Student Opportunities

Featured Experiential Education Field Courses

Course code	Course Name	Course Description
ENVS 1100	The land we're on: Treaties, Art and Environment	This course introduces students to historical and current ideas about land, with an emphasis on Indigenous perspectives. Through analysis of art and media art, students will engage critical approaches by scholars, activists and creatives who challenge dominant modes of power. Students will gain an understanding of treaty relations across Canada, build media analysis skills, and communication skills.
ENVS 2122	Community Arts for Social Change	An introduction to community-based creative approaches integral to social change in different historical and cultural contexts. These practices and methods are examined in terms of their form, content, production, and reception from interdisciplinary perspectives
ENVS 3150	Human-Animal Studies	This course dwells within the emergent field of animal studies, and will consider a diverse range of human relationship to other animals. The foundation of the course is a contemporary, post-Cartesian vision of animals, with an emphasis on the relational knowledge that is made about, and between humans and other animals from a cultural and environmental studies perspective. The course enables students to develop a creative and rigorous engagement with some of the complex dimensions of such issues as: the historical and philosophical scope of animal studies; animal agency, sociality and consciousness; animal representations in literature, the arts and popular culture; animal advocacy, social movements and humane education; and animal questions in science and technology.
ENVS 3230	Urban Habitats and Restoration Ecology	Explores the theoretical, biophysical and applied dimensions of restoration ecology. The course examines the circumstances surrounding policy, design and planning, and implementation of ecological restoration. It investigates many approaches (techniques and methods) enhancing the ecological integrity of degraded sites. The regional focus of the course is the Greater Toronto bioregion though lessons and experiences will relate to broader issues of ecological restoration. This course has extensive off campus field trips.
ENVS 3327	Art-Based Research Methods	How can drawing, painting, photography and filmmaking be used as strategies to help us explore and address challenges? Students will be introduced to arts-based research methods, theories, skills, ethics and practice. Through case studies and hands-on learning, several popular arts-based participatory visual research methods will be explored in relation to how they are being mobilized to tackle intractable social and environmental challenges.
GEOG 3540	Field studies in Physical geography	This course begins with lectures on field research methodology. The second phase concentrates on defining a field problem, leading to data collection in the field. The final part of the course deals with data analysis, and reviews methodological implications. Includes lectures, seminars and workshops, and a three to four day field trip.
ENVS 4225	Designing Sustainable Cities	A conceptual approach to defining "sustainability" for urban areas, considering patterns of land use, human activities, natural systems and needed rehabilitation. Concepts such as urban ecology, social ecology, the ecological footprint, etc. will be discussed. Social sustainability, environmental justice, and urban governance are central to the course design. Case studies explore ways of making urban areas more sustainable.
ENVS 4350	Climate Justice	This course is an exploration of climate justice definitions, theory, case studies, and policy implications. The course is organized around videos, speakers, and field trips (when possible) to provide experiential exposure to practitioners and organizations involved in various aspects of renewable energy development; fossil fuel finance, processing, transport, and policy; migrant resettlement; community-based organizing in marginalized communities and 'sacrifice zones'; and other forms of climate justice activism.
ENVS 4400	Principles of Renewable Energy: Theory, Policy, and Practice	The course is designed to provide students with a critical understanding of key renewable energy options for electricity generation, heating and cooling of buildings and transportation. Students will be introduced to a critical analysis of renewable energy as a strategy for climate change mitigation, community empowerment, industrial development, and energy security.
ENVS 4446	Protected Area Management	Explores protected area management, which is a form of environmental management focusing on an area of land and/or freshwater/sea especially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and managed through legal or other effective means.
ENVS 4800F (CUSMA- NAFTA 2.0)	Free Trade, Unfree Labour, and Environmental Justice in Continental North America	This course introduces students to the practical implications of a continental free trade agreement through immersive experiences in Southern Ontario and Central Mexico. Students taking part will be enrolled at either York University or the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The course will explore how the agreement is related to, and affects, environmental justice broadly conceived. Thematic topics of interest include: food and agriculture; energy, extractives and infrastructure; and migration and labour regimes. Across these examples the course will centre upon the overarching themes of gender, financial investment, Indigenous rights, and social movements for racial and environmental justice.

Maloca

The garden offers plenty of opportunities to attend workshops, learn about gardening, volunteer, plant, harvest, build relationships, give back to the community, and socialize. Visit the Maloca Community Garden Website for more information!

Peer Mentorship

Help incoming students achieve their personal and academic goals by becoming a Peer Mentor.  Peer mentors receive Peer Leader Training where you will learn valuable leadership-related skills and network with your peers. Attendance at PLT is added to your Co-Curricular Record. Visit the EUC Peer Mentor Website for more information!

For more information, contact the Student Success Mentor Lead.

Onboard Program

The Onboard Program offers students a unique opportunity to volunteer on a committee or board of their choice, gaining invaluable volunteer and professional experience. By participating, students develop leadership skills, network with industry professionals, and contribute to meaningful projects within their community.

Dean's Changemaker Program (DCM)

The Dean's Changemaker Program (DCM) was created to build a culture of changemakers working on real-world issues/grand challenges as part of the Faculty of Environment and Urban Change.

Students will have the chance to work with one of EUC’s 5 living labs:

• Ecological Footprint Initiative
• Las Nubes
• Eco Arts
• Maloca Community Garden
• WasteWIKI

For more information, contact the Experiential Education Coordinator.

C4 Classroom / ENVS 4003

Students can engage directly with an organization by collaborating on various activities, including research, outreach, advocacy, event assistance, and policy development. Visit the Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom (C4) Website for more information!

Placement  / ENVS 4001

Placements offer students the chance to gain valuable professional experience. By participating in placements, you'll work with industry professionals, expand your network, and gain insights into the environmental fields. Visit the Placements Webpage for more information.

RAY

Research at York (RAY) offers undergraduate students the opportunity to work on research projects with faculty and other students and gain hands-on experience. Visit the RAY Webpage for more information and eligibility.