Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies

at University of the Fraser Valley - Abbotsford Campus Canada

UFV’s four-year Bachelor of Environmental Studies (BES) is a full-time program that provides you with the skills to shape business, industry, and government practices using economically and environmentally-sound principles. Developed as an integrated and interdisciplinary program, the BES builds connections between fields such as environmental studies, art, natural sciences, and communications. The program also incorporates a regional focus by addressing the environmental needs of the Fraser Valley, including agriculture and food security, climate change, land use planning/GIS, and environmental communications.

The Bachelor of Environmental Studies is structured around a primary core of courses that engage you on questions related to human-environment relationships, resource scarcity and allocation, innovation and problem solving, environmental research, and communication of ideas and results. Courses are delivered in a face-to-face format using lecture, seminar, field-based, and technology-supported classroom experiences. In addition, you may choose from a practicum or cooperative work placement to satisfy one of the work requirements. If you decide to combine the four-year BES with the Cooperative Education option, you need to allow for three additional semesters for degree completion.

Upon graduation, you are prepared to work as an environmental professional in Canada or abroad. Alternatively, you may also choose to pursue graduate studies or another professional designation.If you plan on working in the environmental science field and seek additional professional accreditation after graduation, you may consider the Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Natural Sciences) — planned for Winter 2020.

UFV's Mennonite Studies certificate offers solid foundational knowledge and professional experience to students who intend to pursue work or additional studies in fields such as peace and conflict resolution, sociology, history, religious studies, or social work.

In the first semester, you first explore the rich heritage of the Mennonites and connect their origins and development to socio-cultural, historical, economic, political, and religious contexts.

The second semester prepares you to become a critically-informed and socially responsible citizen. Through in-class lectures, course readings, participation in local events, and field work, you analyze and evaluate Mennonite contributions in relation to local and international relief work, development, and peacebuilding initiatives.

In addition to five required courses, elective options allow you to tailor your studies to suit your interests and career goals.

In your last semester, you gain real-life experience by completing a summer internship.

Upon graduation, you are well equipped to work in Mennonite-related fields, pursue relief work or peacebuilding initiatives. Alternatively, you may choose to apply to your credits towards a wide range of programs at UFV, including Peace and Conflict Studies.

The University Foundation certificate program is an intensive, full-time academic preparation program specifically designed for students who do not meet the English language requirements for full-time academic study at UFV.

The University Foundation certificate program (UFP) is an intensive program designed to help students make the transition from English Language Studies (ELS) to full-time university-level programs. Students take core ELS courses and university-level academic courses at the same time. When you successfully complete the University Foundation certificate, you meet the English requirement for full-time academic study at UFV. The University Foundation certificate program has two levels. Students are expected to maintain a 2.33 grade point average and complete the required ELS core courses at each level with a C+ or higher in ELS EAP084.

The number of university-level courses you can choose is based on your UFP level and grade point average (GPA).

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computerized data management system that allows us to visualize, investigate, and interpret information related to our world. GIS has become increasingly prevalent in industry, research and academia within a wide variety of fields. Applications of GIS range from creating maps displaying information of interest to using spatial analyses to detect relationships, patterns, and trends in location-based data. As such, GIS can be an essential tool for mapping, research, and decision making.

The GIS certificate program is designed to provide students with the core concepts underlying the use of location-based GIS data as well as the essential software skills necessary for work in both public and private sectors.

This program combines courses in the Geography, Computer Information Systems and Mathematics departments into a certificate. The program consists of a minimum of 31 credits.

Gain a framework to understand societal structures and evaluate global social challenges including inequality, poverty, sexism, racism, violence, and climate change.

Sociology major
Study of the development, structure, and functioning of human societies.

Start your studies by delving into sociology's key ideas and concepts, while building an understanding of culture, social change, socialization, stratification, social structure, institutions, race and ethnicity, gender, and age and class. In your third and fourth year, study advanced sociological topics, while gaining practical skills in qualitative and quantitative research.

When you graduate, you have developed the rational thinking, presentation, and  writing skills that are key for academic and professional success.

UFV offers the first year of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Engineering) degree program for students wishing to transfer to the University of British Columbia or the University of Victoria. Upon completion of the UFV program, students may be allowed to enter the second-year Engineering programs at UBC and UVic without any additional qualifying courses, providing they meet the entrance requirements for the program at these institutions.

Students transferring to UBC or UVic from the UFV program with the minimum required GPA may be admitted to the UBC/UVic second-year program. Once admitted, all students, regardless of their first-year institution, then compete for seats in different specialties based on their GPA; popular specialties have higher GPA requirements than the entrance GPA. UBC also allows admission from General Sciences, but may require a higher entrance GPA.

Gain an excellent grounding in modern biology and obtain the working skills of a professional biologist with a UFV Bachelor of Science in Biology.

In your first and second year, you gain a foundational understanding of cell biology, biochemistry, and ecology/organism interactions. In your third and fourth year, you expand your knowledge through a wide range of upper-level courses. 

You may also choose to take advantage of extra-curricular learning opportunities through field trips, study tours, and directed studies. The UFV Biology faculty will support you every step of your academic journey — even in your own research undertakings.  

Customize your degree to your interests by choosing one of the following concentrations:

• Pre-medicine/Pre-veterinary
• Cellular, Molecular, and Genetics
• Ecology and Biology of Organisms

The program:

• offers you a rich lab-intensive experience for interactive, hands-on practice in laboratory and research skills.
• encourages you to develop your own biology research, either with individual faculty guidance or as part of regular course material.
• facilitates co-op placements and summer work experience with local companies and organizations.
• prepares you for graduate or professional schools with concentrations in varied fields such as genetics, ecology, or pre-medicine.

Students are not admitted directly to the Associate of Science, however, students in Qualifying Studies or the Bachelor of Science degree program can graduate with the Associate of Science degree once all program requirements are met.

To be eligible for an Associate of Science degree you must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 18 courses. Please note that not all science courses are offered every semester. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan your courses in a sequential manner, paying particular attention to course prerequisites. Associate of Science students should consult with an Advisor to ensure that they select the appropriate science courses for their particular career direction. Students must achieve an average overall grade of C (cumulative GPA of 2.0) calculated on all courses that apply towards the associate degree.

The following is the Associate of Science program outline. Students wishing to complete the program in four semesters should follow the suggested outline below. Students who do not follow the suggested outline will take longer to complete the program.

A Bachelor of Arts with a Political Science major, minor or extended minor offers a range of lower and upper-level courses focusing on the fields of Canadian politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory.

Political Science major
UFV's Political Science major is designed to provide you with valuable skills in writing, communications, critical thinking, research, problem solving, and more.

In year one and two, you learn foundational skills in political science history and theory, statistical analysis, and research methodology. In year three and four, you round out your knowkedge by investigating relevant special topics and issues such as international relations, human rights, and public policy.

The Political Science major requires the completion of 18-19 lower-level credits and 30 upper-level credits. If you have research interests you can apply one Political Science Directed Independent Studies course towards your degree.