Program Overview
Environmental Sciences Program at UBC's Vancouver Campus
The Environmental Sciences program at the University of British Columbia's Vancouver campus is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on understanding the major environmental issues facing human societies. It adopts a cross-disciplinary approach to the study of these issues, providing students with a strong foundational science background.
Program Description
The program concentrates on understanding the major environmental issues facing human societies and adopts an integrative cross-disciplinary approach to the study of these issues. This program provides a significant background in physical sciences, earth and ocean sciences, and life sciences.
Why Choose This Program?
- Study at one of the world’s top-ranked universities in earth environmental sciences.
- Take classes and labs in UBC’s new Earth Sciences Building.
- Tailor the specialization to your interests with concentrations in land, air and water, or ecology and conservation.
Program Information
- Campus: Vancouver
- Faculty: Faculty of Science
- Degree: Bachelor of Science
- Length: 4 years
- Co-op: Yes
- Honours: Yes
Experiential Learning and Research
Seminars and student projects are designed to help students perfect their communication skills and ability to work in groups, preparing them for future employment and teamwork as an environmental scientist. All environmental science students are required to do a major project (two terms) in their final year. Majors students engage in a team project in collaboration with a community partner organization, while honours students undertake an individual research project with a faculty supervisor.
Campus Features
The Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences is home to the Environmental Interfaces Laboratory (EIL) and the Pacific Museum of the Earth. The Beaty Biodiversity Museum is also open to students.
Sample Courses
- Year 1
- Year 2
- Year 3
- Year 4
- BIOL 121 - Genetics, Evolution and Ecology
- BIOL 140 - Laboratory Investigations in Life Science
- CHEM 121 - Structure and Bonding in Chemistry
- MATH 101 - Integral Calculus with Applications to Physical Sciences and Engineering
- PHYS 101 - Energy and Waves
- ENVR 200 - Introduction to Environmental Science
- GEOB 200 - Atmospheric Environments
- BIOL 230 - Fundamentals of Ecology
- STAT 200 - Elementary Statistics for Applications
- BIOL 300 - Fundamentals of Biostatistics
- ENVR 300 - Introduction to Research in Environmental Science
- EOSC 372 - Introductory Oceanography: Circulation and Plankton
- GEOB 305 - Introduction to Hydrology
- MRNE 415 - Structure and Function in Marine Animals
- EOSC 340 - Global Climate Change
- ENVR 400 - Community Project in Environmental Science
- ENVR 410 - Energy, Environment, and Society
- GEOB 402 - Air Pollution Meteorology
- ENVR 430 - Ecological Dimensions of Sustainability
- MRNE 437 - Population and Community Ecology of Marine Organisms
Your Future
A BSc in Environmental Sciences can lead to careers in research, government, industry, law, medicine, occupational health, education, or advocacy. The Environmental Sciences specialization provides grounding in a broad field of scientific disciplines and a solid background in understanding environmental challenges. You’ll graduate with strong critical thinking, communication, and research skills, plus the ability to work effectively in teams. These skills are highly sought after and are transferable to many workplaces.
Program Graduates
- Science and policy associate, Environmental Law and Policy Center
- GIS technician, Environment Canada
- Environmental technician, Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd.
- Graduate student in Environmental Sciences, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
- Laboratory assistant, ALS Environmental
- Junior forestry technician, Integrated ProAction Corp.
Related Programs
- Conservation
- Campus: Vancouver
- Length: 4 years
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Campus: Okanagan
- Length: 4 years
- Forest Sciences
- Campus: Vancouver
- Length: 4 years
- Freshwater Science
- Campus: Okanagan
- Length: 4 years
- Integrated Sciences
- Campus: Vancouver
- Length: 4 years
Program Requirements
Canadian High Schools
International High Schools
International Baccalaureate
- Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.
- IB Math Analysis and Approaches SL or HL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL (IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, are not acceptable)
- One of IB Biology, IB Chemistry, or IB Physics
- Grade 11 or equivalent Chemistry, and
- Grade 11 or equivalent Physics (may be waived with grades of 5 in IB Chemistry and in your IB Mathematics course)
English-Language Requirements
English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.
General Admission Requirements
- Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.
- IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.
- IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.
Degree-Specific Requirements: Science
- IB Math Analysis and Approaches SL or HL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL (IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, are not acceptable)
- One of IB Biology, IB Chemistry, or IB Physics
- Grade 11 or equivalent Chemistry, and
- Grade 11 or equivalent Physics (may be waived with grades of 5 in IB Chemistry and in your IB Mathematics course)
Related Courses
The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior year and senior year.
- Language Arts
- Mathematics and Computation
- Sciences
We acknowledge that UBC’s two main campuses are situated within the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people, and in the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples.