Program Overview

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Introduction to the Urban Worlds Major

The Urban Worlds Major is a new degree program at Simon Fraser University, offered at all three campuses. This program allows students to explore cities from multiple perspectives, examining them as sites of culture, politics, economy, and human creativity. By understanding how societies change cities and how cities transform society, students will gain the knowledge and skills to become urban problem solvers and shape cities for the better.

Program Structure

The Urban Worlds Major is a collaboration between the Faculty of Environment and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The program structure includes:

• A foundation year where students take courses together
• Years 2 and 3, where students choose a stream focused on their areas of interest: Urban Change or Urban Studies
• Year 4, where students reconnect for capstone projects

Streams

The Urban Worlds Major offers two streams:

Urban Change

This stream explores the geographic dimensions of urban change, focusing on the dynamics of urban spaces and how they shape social change. Students will acquire a deep knowledge of how cities have come to be what they are and how to shape cities and urban life for the better in the future. The Urban Change stream is strongly based in Geography and includes courses that explore:

• The geography of urban change
• Place-based spatial relationships that constitute cities, urban regions, and global interurban relationships
• The dynamics of urban spaces, including geographies of place, politics, gentrification, crisis, food, community, migration, and other fundamental place-based processes
• Constructive and critical professional and civic engagement with the world through urban practice courses

Urban Studies

This stream explores the richness and diversity of human settlement in cities, focusing on historical, cultural, economic, and political dimensions. Students will learn to appreciate and improve human agency in city-making outcomes, understanding the common factors that draw people to live and work in cities. The Urban Studies stream develops students' skills in discovering the richness and diversity of human settlement in cities and equips them to perceive and interpret the cultural, economic, historical, and political dimensions of urban society.

Topics of Study

The Urban Worlds Major covers a wide range of topics, including:

• Gentrification
• Housing and homelessness
• Climate change
• Culture and place
• Migration
• Spread of infectious disease
• Age-friendly cities and communities
• Racism and sexism
• Community-engaged place-making
• Transportation
• City's role as a node of extraction in the global economy

Career Areas

Graduates of the Urban Worlds Major can pursue various career paths in:

• Business development
• City construction
• Economic development
• Emergency management
• Market research and analysis
• Production utilities
• Sustainability
• Transportation
• Urban and land-use planning

Accelerated Masters

The Urban Worlds Major offers an accelerated master's option, allowing students to take graduate-level courses and apply them toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees at SFU.

Program Requirements

For more information on program requirements, students should consult the SFU Admissions page or contact the department's advisors.

Conclusion

The Urban Worlds Major at Simon Fraser University provides students with a comprehensive understanding of urban environments and the skills to shape cities for the better. With its interdisciplinary approach, flexible program structure, and focus on real-world applications, this program prepares graduates for a wide range of careers in urban development, planning, and management.