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MEMORANDUM

ATTENTION

FROM

RE:

SCUP 10-89

OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEIvnC AND

ASSOCIATE PROVOST

8888 University Drive,

Burnaby, BC

Canada

V5A 1 S6

TEL: 778.782.4636

FAX: 778.782.5876

avpcio@sfu.ca

www.sfu.ca/vpacademic

Senate

Committee on University Priorities

DATE

December 3, 2010

Bill Krane, Chair

PAGES

1/1

Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies

/I •

.

-I

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Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology (SCUS 10-61a)/

t1t/L{?

--

Action undertaken by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies at its meeting of

December 2,2010, gives rise to the following recommendation:

Motion:

That

SCUP approve and recommend to Senate the fu II program proposal for the

Minor in Development and Sustainabitity in the Development and Sustainability

Program within the Faculty of Environment effective Fall2011.

The relevant documentation for review

by

SCUP is attached.

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

THINKING OF THE WORLD

---

MEMD

Dean's Office

lASe

2. Suite 89DD

Tel: 778-7B2-8787

Fax: 778-782-8188

www.fenv.sfu.ca

SCUS 10-61a

faculty of environment

ATTENTION

scus

I

FROM

Duncan Knowler, Chair, FEN

Faculty of Environment Course Credit Hour Changes

I DATE

February 11, 2010

The following have been approved by the Faculty of Environment (FENV)

Curriculum

Committee at its meeting of November 18, 2010 and are being

forwarded to

SCUS for approval and recommendation to Senate.

•

Development and Sustainability (DEVS)

o

Minor in Development and Sustainability - Full Program Proposal

o

OEVS 201-3: New Course Proposal

o

OEVS 401-4: New Course Proposal

• Department of Geography

o

GEOG 302: Course Change

o

GEOG 303: Course Change

o

GEOG 402: Course Change

o

GEOG 403: Course Change

o

GEOG 409: Course Change

o

GEOG 311: Course Change

o

GEOG 411: Course Change

o

GEOG 386: Course Change

o

GEOG 440: Course Change

o GEOG 440W: Course Change

o

GEOG 416-4: Course Deletion

o

GEOG 446-4: Course Deletion

o

GEOG 104-3: New Course Proposal

• School of Resource and Environmental Management (REM)

o

REM 321-3 - New Course Proposal

• Faculty of Environment (ENV)

o

ENV 321-3 - New Course Proposal (cross-listed with REM 321-3)

S I ,"'1 U:-"; l: R :\ S E

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---

Approved

by

FENV Curricu!um Committee (18 Nov 2010)

FullProgr~m

froposal

Minor in

D~velopment

and

Sustain~bility

Faculty of Environment (FENVJ

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

To advance the goal of developing undergraduate programming within the FENV, to support the

broader sustainability and internationalization 'goals

of the University, and,to recognize growing

student

interest~

we propose the creation of a minor under the Development and Sustainability

Program. The proposed Minor in Development and Sustainability

(DEVS) will both create new

courses and package a diverse and interdisciplinary array

of relevant existing courses and

teaching/research expertise.

It

will provide a coherent yet broad undergraduate program exploring

various aspects

of , sustain ability' that arise from the complex interrelationships between

'development' and the 'environment', all in relation to problem-solving thematic areas at various

scales (from local to global).

The DEVS minor is targeted at undergraduate

stude~~,inside

FENV as

well as students

acro,ss a range of participating units and facultres in the University who are'seeking

ways to deepen their understanding

of the connections between developq1ent, 'sustainability, and

environment. The Notice

bfIntent for this Minor was approved by SCUP on 20 July 2010 (see

Appendix E).

CURRICULUM

1) Student Outcomes'

• Provide studerits with a strong foundation in the study of various aspe,cts of 'sustainability'

that

arise, from the complex interrelationships

bet~een ~ ~evelopment'

and the ,'environment'

in relation

t9 problem-solving thematic areas at various scaies (local to glo'bal). '

•

Enable the 'versatile student' imagined by SFU during the foundmg of FEN V to complete an

integrative interdisciplinary curriculum that combines in-class instruction with experiential

learning (such as field site visits). This Minor complements a number

of Major programs,

~,nhan9.ing stll:~ent ye~satility.

,,'

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• Help students to 'identify and to develop the skills, learning outcomes, and knowledge

requirements

for employment in these fields where knowledge of the interactions between

development, environmental and sustainability issues at various

s,cales is an asset; also, to

prepare

the' ,high-performing undergraduate student for graduate'studies: .

2)

Graduatio~

Requirements

Prospective students must apply to Simon Fraser University for admission and meet the normal

admission

requirements.,

, ,

• Award o'fMipor requires completion of19 units ,from prescribed

courses;,the~e'

consist of at

least 3 units at the lower division, consisting of a core DEVS course plus any prerequisites

for upper division courses, and 16 units at the upper division, including a core DEVS course.

• The,two core,DEVS courses shall be DEVS 201-3 "Introduction to Development and

Sustainability" and DEVS 401-4 "Issues, Concepts and Cases in Development" and

Sustainability" (see Appendix B for course descriptions).

• The balance of program requirements beyond core courses shall be drawn from'a list of

elective~

,at

t~~

3'00

and 400 levels in

participa~ing; Fi~s p;>ep~erits,

Schools, Faculties).

. . .' . '.

.

.

, ,

1

---

Approved

by

FEN V Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

• Entry to this program is on a competitive basis, and requires completion of 30 credit hours in

lower level courses; good standing in the program requires a CGPA not lower than 2.75;

students must also be

'in good standing' in their home units where they are doing their major

degree. . ....

.

....

,I •• ,.. ••• .• ...

•

3) Course/program structure and class sizes

a)

Students must complete DEVS 201 and DEVS 401, plus at least three upper level courses.

Two

of these three upper division courses must be from outside their home unit (Department or

Faculty), to ensure breadth.

b) Elective courses shall be drawn from a list composed of courses from the following units:

Archaeology, Communication, Economics, Education, Environmental Sciences, First Nations

Studies, Geography, Health

Sciences, History, Humanities, "International Studies, Latin American

Studies, Political

Science, Resource and Environmental Management, Sociology/Anthropology

and Sustainable Community Development (see Appendix A for a list of electives).

c) The list

of prescribed and approved elective courses will be reviewed with participating units,

from time to tim'e; units have been informed that we expect participation

of between 5 and 9

students from the

DEVS Minor in courses listed in this Program. Units have agreed to participate,

noting students occasionally may experience difficulty in enrolling in some courses for space

reasons, and that in some cases instructor's permission must be obtained. For these reasons the

list

of electives was designed to include a substantial number of courses.

.

d) Class size is predicted to be

80 to 100 in DEVS 201 and 30 to 40 in DEVS 401 after two years.

For pedagogical reasons, enrolment in

DEVS 401 will be limited to 40 in a seminar: if necessary

this course can be taught twice a year in order to respond to increased demand.

CREDENTIAL TO BE AWARDED

One credential will be awarded, the

Minor in Development and Sustainability (DEVS).

LEARNING METHODOLOGIES

Students will be judged on perfonnance and the quality of completed projects and assignments, in a

manner comparable to other units in

FENV. Lectures and tutorials, where available, as well as

seminars are the main methods

of teaching, along with labs, where required. It is recognized that the

proposed Minor

in DEVS will need to be distinct from other programming at SFU, such as current

offerings from African Studies, International Studies and/or Latin American Studies. The following

methodologies will ensure this distinctiveness:

• world-wide international development experience of instructors and guests;

• real-world issues studied inthe context of students' immediate surroundings;

• focus on the tension between sustainability/environment and development at the local level;

• emphasis on the applied aspects of 'development practice and policy';

• opportunities for exchange prograrps, experiential learning (field trips/schools, placements,

etc) and team taught courses;

.

• inter-disciplinary combination of applied sciences, humanities, social science, resource

management

and policy studies; and,

• local and global scope (not only region specific).

FACULTY

Two faculty members will teach the core courses in the Minor, DEVS 20 lan4 401:

2

---

Approved

by

FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

•

Robert Anderson, Director of

DEVS

Program, and Professor of Communication,

FeAT

• James Busumtwi-Sam, Associate Professor of Political Science, F ASS

Both faculty members currently teach the core DEVS 801 course in the

Graduate Certificate in

Development and Sustainability

offered by the

DEVS

~~o,gram.

Additional faculty contributing to the program include the members of the DEVS Steering

Committee (see Appendix

C), plus the many faculty teaching the elective courses (see Appendix A).

PROGRAM CONSULTATIONS and EVALUATIONS

We have consulted outside FENV, with units such as Archaelogy, Latin American Studies,

International Studies,

Communication, Sociology/Anthropology, Health Sciences, Political Science,

History, First

Nati9ns Studies, Economics, etc. S.ome of their

und~rgrad~ate

courses are, with their

agreement, listed

here as courses that can be taken to complete the Minor. Conditions set by these

units regarding space availability and pre-requisites have been accepted and recorded in relevant

cases.

Students will participate in course evaluations as in all SFU courses. DEVS core courses will be

evaluated

by students in a similar mrumer. The Director and Steering Committee will ensure that

appraisals of instructor performance are conducted in a manner consistent with FENV procedures,

reporting

to

th~

DeaI},; " , , '

, .. ' . - .:' ,"': ,: '"

I', '1',:",

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM START DATE

September 20.1.1.

ADMISSION'

Entry to this program is on a competitive basis and requires completion of 30 credit hours at the

lower division; good standing in the Minor program requires that students maintain a

CGP A not

lower than 2.75.

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GOVERNANC~

, '

The

Developmen~

&,Sustainability Program (DEVS) is one of the constituent Units' in the FENV,

and has a Director and Steering Committee, operating with a Constitution. It currently administers

the Graduate Certificate in Development & Sustainability. We

now propose an undergraduate minor

that will be anchored by a set

of core courses 'owned' by the DEVS program and administered by a

Director and

S~,ee~iJ?g

C9mmittee,

r~porting throug~ ~pp~~priate curri,cul~ co~ittees

to the Dean

ofFENV. (see Appendix C). The DEVS Steering Committee will evaluate the function and

effectiveness

of this Minor degree biennially.'

RESOURCES'AND BUDGET

Most of the courses in the proposed Minor are existing courses already taught by regular faculty

members in participating units. The program will have two new required courses,

DEVS 201-3 and

DEVS 401-4. The program requires a modest amount of new resources and/or the re-allocation of

existing resources (in the form of instructional secondments or

co~se

buy-outs) to

~over

the

teaching

of the t,:"o planned core-courses by faculty members from outside the Faculty of

Environment.' The necessary resources and arrangements to meet these requirements have been

identified

a~d

approved by the Dean. '

"

3

---

Approved

by

FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

The SFU Library has a rich collection of material on development and sustainability, on both

international and local levels; it continues to build its holdings (books, journals, videos, etc) in

relevant fields. All the elective courses included in this proposal are previously approved courses so

that adequate library resources have been put in place. The required DEVS courses draw from

literatures already well established in the library.

There would be no fees for the Minor other than the regular tuition, exchange, field school or other

fees related to a specific course or another program. There would be no application fee for

admission.

PERSONS

Robert Anderson, Director, Development

&

Sustainability Program, Faculty of Environment, SFU,

tel 778 7824265.

Duncan Knowler, Associate Dean, Faculty of Environment, SFU, tel 778 782 8827 .

.

~..

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4

---

Approved by FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

APPENDIX A Calendar Entry for the l\'linor in Development and Sustainability

Explores various

~spects

of sustainability that arise from the complex relationship between

development and environment, including discussion of practice and policy issues in relation to

problem-solving

and examination of thematic areas at various scales (froOm local to global) that

enhance

the quality of life. Entry to this program is on a competitive basis, and requires completion

of

30 credit hours in lower level courses; good standing in the program requires a CGPA not lower

than 2.75; students must

also be 'in good standing' in their home units where they are doing their

major degree.

Lo\ver Division Requirements

Requires completion of the required core course, DEVS 201-3.

Upper Division Requirements

Students complete 16 units at the upper division level, including the core course, DEVS 401-4. The

remaining 12 units inust be selected from the following list of courses, and must include at least two

courses from outside their home unit (department, school, or faculty).

Archaeology

,.,'

ARCH 365-3 Ecological Archaeology

ARCH 377-5 Historical Archaeology

ARCH 385-5 Paleoanthropology

ARCH 386-3 Archaeological Resource Management

Communication

CMNS 342-4 Science ,and Public Policy: Risk

Communicatio~,

CrviNS 346-4 CorpmuniCation and Development

'

I

CNfNS 347-4 Communication in Conflict and Intervention

CMNS 388-4 Envirorunent, Media, and Communication (2010 and 2011 only)

CMNS 425-4 Applied Communication for Social Issues

CMNS 426-4 Video Design for Social Communication

CMNS 444-4 The Political Economy of International Communication

CIv1NS 446-4 Communication of Science and the Transfer of Technology

CMNS

447~4 Negotiat~on

and Dialogue as'Communication

CIv1NS 456-4 CO,minuriiCation to Mitigate Disasters'

!.!'

Economics

ECON 355W-4 Economic Development

Education

EDUC 311-3 Foundations in Aboriginal Education, Language, and Culture

EDUC 370-4 International and Intercultural

E4~cation

' :

EDUC 435-4

I~fusing

Global Perspectives into Curriculum

EDUC 441-4 Multicultural and Anti-racist Education

EDUC 452-8 Envirorunental Education

First Nations Studies

5

---

Approved by FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

FNST 332-3 Ethnobotany of British Columbia First Nations

FSNT 383-4 Indigenous Technology: Art and Sustainability

FNST 401-3 Aboriginal Rights and Government Relations

FNST 403-3 Indigenous Knowledge 'in the Modern World

FNST 433-4 Indigenous Environmental Activism

Geography

GEOG 322-4 World Resources

GEOG 323-4 Industrial Location

GEOG 324-4 Geography of Transportation

GEOa 325-4 Geographies of Consumption

GEOa 327-4 Geography of Tourism

GEOa 382-4 Population Geography

GEOG 383-4 Regional Development and Planning I

GEOG 389W-4 Nature and Society

GEOG

422-4 Theories and Practices of Development

GEOG 429-4 Environment and Inequality

GEOG 466-4 Latin American Regional Development

GEOG 468-4 Society and Environment in China

Health Sciences

HSCI 308-3 Sickness and Wealth: Health in Global Perspective

HSCI 340-3 Social

Determinants of Health

HSCI 406-3 Global Perspectives in Indigenous Health

HSCI 412-3 Health Communication

HSCI 431-3 The Global

HIV/AIDS

Epidemic

History

. ":,, . :.'

. • l

~

t :,'

i • ". : ' .

HIST 322-4 Atlantic and Pacific Migration

HIST 361-4 The History of Science: The Eighteenth Century to the Present

HIST

363-4 History of Technology

HIST 377-4 Environmental History

HIST 425-4 Gender and History

HIST 427-4 Problems in.the History of Aboriginal Peoples

HIST

472-4 Problems in. World History .

HIST 432-4 .

Problems in' Enviroritlierttal Histo'ry ...

HIST 455-4 Race in the Americas

HIST 458-4 Problems in Latin American Regional History

HIST 459-4 Problems in the Political and Social History Latin America

Humanities

HUM 325-4 The Humanities and

~he.Natural

World

International Studies

IS 313W-4 Nationalism, Democracy and Development in Modem India

IS 314-4 National, Regional, and International Politics in Southeast Asia

IS 409-4 Special Topics I: Human Security .

IS 410-4 Politics, Institutions and Development

6

---

Approved

by

FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

IS 429-4 Special Topics III: Historical Political Economy of Development

Political Science

POL 335-4 Government and Politics: People's Republic of China

POL 342-4 Developing Countries in Global Politics

POL 343-4 Global Political Economy

POL

346-4

International

Organization

POL 373-4 Human Security

POL 374-4 Africa in the Global Political Economy

POL

433-4

Comparative

Development

POL 442-4 The Political Economy of International Trade

POL 446-4 International Relations in East Asia

POL 447-4 Theories of Global Political Economy

Resource

and

Environmental

Management

REM 356-3 Institutional Arrangements for Sustainable Environmental Management

Sociology

&

Anthropology

SA 302W-4 Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism

SA 316-4 Tourism and Social Policy

SA 363-4 Processes of Development and Underdevelopment

SA 371-4 The Environment and Society

SA 392-4 Latin America

SA 396-4 Selected Regional Areas

SA 418-4 International Health; Global Policies and Local Realities

SA 429-4 Sex, Work, and International Capital

SA 430-4 States, Cultures and Global Transitions

SA 463-4 Special Topics in Development Studies

Sustainable

Community

Development

SCD 301-4 ,Sustainable CO'mmunity Development Theory and Practice

SCD 401-4 Social Enterprise for Sustainable Community Development

SCD 403-4 Leaqership in Sustainable Community Development

..

~

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. .

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••• ,". ' ...... l ...... .

7

---

Approved by FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

APPENDIX B Calendar Descriptions of Core Courses in DEVS Minor

DEVS 201-3 - Introduction to Development and Sustainability

A critical introduction to various approaches to 'development' and'sustainability'. Examines the

impacts

of major drivers of environmental change caused by development processes, and offers

selected case studies from around the world illustrating policy and practical challenges to

implementing sustainable development measures

at various scales.

. .

i.

DEVS 401-4 - Issues, Concepts, and Cases in Development and Sustainability

An in-depth critical examination of contemporary challenges to effective governance for sustainable

development within the context

of global North-South relations. Assesses the prospects for

sustainable solutions in relation to selected problem-solving thematic areas and case-studies at

various scales involving student-led dialogues.

.

'

APPENDIX C - Steering Committee of the Development and Sustain ability Program

David Zandvliet

Alex Clapp

Bob Anderson (Director)

James Busumtwi-Sam

Yildiz Atasoy

June Francis

Habiba

Zaman

Mark Roseland

Wolfgang Haider

Alec Dawson

Craig Janes

Eldon Yellowhom

Shaheen Nanji

Ian Andrews (alternate)

John Brohman (alternate)

Zhao Yuezhi (alternate)

Anil Hira (alternate)

Education

Geography

Communication

Michael Hathaway (alternate)

Political Science

Sociology/Anthropology

Business

Women's

Studies

.;,

Centre for Sustainable Community Development

Resource

& Environmental Management

History

&

Latin American Studies

Health Sciences

Archaeology

&

First Nations Studies

SFU Office

of International Development

APPENDIX D - Related Programs in British Columbia

The study of sustainability and development is a growing world-wide trend, arid SFU will adopt a

special and distinctive approach, facing the environmental context and enabling students to focus on

sustainable strategies. In June

2010 it was estimated that over 4500 undergraduates are in

development studies"programs across Canada (both minors and majors, aiso

named as

'international'

~

'global', etc). This does not count those in discipline-based programs who study

similar subjects. In some universities where development and sustainability programs have been

established for a few years, the Minor degree programs in this field carry the largest, second-largest,

or third largest number of undergraduate students in the entire university. None of those universities

are located

in""B"ritish Columbia. Related programs in

Be

that address aspects o(this subject are

located at the University

of British Columbia - the "Sociological, Ecological, and Development

Studies"

(SEEDS) program; Vancouver Island University - Global Studies; University of Fraser

Valley - Minor degree in DevelopmentStudies (applied

2010); University of Northern British

Columbia- Minor degree in Development Studies (applied 2010).

8

---

Approved by FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

APPENDIX E - Notice of In tent

.,

Minor in Development and Sustainability

Faculty of Environment (FENV) Simon Fraser University

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

To advance the goal of developing undergraduate programming within the FENV, to support the

broader sustainability and internationalization goals of the

Univ~rsity,

and to

re~ognize

growing

student interest,

we propose the creation of a minor under the Development and Sustainability

Program. The proposed Minor

iIi Development and Sustainability (DEVS) will both create new

courses and package a diverse and interdisciplinary array

of relevant existing courses and

teaching/research' expertise into a coherent yet broad undergraduate program exploring various

aspects

of , sustain ability' that arise from the complex interrelationships between 'development'

and the 'environment', all in relation to problem-solving thematic areas at various scales (from

local to global).

,'. ' .' ...

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1. CREDENTIAL TO BE AWARDED

One credential will be awarded, the

Development and Sustainability lv/inor.

This complements the

program's

Graduate Certificate in Development

and Sustainability

approved by Senate in 2005.

"

.

2. LOCATION OF PROGRAM

Faculty of Environment, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus.

3. DEPARTMENTS OFFERING PROGRAM

The Development

&

Sustainability Program (DEVS) is one of the constituent units in the FENV

with a Director and Steering Committee.

It

currently administers the Graduate Certificate in

Development

&,

Sustainability. We propose an undergraduate minor that will be anchored by a set

of core courses 'owned' by the DEVS program and administered by a Director and Steering

Committee, reporting through appropriate committees

to the Dean ofFENV. We have consulted

outside FENV, with units like Latin American

Studies, International Studies, Earth Sciences,

Communication, Sociology/Anthropology, Health Sciences, Political Science, etc; some

of their

undergraduate courses will, with their agreement, be listed

as courses which can be taken to

complete this minor.

4. ANTICIPATED PROGRAM START DATE

September 2011. '

5. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

5.1 Purposes

'&

Objectives.

• Provide students with a strong foundation in the study of various aspects of , sustain ability'

that arise from the complex interrelationships between 'development'

arid the

'environment'

in relation to problem-solving thematic areas at various scales (local to

global).

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Approved

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FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

o

Enable the 'versatile student' imagined by SFU during the founding of FENV to complete

an integrative interdisciplinary curriculum that combines in-class instruction with

~xp~rientialleaining

(such as :field site visits).

o

Help students to determirie and to develop the skills, learning outcomes and knowledge

requirements for employment where knowledge

of the interactions between development,

environmental and sustainability issues at various scales

is an asset.

5.2 Contribution to University's Strategic Plan

The University has expanded its slate of international programming through curricular revision and

the creation

of the School for International Studies, the Faculty of Health Sciences, and the new

Faculty

of Environment: The name of our Program and the minor degree signals a fit with SFU's

Sustainability Policy (OP 38), which commits the university to becoming "a leading institution in

the transition to a sustainable society." Section 3.2

of the policy states that "SFU will strive to be in

the forefront

of sustainability research and education and will use its institutional capacity to

promote sustainability within and beyond the university." The Full

Program Proposal for this minor

will articulate its contribution to both the FENV strategic objectives and the university-wide

strategic plan. The

DEVS minor will incorporate all relevant aspects of the FENV pedagogical and

research objectives as listed in its Strategic Research

Plan 2009-2010.

Thus, the proposed minor in Development and Sustainability contributes to the University'S

strategic plan by:

• Developing, enlarging, and strengthening undergraduate programming, a key mandate of

the FENV, which brings together the social sciences, humanities, the applied aspects of

natural sciences, education, management and the policy sciences around problem-centered

thematic areas.

• Further developing the Graduate Certificate in Development Studies (established 2005),

and work together with other units in FENV - CSCD, REM, Geography, and

Environmental Sciences.

• Establishing synergies with other units and programs outside FENV (Latin American

Studies, International Studies, Business Administration, Earth Sciences, Communication,

Sociology/Anthropology, Health Sciences, Political Science, etc) that deal with various

aspects

of' development', 'environment' and 'sustainability'.

• Advancing the

~ENV

and University strategic research plans, and enhance the research

capacity

of the University in these areas by identifying high performing undergraduate

students;' and

t6mal<e'them'capable for graduate studies. .. . ... .:': .... :.':'.: ., : ....

~.

':.

• Strengthening SFU and FENV policy outreach, community engagement, and institutional

linkages abroad.

5.3 Target Audience

.

The DEVS minor is targeted at undergraduate students inside FENV as well as 'students across a

range

of participating units and faculties in the University who are seeking ways to deepen their

understanding

of the connections between development, sustainability, and environment. The

proposed'

minor pr<)'gram "erfables students to bring intellectual coherence to

'their

choice of courses

to explore these issues, and to make better academic choices .

. _., . 10 ..

---

Approved

by

FE.NV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

5.3.1

Evidence of Interest

Different units in the university have taught courses in development and lor environmental

studies for a number

of years, and student interest has been steady. This evidence shows

student demand and support,

even without

a link to the integration and concentration of

environment and sustainability issues as a named and advertized program, as in

'development

and sustainability'.

This minor will fully explore the linkages of development and

sustainability at various scales and across a variety

of issues. Undergraduate students working

on sustainabilit)i questions in units across the university. regularly .point to their' need to

integrate courses in these fields

in a coherent and multi-disciplinary program, as seen from a

student's point

of view.

This program will provide, maintain, and enhance that coherence.

Outside the university, employers

(NOOs, business,

&

govenunent) are looking for people

knowledgeable about the interactions between sustainability, development and the

environment.

5.4 Content and Graduation Requirements .

Prospective s'tudents .must.apply to Simon Fraser UniversitY 'for admission

~d

'meet the

normal admission requirements.

I. Award ,of Minor requires completion of 24 units from prescribed courses; at least 4 units at

the lower division and 18 at the upper division, including core courses;

2. The two core courses shall be DEVS

201-3 and DEVS 401-4;

3. The balance of program requirements beyond core courses shall be a list of electives

drawp.f~.9m}.9.9

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490

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~ch.<?Ols);

4. These elective' courses shall be arranged

in

three groups:

Group

1: arts, social sciences

&

humanities, including geography, international studies;.

Group

2: business administration,

communications & education;

Group

3.'

resource and environmental management,

envir0IUll:ental.

sciences~

and health sciences. . "

..'

5. Students must complete at least one upper level course from each of the thre'e groups.

6. The list

of prescribed and approved elective courses "'ill be reviewed with participating

units, from time to time;

7.

E~try ~~.fui~ .p.fQgr~m i~ on.a,~,omp~tHiy~ .p~.i~~

.@,g

r.~RJlires.completi9~to.f~.O

credit hours

, in lower

level courses; good standing in the program 'requires a GPA not lower than 2.75

Note: DEVS

201:-3

will be .. called "Introduction to Development and Sustainability"; DEVS

401-~

will be called "Issues,

Concept~

and Cases in Development anq

Sustai~ability".

5.5 Distinctive Characteristics

•

•

•

•

•

It is recognized that the proposed DEVS Minor will need to be distinct from other

programm~n~

at, SfU, such- a.s curreQt .offerings ff:om:AfrIFWl

Studi~s,

International Studies

and/or Latin

Anlerican Studies. The following attributes will ensure this dis,tinctiveness:

.

.

,

world-~ide develop~ent experien~e

of

ins~~tors

anq guests,

..

real-world issues studied in the context, of studentS' immediate surroundings,

focus

on the tension between sustainability/environment and development at the local level,

emphasis on the applied aspects

of 'development practice' ,

opportunities for exchange programs, experientialleaming (field trips/schools, placements,

etc),

an~

team

taug~t

courses, "

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. 11 .

---

Approved

by

FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

• inter-disciplinary combination of applied sciences, humanities, social science, resource

management

and policy studies, with an emphasis on employment opportunities,

• local and global scope (not region specific).

5.6 Completion time

Admission to. the program is open to all undergraduates registered and in good academic

standing

at SFU. Completion of the undergraduate minor will take the same time as minor

degrees

in other units and programs.

5.7 Student Evaluation

Undergraduate students in good standing must maintain a minimum grade point average of

2.75 calculated

on all courses applied to the minor. Duplicate courses are counted only once.

Students must also be 'in good standing' in their home units where they are doing their major

degree.

Students will be judged,on performance and the quality of completed projects and

assignments,

in a manner comparable to other units in FENV.

5.8 Program Assessment

The DEVS Steering Committee will evaluate the function and effectiveness of the minor

degree biennially.

5.9 Resources

Most

of

tIle

c'ourse's'

ih

the

propos'ed'Mirior

are"exi'sting

courses'

already

'i~ught

by

regular

faculty

members in participating units. The program will have two new required courses,

DEVS

201-4 and DEVS 401-4. The program requires a modest amount of new resources

andlor

the re-allocation of existing resources (in the form of secondments, course buy-outs, or

cross-appointments)

to cover the teaching of the two planned core-courses nonnally to be

taught by the program director and a designated 'course leader' (as approved by the Dean).

The SFU Library has a rich collection of material on development and sustainability, on both

international

and local levels; it continues to build its holdings (books, journals, videos, etc) in

relevant fields.

There would be no fees for the undergraduate minor other than the regular tuition, exchange,

field school

or other fees related to a specific program. There would be no application fee for

admission.

5.10

ReJate~ fr.ogr~m~

...... ' .......

..

.

. . ..... " . .

The study of sustainability and development is a growing world-wide trend, and SFU will

adopt a special

and distinctive approach, facing the environmental context and enabling

students

to focus on sustainable strategies. In June 2010 it was estimated that over 4500

undergraduates are in development studies programs across Canada (both minors and majors,

also named as 'international', 'global', etc). This does not count those in discipline-based

programs

who study similar subjects. In some universities where development and

sustainability programs have been established for a few years, the Minor degree programs

in

this field (!8.ffY the. largest, second-:hlrgest, or third .largest number

ofund~rgraduate

students in

the entire university. None of those universities are located in British Columbia.

12

---

Approved

by

FENV Curriculum Committee (18 Nov 2010)

Related programs in BC .. which address aspects of this s,ubject are located at University of British

Columbia - the

"Sociological, Eco,logical, and Development Studies" (SEEDS) program; University

of Vancouver Island - Global Studies; University of Fraser Valley - Minor degree in Development

Studies (applied 2010); University of North em British Columbia - Minor degree in Development

Studies

(applied

2010).

6. CONTACT PERSONS

Duncan

Knowlet,:Associ~te

Dean, Faculty of Envirol1.11lent,

SFU~

tel 778 782'8827:

Robert

Anderson, Director, Development & Sustainability Program, Faculty of Environment, SFU,

tel 778 782 4265, andlor James

Busumtwi~Sam,

SFU tel 778 782 4346.

13