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2022-2023 FGS Academic Calendar | York University Faculty of Graduate Studies

Environmental/Sustainability Education

Posted on 17 August 2022

All Programs

LocationEmail AddressProgram Website
113 Winters CollegeGradProgram@edu.yorku.cayorku.ca/edu/students/environmental-sustainability-education/

The Graduate Diplomas in Environmental/Sustainability Education are the only ones of their kind in Ontario. They are offered jointly by the Graduate Programs in Education and Environmental Studies.

The concurrent and stand-alone Graduate Diplomas in Environmental/Sustainability Education are designed to meet longstanding graduate student interest, and help to educate teachers in the field of environmental and sustainability education, in both the public and private education systems, and in other organizations and institutions committed to environmental and sustainability education.

The degree concurrent graduate diploma, offered in both programs, formalizes already established areas of environmental/sustainability education within doctoral and master’s degrees.

The direct-entry, stand-alone graduate diploma, is offered only within the Graduate Program in Education. It is not offered in conjunction with a degree. This option is designed to provide opportunities for graduate level study of theory and research in environmental/sustainability education to practising teachers and school administrators, to people working in community organizations and cultural institutions, and to advocacy groups.

Admission Requirements

Registration for the concurrent diploma occurs after the candidate has been admitted to the master’s or doctoral degree in the Graduate Programs in Education or Environmental Studies. Any student admitted to the MEd., MES or PhD degree may register for the concurrent Graduate Diploma in Environmental/ Sustainability Education within the first year of the degree program in which they are registered, if their interest corresponds to this subject area. Admission to the graduate diploma is subject to approval by the joint Education/Environmental Studies Graduate Diploma Committee.

Admission Requirements

The requirements for admission to the Graduate Program in Education (MEd and PhD) and the Graduate Program in Environmental Studies (MES and PhD) are outlined in this Calendar.

The direct-entry graduate diploma is offered in the Graduate Program in Education only, as a sub-specialization within the field of Language, Culture, and Teaching. This diploma option permits part-time study.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the direct-entry Graduate Diploma in Environmental/Sustainability Education are the same as requirements for entry into the MEd program (as outlined in this Calendar) with one exception: the statement of interest for direct-entry applicants must address issues in environmental/sustainability education. Normally, applicants are required to have an acceptable undergraduate degree with at least a B average. Admission to the direct-entry graduate diploma are subject to approval by the Graduate Program in Education Graduate Diploma Committee.

Diploma Requirements

Education

Requirements for the concurrent graduate diploma undertaken within the Graduate Program in Education taken in conjunction with the MEd or PhD degree are as follows:

  • four half courses in environmental/sustainability education (one half course is in addition to the course requirements for the MEd and PhD). Two of these courses are required: Environmental Studies 6140 3.0: Environmental Education/Core course and either Education 5444 3.0: Education for Sustainability/Core course or Education 5445 3.0: Education, Sustainability and the Ecological Crisis/Core course.
  • PhD or MEd thesis or major research project on environmental/sustainability education topic.

Completion of the Intention to Graduate with the Concurrent Graduate Diploma in Environmental/Sustainability Education form must be submitted to the Graduate Program in Education administrator for the graduate diploma, for review by the Joint Graduate Diploma Committee.

Environmental Studies

Requirements for the concurrent graduate diploma undertaken within the Graduate Program in Environmental Studies taken in conjunction with the MES or PhD degree are as follows:

  • four half courses in environmental/sustainability education (one half course in addition to basic MES or PhD requirements.) Two of these courses are required: Environmental Studies 6140 3.0: Environmental Education/Core course and either Education 5444 3.0: Education for Sustainability/Core course or Education 5445 3.0: Education, Sustainability and the Ecological Crisis/Core course
  • thesis or research project on environmental/sustainability education topic.

Completion of the Intention to Graduate with the Concurrent Graduate Diploma in Environmental/Sustainability Education form must be submitted to the Graduate Program in Environmental Studies administrator for the graduate diploma, for review by the Joint Graduate Diploma Committee. Environmental Studies students are further required to reflect their intent to graduate with the Diploma in their Plans of Study and to notify their advisor accordingly.

For more information, contact the Graduate Program in Education, 282 Winters College, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3; gradprogram@edu.yorku.ca.

Education

Requirements for the direct-entry graduate diploma in the Graduate Program in Education are:

  • five half courses including two of the required courses Environmental Studies 6140 3.0: Environmental Education/Core course and either Education 5444 3.0: Education for Sustainability/Core course or Education 5445 3.0: Education, Sustainability and the Ecological Crisis/Core Course.

In addition to the two required courses, students must successfully complete three half courses from the approved list below.

Approved Courses in the Graduate Program in Education
Education 5370 3.0: Environmental Themes in Storytelling and First Nations Traditions
Education 5440 3.0: Urban Education
Education 5446 3.0: Ecology, Ethics and Education
Education 5464 3.0: Issues in Globalization and Education
Education 5545 3.0: The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education
Education 5611 3.0: ‘Indigenous’ Ways of Knowing
Education 5615 3.0: Education and Social Justice in Postmodernity
Education 5800 3.0: Critical Pedagogy
Education 5850 3.0: Science, Technology, and Society

Approved Courses in the Graduate Program in Environmental Studies
Environmental Studies 5164 3.0: Environmental Economics
Environmental Studies 6150 3.0: Popular Education for Social Change, Part 1
Environmental Studies 6151 3.0: Popular Education for Social Change, Part II
Environmental Studies 6149 3.0: Culture and the Environment
Environmental Studies 6153 3.0: Native/Canadian Relations
Environmental Studies 6144 3.0: Action Learning
Environmental Studies 6189 3.0: GIS Applications in Planning and Resource Management
Environmental Studies 6114 3.0: Sustainable Development for Canada
Environmental Studies 5010 3.0: Bioregional Field Course
Environmental Studies 6118 3.0: Applied Ecology

Courses in the Graduate Program in Geography
Geography 5015 3.0: Remote Sensing and Image Processing for Geographical Analysis and Environmental Monitoring
Geography 5310 3.0: Applied Transportation Geography
Geography 5350 3.0: Geographic Perspectives on Immigration, Race, and Ethnicity in Modern Cities
Geography 5360 3.0: Geographies of Globalization and Development
Geography 5370 3.0: Urban Social Policy
Geography 5410 3.0: Resource Management
Geography 5610 3.0: Biogeochemistry of Stream Ecosystem
Geography 5630 3.0: Physical Hydrology and Water Resources
Geography 5695 3.0: Fluvial Geomorphology

Courses in the Graduate Program in Biology
Biology 5096 3.0: Pollution, Invaders and Global Change
Biology 5097 3.0: Pollination Biology
Biology 5098 3.0: Conservation Biology

Courses in the Graduate Program in Chemistry
Chemistry 5710 3.0: Chemistry of the Natural and Polluted Atmosphere
Chemistry 5720 3.0: Transport and Chemistry of Atmospheric Trace Gases

With the permission of the graduate diploma coordinator, students may substitute up to one three-credit course relevant to Environmental/Sustainability Education offered in graduate programs at York or other universities.

For more information, contact the Graduate Program in Education, 282 Winters College, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 1P3; gradprogram@edu.yorku.ca.