Course Descriptions

The intention of this course is to provide foundational knowledge about sustainability science and concepts while also exposing students to themes for exploration through the Certificate in Sustainability. Students will be exposed to an interdisciplinary perspective, with materials from the social and natural sciences as well as humanist perspectives. This course is taught in an interactive environment with an emphasis on critical thinking exercises and class discussions.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

This course combines seminars and project-based activities to examine local and global sustainability issues, integrating perspectives and knowledge from both the social and natural sciences. Students will work in interdisciplinary, collaborative groups to address sustainability challenges on campus and in our community.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours
Prerequisite(s): ENVS 201 and permission of the instructors. Please note that students in the B.Sc.(RRM) in Renewable Resource Management; B.S.A. in Environmental Science; and B.A.& Sc. in Environment & Society are not required to complete ENVS 201 as a prerequisite; please contact the School for a prerequisite override using sustainability.certificate@usask.ca. This course is intended for senior undergraduate students.

The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to conceptual, practical, and ethical issues in conducting interdisciplinary research about environment and sustainability. By the end of the course, students will have a research plan from which their proposal and research activities can be developed.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a SENS graduate thesis program or permission from instructor.

Environmental data management is complex because of its volume, qualitative and quantitative forms, and temporal and spatial characteristics. This course introduces students to statistical, qualitative, and visual methods of problem-solving and data reduction and representation and describes methods for managing large and complex data sets.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course will provide hands-on training in a variety of practical field skills and techniques in ecological, hydrological, and/or social sciences related to communities and ecosystems. Students should be prepared to work in the outdoors.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have special permission by instructor.
Note: Costs in addition to tuition will apply.

This course confronts the paradoxes of understanding, assessing, and resolving challenges of sustainability. Students broaden and deepen understandings of sustainability, learn about their own strengths and biases, and develop both creative and analytical skills using in-depth case studies that require interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course is designed for graduate students to improve their knowledge of applied environmental and sustainability problems and develop problem-solving skills. The focus will be on problem identification concepts, investigation of potential causes, identification of potential causes of environmental and sustainability problems, identification and implementation of potential solutions or remedial measures, and action plans to evaluate anticipated results.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a SENS graduate program or permission of the instructor.

This seminar course is built around three major areas of focus—to identify and chart pathways to success in the SENS PhD program, to examine ideas, debates, and assumptions tied to “environment” and “sustainability” and explore inter- and transdisciplinary research strategies to support societal objectives in these areas, and to foster professional development skills, including competencies that PhD students at SENS are expected to demonstrate.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in the SENS Ph.D. program. Course will be made available to students in Ph.D. programs of other units by permission from instructor.

Students will increase their capacity for collaboration by enhancing their ability to recognize root causes of conflicts and stuck places. Beginning with themselves, students sharpen their skills in identifying differences in assumptions, world views, standpoints and knowledge hierarchies, recognizing how these affect thinking, actions, values, and judgments.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

This course is set in the context of environmental decision-making, and involves critical examination of human-nature relations and multiple ways of knowing (epistemologies). Knowledge systems addressed include, but are not limited to, Aboriginal knowledge systems and intuitive ways of knowing. Applications to the legal "duty to consult" with Aboriginal peoples will be addressed, and students are asked to analyze their own decision-making beliefs and practices in the context of multiple understandings of the world.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Note: Students in the School of Environment and Sustainability will be given priority up to a limit of 15.

This course is designed for graduate students in environmental sciences to learn statistical data analysis and gain experience in applying common approaches to experimental problems, understand sequential process of model building, develop ability to understand and synthesize desired information from data analysis.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours
Prerequisite(s):An undergraduate degree in an environmental discipline or permission of the instructor.

This course provides graduate students with a set of modelling skills to solve a range of water-related environmental problems. The models help us to think through physical processes and interpret observations. Students will learn to critically assess modelling studies as will be needed throughout their careers.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in the SENS or permission of the instructor.

Bridging theory and practice, this course provides an introduction to qualitative methodologies and methods. Throughout, students will develop their ability to articulate, concepts, and criteria; compare and select relevant methodologies and methods; apply methods data collection, data management, analysis; theoretically-ground research proposals, and improve quality through reflexivity.

Prerequisite(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

This course provides an overview of the fundamentals of hydrologic modelling from our perceptions of the behaviour of watershed systems to developing and testing watershed simulation models. Theory and numerical implementation of model calibration approaches, including local and global optimization, are taught. An introduction to multi-objective optimization and different approaches to sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of hydrologic models is included.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor

The movement of chemicals in aquatic systems has major implications for water policy and management. A wide variety of contaminants reach aquatic systems. Case studies will investigate the sources and properties of aquatic contaminants, where chemicals go in the environment, and the risks they pose when they get there.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor.
Note: Students with credit for ENVS 823 or TOX 843 will not receive credit for this course.

Groundwater flow; connections between groundwater and the rest of the hydrologic cycle; well hydraulics; groundwater chemistry; solute and contaminant transport in groundwater systems.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course explains the evolution of sustainability, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and introduces students to threshold concepts relevant to the science and practice of sustainability.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

This course introduces students to the field of catchment hydrology. The course learning objectives include learning the fundamentals of catchment hydrology, developing an understanding of the fundamentals of the catchment water balance and diagnosing key hydrological process associated with how catchments store and release water.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security program or have permission of the instructor.
Note: Students with credit for ENVS 823.3 or TOX 843.3 will not receive credit for this course.

The course explores the intricate connections between water, human health, and well-being, with a particular focus on social justice issues both globally and within Canada. Through a combination of lectures, case studies, and guests, students will examine the disparities in water access and quality, the resulting impacts on health and wellbeing, and the efforts to address these inequities through policy, activism, and community initiatives. The course is designed as a participatory seminar with guest lecturers, community leaders, videos, discussions and student presentations.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course will explore issues related to water resource sustainability from physical, chemical, biological, socio-economic and technological perspectives. Current threats to water resources in terms of water availability, water quality, and ecosystem services will be examined, and evolving methods to manage water resources more sustainably will be discussed.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor.

A graduate level course designed to introduce students in an integrative manner to the field of biodiversity conservation and how to apply its principles to best promote sustainability. Understanding biodiversity and its management requires an interdisciplinary approach with particular reference to mechanisms of change and human impacts on the environment. This course will be interdisciplinary in its approach.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

This course will provide an understanding of the processes that control the movement of chemical contaminants in the environment. Local and global methods for chemical regulation/management will be addressed in the context of society and economics. The use of modelling to predict the environmental fate/effects of contaminants will be presented.

Prerequisite(s): Approval of the Course Coordinator is necessary.
Note: Students with credit for ENVS 816 or ENVS 819 or TOX 843 will not receive credit for this course.

This course will teach students the fundamentals of biophysical science as applied in riverine settings. It will begin by examining physical and biological processes that naturally occur in rivers, then layer on top of that understanding the influence of climatic variables (ice and evaporation) and human influences (river channel modification and contaminant loading).

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course exposes students to the management of water resources in cold regions, both through western science and traditional knowledge. It focuses on the following components of the hydrological cycle: river ice, snow and permafrost. Real examples from consulting services will also be included as in-class activities.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

This course will help the student develop a fundamental knowledge of climate change, and its causes and impacts on the different parts of the Earth systems, such as the water cycle, arctic hydrology and how it is related to sea level rising. Climate change impacts on human society will also be discussed.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

Seminar that investigates the latest in water security research nationally and internationally. Developing awareness and understanding for major concepts in water security and helping students understand what constitutes world class research.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

This course is an introduction to the use of isotope tracers in catchment hydrology. The course covers the principles of isotope chemistry and then how isotope tracing can be used in groundwater hydrology, surface water hydrology and determining the sources and age of plant transpiration. Basic research and applied use of tracers will be covered for earth scientists, engineers, and ecologists.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

This course introduces river, land and wetland science in the context of water security to students. This course will explore many of the physical, chemical and biological factors that characterize these water bodies. Students will learn, through case studies, many of the issues facing rivers, lakes and wetlands including dam and dam removal, eutrophication, wetland drainage, and invasive species.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program-or have permission of the instructor.

This course explores the complex challenges facing global water systems amid rapid population growth, economic development, and climate change. It covers key topics such as water governance, policy and management, the politics of modelling, and transboundary water sharing. Students will gain insights into complex systems theory, decision making under deep uncertainty, and the economics of water, equipping them with the skills necessary to develop resilient and adaptive strategies for water resource management.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course introduces the concepts of risk assessment and environmental negotiation. Negotiations and consultations are central to managing relations among diverse stakeholder groups in assessing and addressing environmental issues. This course uses experiential learning where students actively investigate an environmental issue, conduct a risk assessment, and negotiate an outcome among stakeholders through role play.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

Negotiations and consultations are central to managing relations among the multiple actors in unsustainable development initiatives including Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments and organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. This course introduces students to key issues in consultation and negotiations and offers practice through a negotiation simulation exercise.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

This course is guided by a two-eyed seeing approach, weaving together Indigenous knowledge and Western knowledge systems. The foundations of an Indigenous worldview will be explored. Topics include Indigenous worldviews and ways of knowing, social and technical communication, sustainability, energy security, systems thinking, and communities.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course provides an introduction to global energy transitions and the role of renewable energy The course includes an examination of socio-technical transition theory and its alternatives, the value proposition of renewable energy, comparative social science methodology, and case studies drawn from Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, and remote and Indigenous communities.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course introduces past, present, and future concepts of renewable energy generation specific to Indigenous, northern, remote, and rural communities. Students will be introduced to the concept of project development from multi-disciplinary perspectives.

Prerequisite(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course introduces basic principles of community economic analysis and methods of measuring social and economic impact of renewable energy projects in Northern, remote and Indigenous communities.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This introductory course provides an overview of the process and basic tools to organize, assess, and monitor energy projects with a focus on the financial aspects. The course covers all stages from conceptual ideas, stakeholder engagement through project management, design, construction, financial modelling, financing options, and regulatory requirements. Guest speakers, subject matter experts, and case studies will be used to understand the complex multi- disciplinary perspectives of energy projects

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course introduces systems and best practices for holistic community energy project development, with emphasis on northern, remote, and Indigenous communities. Learning from case studies, students will develop an individual community energy plan.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

Recognizing the strengths of both Indigenous and Western worldviews, this course introduces students to key practical legal and regulatory frameworks as they apply to energy project development. Topics included governance structures, government jurisdictions, engagement and consultation, and general legal and regulatory concepts.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

Negotiations and consultations are central to managing relations among the multiple actors in sustainable development initiatives. This includes extensive engagement with Indigenous and non-Indigenous governments and organizations, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. This course introduces students to key issues in consultation and negotiations and offers practice through a negotiation simulation exercise.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course introduces students to assessing community energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate risk. Students will gain practical experience in designing low-carbon resilience strategies at the community level, using a range of tools and techniques.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course introduces systems and best practices for holistic community energy project development, with emphasis on northern, remote, and Indigenous communities. Learning from case studies, students will develop a collaborative community energy plan framework.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

The purpose of this class is to provide foundational knowledge of the concepts, components, and dynamics of complex systems. Emphasis will be placed on the interaction feedback mechanisms and emergence across systems of interacting elements. Graphical representations will be used to illustrate the value of systems thinking in sustainability problem-solving.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Prerequisite(s): Admission to a graduate program in the School of Environment and Sustainability or permission of the instructor.

Design thinking harnesses insights from users to prototype innovative solutions. Students will learn how products and services move through design thinking spaces of inspiration, ideation, and implementation to foster new products and services that are sustainably regenerative. Students develop a new product or service using design thinking tools to address a sustainability challenge.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

This course lays a foundation to bridge systems thinking and design thinking. Students learn foundational knowledge of the concepts, components, and dynamics of complex systems, with emphasis on the interaction feedback mechanisms and emergence across systems of interacting elements. Design thinking harnesses insights from users to prototype innovative solutions. Students learn how products and services move through design thinking spaces of inspiration, ideation, and implementation to foster new products and services that are sustainably regenerative. Students develop a new product or service using design thinking tools to address a sustainability challenge.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

Drawing from diverse traditions, this course examines the conceptual, practical and political challenges of transformative change embedded in current approaches to sustainability. It also introduces students to concepts and strategies of individual and collective action that might move society towards regenerative models of sustainability.

Restriction(s): Students must be registered in the Master of Sustainability (MSs) program or have permission of the instructor.

This course provides students with a foundation in ecological theories underpinning the restoration of terrestrial ecosystems. Main concepts in ecosystem disturbance, succession, community assembly and landscape ecology will be examined. The course relies on an interdisciplinary approach with reference to ecological theories and human-environment relationships including traditional ecological knowledge. The courses will prepare you to conduct site assessments and restoration projects with special attention to the unique challenges presented by altered environments.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

This course aims to support the students in developing a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of climate change, adaptation, and vulnerability. Students will also explore the concepts of the assessment the climate change vulnerability, the potential risks and benefits of climate change, and how to cope with the impacts of climate change or the adaptation options.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Prerequisite: Enrolled in a graduate program in the School of Environment and Sustainability, or permission of the instructor.

This course focuses on assessing the adaptive capacity of organizations and existing sustainable land and community systems to address climate change. The development and implementation of adaptation options will be explored, utilizing existing case studies to discuss opportunities, challenges, and management strategies, through climate change vulnerability assessments.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Prerequisite(s): ENVS 861.3

This course focuses on the intersection of climate vulnerabilities, adaptation action, and the application to inform and assess the economic and organizational elements of management and planning for climate change adaptation. Policy implications will be explored in adaptation management and decision making in the organizational case for adaption action.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Prerequisite(s): ENVS 861.3 and ENVS 862.3

This course explains institutions and processes of governance and policy making in Canada and internationally relevant to sustainability transitions, including branches of government, federalism, policy communities and policy networks, and roles of key actors at multiple scales.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Prerequisite(s): Admission to a graduate program in the School of Environment & Sustainability or permission of the instructor.

An examination of theoretical and practical issues associated with defining, describing, and evaluating environmental governance at multiple scales.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

This intensive, one-credit-unit graduate-level course is an introduction to the fundamental concepts of environmental law and policy in the Anthropocene.

Weekly hours: 3 Lecture hours

This course introduces students to Canadian law and its practical application as it applies to developing community-led sustainability projects, including renewable energy development. Topics include contracts, power-purchase-agreements, and dispute resolution.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Prerequisite(s): Admission to a graduate program in the School of Environment and Sustainability or permission of the instructor.

This introduction to the importance of reconciliation and renewing relationships with Indigenous peoples includes a special emphasis on the importance of recognition of rights, respect, cooperation and partnership. Success stories, challenges and lessons learned will be explored in understanding the pathway toward reconciliation and what this means for sustainability.

Weekly hours: 3 Seminar/Discussion hours
Prerequisite(s): Admission to a graduate program in the School of Environment and Sustainability or permission of the instructor.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations. Students interested in these courses should contact the school for more information.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.
Note: There may be extra fees in addition to tuition associated with this course.

Offered occasionally by visiting faculty and in other special situations. Students interested in these courses should contact the school for more information.

Restriction(s): Enrolment in a graduate program in SENS or permission of the instructor.

Not Available

The Project in Environment and Sustainability is a capstone learning experience for students in the Master of Sustainability (M.Ss.) and Master of Water Security (M.W.S.) degrees and is accessible only to those students. Intended to permit students to build upon knowledge and skills gained through the course component of their program, the project gives an opportunity to further investigate an aspect of environment and sustainability of particular interest and in a manner which contributes to their professional development.

Students writing a Master's thesis must register in this course.

Students writing a Ph.D. thesis must register in this course.