Environmental Studies. Students will engage in experiential learning and assessment of methods in ecological restoration in an applied setting. Students will work with an instructor to identify issues to be explored and what course assessment methods will be used before the experiential learning opportunity begins. Must include at least 150 hours of work or volunteer activities. Assessment typically involves a reflective journal and final paper. Students are responsible for proposing an internship and arranging for a supervising instructor.

For more information please see ES 250 in the UVic calendar.

An introduction to the various socio-political and philosophical issues associated with the concept of a sustainable society. Emphasis is placed on the analysis of the complex relationships between social and biophysical systems. Examines how communities and environments are being impacted by the globalization of economies and cultures, technologies and ideologies, as well as responses from a variety of local, non-governmental and international agencies.

For more information please see ES 301 in the UVic calendar.

Examines how the global capitalist economy is transforming ecosystems, and how social and environmental challenges are in turn beginning to transform capitalism. Economic alternatives are examined in local and global contexts (e.g. the social economy, steady state economies and Indigenous economic practices). 

For more information please see ES 302 in the UVic calendar.

Explores the contemporary state of environmental justice movements across the Asia-Pacific, how “environment” has been integrated into Asian cultural fabrics, how Pacific and Asian communities mobilize for environment and livelihood and how these efforts birth new types of movements.

For more information please see ES 303 in the UVic calendar.

An introduction to the economic analysis of environmental problems. Topics typically include a review of externalities, an introduction to policy intervention and the measurement of environmental costs and benefits. The application of these concepts to environmental problems in developed and developing countries and at the global level.

For more information please see ES 312 in the UVic calendar.

A philosophical investigation of the moral and conceptual dimensions of environmental problems. Different philosophies of the relation between humans and nature are compared.

For more information please see ES 314 in the UVic calendar.

Diversity of organisms, functioning of ecosystems, and the consequential impact of human activities.

Topics include:

• the nature of biological diversity
• extinction and its causes
• habitat alteration and fragmentation
• effects of exotic species
• economic and ethical considerations
• practical applications and analytical tools
• legal frameworks for conserving species and habitats

For more information, please see ES 320 in the UVic calendar.

Environmental knowledge systems of Indigenous and other local peoples are increasingly recognized as having relevance in understanding and documenting biological diversity and conservation and in undertaking ecological restoration.

The different aspects of local and traditional ecological knowledge and their relationships to western academic knowledge are reviewed and the issues and requirements for applying local knowledge in environmental sustainability are explored.

For more information please see ES 321 in the UVic calendar.

Explores how ideas and practices about ecosystems and nature more generally have come to be in the early 21st century, how they are manifest in the present, and what trends will shape the future. Rapid environmental, ecological and cultural changes are forcing a reconsideration of how we understand nature and natural processes, and how to intervene responsibly in ecosystems.

Themes are drawn from:

• landscape and community ecology
• systems ecology
• ethnoecology
• restoration ecology
• political ecology

For more information please see ES 341 in the UVic calendar.

From surf culture to saving the whales, dominant views of the ocean have evolved over time. Investigates values that societies have associated with the ocean over time, the origin of these values, and issues of power and exclusion from ocean spaces. Material spans the time period 14,000 BCE to present, with a focus on the development of 20th-century perspectives on ocean sustainability, such as marine mammal conservation, fisheries management and ecosystem recovery.​

For more information please see ES 345 in the UVic calendar.

Examines how food decisions, from the personal to the global, influence human and planetary health. Students develop a food literacy that extends beyond simple nutrition and incorporates cultural, ecological and socio-economic dimensions. A central question examined is: what constitutes "good" food?

For more information please see ES 347 in the UVic calendar.

A seminar that introduces techniques to document the experiences of people and communities impacted by climate change, including skills in trauma-informed journalism and testimony journalism.

For more information please see ES 354 in the UVic calendar.

A seminar that engages with people and communities impacted by climate change to document their experiences. Includes publishing, broadcasting and presenting the resulting stories with major media and cultural partners.

For more information please see ES 355 in the UVic calendar.

An overview of British Columbia's globally significant biodiversity. We examine species distribution patterns, use and conservation, including academic and government research and management. Lectures and field trips include synthesis of patterns of biodiversity, management success and failure and future biodiversity conservation and use in BC. Course goals include developing a deep understanding of the patterns of biodiversity in BC, explaining the reasons for these patterns and identifying numerous species and their importance.

For more information please see ES 361 in the UVic calendar.

A survey of the climate system and its interaction with past, present and future societies. Topics include:

• climate change and the onset of agriculture/domestication
• climate change and the rise and fall of early civilizations
• the anthropocene and global warming
• the interplay between science, media, public relations and public policy will also be addressed  

For more information please see ES 365 in the UVic calendar.

A mix of lectures and field trips in the Loire Valley, Brittany and Normandy. Examines how smaller terroir-driven food and wine producers create wealth in economic, ecological, social and cultural dimensions. Offered in English in collaboration with UVic partner university L'Ecole; Agricultures in Angers, France. Additional fees are necessary to support field expenses. 

For more information please see ES 371 in the UVic calendar or visit our field school info page.

An in-depth systematic examination of specific environmental areas through seminars and projects; the development of appropriate responses to questions and problems within the selected areas; modes of interaction and communication with professional and community groups; application of theory to practice; qualitative vs. quantitative research methods.

Conducted as a seminar and may include a field trip for which a fee is charged.

For more information please see ES 380 in the UVic calendar.

Examines how mindfulness training, particularly meditation, is being integrated into contemporary environmental and social change efforts. Current research on the physical, psychological, ecological and social benefits of mindfulness training are examined. Students are introduced to a variety of meditative practices as part of the course.

For more information please see ES 407 in the UVic calendar.

International students interested in this community-engaged learning course should contact the International Centre for Students (ICS) to discuss potential work authorization requirements for the experiential learning component of this course.

Focuses on coastlines, seabeds, river banks, flood plains and other spaces where water and earth meet, course material will draw from cross-disciplinary scholarship in Indigenous geography, law, politics, ecologies, and philosophies, as well as non-scholarly representations of Indigenous cultural practices, histories and resurgent struggles situated at the shore.

For more information please see ES 413 in the UVic calendar.

Explores how environmental politics is shaped by and seek to challenge relations of oppression.

For more information please see ES 417 in the UVic calendar.

The role of traditional ecological knowledge in the understanding and documentation of the biodiversity of natural systems and their restoration. Examination of how restoration strategies can benefit from the close relationship of Indigenous Peoples to their local environments, and from their knowledge of plants and animals, their habitats and ecological interrelationships, as well as from traditional land and resource management strategies. Additional fees are necessary to support field expenses.

For more information please see ES 423 in the UVic calendar or visit our field school info page.

A regional and worldwide survey of flowering plants, including:

• morphological diversity and adaptations
• plant evolution and phylogeny
• species concepts
• modern classification and nomenclature
• experimental approaches to the study of plant diversity

Lab projects include the option of a pressed plant collection. Contact instructor for details and collecting equipment. 

For more information please see ES 425 in the UVic calendar.

Cultural understandings of ecosystems and knowledge of interactions between human activities and human habitats in urban settings. Explores the ways city dwellers understand and interact with urban and peri-urban habitats. Surveys the intersections between people and place in cities from an ethnoecological perspective to inform and contribute to initiatives to create sustainable cities. Additional fees are necessary to support field expenses.

For more information please see ES 429 in the UVic calendar or visit our field school info page.

Documents the evolution of human civilization through the lens of wine, chronicles the transition from mysticism to industrial global commoditization. Workshops examine terroir, varietal, age, price, quality and value of viticulture and oenological traditions from around the world and what "sustainability" means in this context.

For more information please see ES 431 in the UVic calendar.

The origins, theory and design methods of permaculture. Examines foundational texts that have influenced the development of permaculture, as well as contemporary permaculture texts. Critical examination of a range of designs and applications, including food systems, water systems, energy systems, appropriate technologies, place making and the built environment.

For more information please see ES 433 in the UVic calendar.

Examines ecological theories on topics including functional ecology, resilience and community assembly as classic ecological frameworks, as well as more complex socio-ecological contexts. Focuses on application of these concepts to environmental work, particularly ecological restoration. A reading course driven by student discussion and presentations aimed at graduate students and advanced undergraduates.

For more information please see ES 449 in the UVic calendar.

An introduction to the objectives, philosophy, concepts, methods and social implications of environmental impact assessment (EIA). A critical examination of EIA as an analytical tool in the context of resource management and public policy is undertaken. Examples are drawn from BC, Canada and other countries.

For more information please see ES 461 in the UVic calendar.

Study of environmental problems and solutions intended to be more self-directed where the student identifies a problem and designs the process to implement solutions. Typically offered in a compressed format. Additional fees may be necessary to support field expenses.

For more information please see ES 470 in the UVic calendar.

Compressed format field study focused on regenerative and restorative designs for ecological and social resilience. Offered in partnership with the Galiano Conservancy Association with field portion based on Galiano Island. Additional fees are necessary to support field expenses.

For more information please see ES 471 in the UVic calendar or visit our field school info page.

A focused, in-depth systematic examination of specific environmental areas through seminars and projects; the development of appropriate responses to questions and problems within the selected areas; modes of interaction and communication with professional and community groups; application of theory to practice; and qualitative vs. quantitative research methods.

These courses are conducted as seminars and may include a field trip for which a fee is charged.

For more information please see ES 480 in the UVic calendar.

Topics this year:

• 202601 ES 480 A01: Changemaking Skills for Thriving Communities with Ryan Hilperts - "This community engaged course will introduce you to real local examples of successful social and environmental changemaking projects and the people who led them. Explore what has made these initiatives successful, consider how those lessons translate into the contemporary landscape, and build skills to help you find your place in movements for thriving communities. Students will contribute to a real community need and host a changemaker gathering as part of this course. 

A focused, in-depth systematic examination of specific environmental areas through seminars and projects; the development of appropriate responses to questions and problems within the selected areas; modes of interaction and communication with professional and community groups; application of theory to practice; and qualitative vs. quantitative research methods.

These courses are conducted as seminars and may include a field trip for which a fee is charged.

For more information please see ES 481 in the UVic calendar.

Topics this year:

• 202509 ES 481 A01: Ethnoecology as Deep History with Darcy Mathews - "Did Ice Age hunters contribute to the extinction of woolly mammoths? Did the race to build Rapa Nui’s statues trigger ecological collapse? How did the First Peoples of the Pacific Northwest adapt to climate shifts, rising seas, and earthquakes over 13,000 years? Humans have long shaped and responded to environmental change. This course critically examines our evolving relationship with ecosystems through Historical Ecology, Environmental Archaeology and Paleoethnobotany. While global in scope, it emphasizes western North America’s past 13,000 years of Ethnoecology, exploring how past adaptations can inform today’s challenges, from climate change to food security, fostering resilience for the future."

A focused, in-depth systematic examination of specific environmental areas through seminars and projects; the development of appropriate responses to questions and problems within the selected areas; modes of interaction and communication with professional and community groups; application of theory to practice; qualitative vs. quantitative research methods.

These courses are conducted as seminars and may include a field trip for which a fee is charged.

For more information please see ES 482 in the UVic calendar or visit our field school info page.

Topics this year:

• 202601 ES 482 A01: Canadian Mammal Conservation Ecology with Jason Fisher - "This seminar course explores the major pressing topics in Canadian mammal conservation and the ecological theories around species declines and recoveries. Students will get exposed to a comprehensive survey of Canadian mammal species, their conservation status, and the ecological problems facing species at risk. Through joint reading, discussion, and exploration of primary literature, students will develop a fulsome understanding of why Canadian mammal species are in decline and how conservation efforts are succeeding or failing to stem those declines."

Individual studies on approved environmental topics undertaken by students in consultation with faculty members. Projects are supervised by one or more faculty members designated by the director.

For more information please see ES 490 in the UVic calendar.