Honours Project in Environmental Sustainability
Course Description
Interdisciplinary study of the scientific, socio-political, and economic aspects of selected local, national, or global issues related to environmental sustainability. Teamwork is emphasized.
NOTE Field Trip: estimated cost $30. Units: 6.0.
This course is a capstone experience for ENVS and ENSC majors. It incorporates many of the issues and concepts you have been exposed to in Environmental Studies and requires you to apply knowledge and methods you have learned in other courses toward a ‘real world’ case study.
This two-term capstone course for ENVS and ENSC majors challenges students to apply the knowledge and methods gained throughout their studies to a real-world case study. The 2025/26 theme is Applied Climate Science. In the fall term (ENSC 430A), we focus on three key areas: (a) climate model analysis, where students learn to access, process, and interpret model data to assess climate change impacts on ecosystems and societies; (b) environmental monitoring, using satellite and in situ observations to evaluate current conditions, with an emphasis on ecosystem resilience; and (c) socio-economic pathways, which involve examining mitigation strategies from integrated assessment models and analyzing interactions between climate, society, and the economy. In the winter term (ENSC 430B), students apply the skills acquired in the first term by working in groups on a topic of their choice, such as the impacts of climate change on biodiversity, wildfires, or drought, or the effectiveness of Canada’s carbon tax. The course concludes with a public Project Symposium, where each group presents its findings to peers and faculty. For more information, please visit
Requirements: Prerequisite Level 4 or above and registration in an (ENSC Major, ENVS Major, ENVS Medial, EBIO, ECHM, EGEO, EGPY, ELSC or ETOX Plan) or permission of the School.