Advance meaningful educational experiences in environmental sustainability.
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Build our capacity in undergraduate studies
Over the past five years, the Minor in Environmental Sustainability has given students an opportunity to study foundational concepts, fields of application, and contemporary issues in environmental sustainability. Students have shown a strong interest in this minor with steady enrollment in the minor across faculties at Brock since its inception in 2017. As of 2023, there were 29 students registered for the minor according to figures provided by Institutional Analysis. These figures also indicate that most students who declare the minor come from the Department of Geography & Tourism Studies and the Goodman School of Business.
The ESRC plans to:
- Explore opportunities to collaborate with these Departments to expand offerings for undergraduate students.
- Explore the opportunity to develop an undergraduate program in Environmental Studies in collaboration with the Earth Sciences and Geography & Tourism Departments at Brock.
These efforts are being made based on empirical evidence of strong student as well as institutional priorities regarding transdisciplinary programs.
Explore additional opportunities for graduate studies: Sustainability Science and Society (SSAS; Master of Sustainability)
In Spring of 2023, the ESRC undertook a review of the Sustainability Science and Society graduate program.
There were several recommendations from that review which include:
- improving the co-op experience;
- possible enhancements to Scheme C, including course-based/professional options;
- expansion of Indigenous content, students and faculty;
- virtual course options; and
- making better use of Faculty Affiliates.
We aim to explore these possibilities by liaising with others at Brock and exploring opportunities for collaboration. In all cases, we will pursue what is feasible through evidenced-based decision making.
The ESRC is also adding a graduate micro program to our offerings to create an accessible option for working professionals and a pathway for students interested in obtaining their masters in the future.
Launch of professional and continuing studies programming
In Fall of 2023, the ESRC launched the first of its professional and continuing studies programming, the Leadership in Environmental Sustainability Certificate program. The purpose of this certificate is to provide opportunities for learners of all educational levels and backgrounds. As part of this offering, we have already developed elective credits that address topics such as intersectional environmentalism and sharing knowledge and are developing an additional elective around sustainability transformations.
Cultivating connections on campus
The environment and sustainability are areas of focus for several units across campus, including the Brock University Students Union, Facilities Management, Goodman School of Business, the Department of Earth Sciences, the Department of Geography & Tourism Studies, and the Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering.
The ESRC has and will continue to:
- Connect with academic and administrative partners across to explore synergies for events (seminars, recruitment activities, etc.) and course/program offerings.
- Participate in experiences that support our graduate and undergraduate students, such as visiting stewardship sites at Niagara Parks to support the recently renewed MOU with Brock University, on-campus experiential opportunities with partners such as Facilities Management and interactions within the UNESCO Biosphere.
We will also invite new opportunities, such as exploring possible visits to organizations in the region to deepen understanding of Indigenous perspectives.
