Interested in pursuing sustainability as a part of your university journey?
Whether you have an original research idea and are looking for capstone courses, or you just want to learn more about the environment, there is something for every student within Trinity College and the wider U of T community.
First-Year: Butterfield Environment & Sustainability Stream
As part of the University of Toronto’s First-Year Foundations Ones programs, the Margaret MacMillan Trinity One Program provides first-year students with the opportunity to explore major issues and ideas pertaining to human life and world affairs, while in a small-group environment conducive to deep discussion and interaction. Click here to learn more about Trinity One Butterfield Environment & Sustainability stream and learn more about the courses in the stream:
Upper Year: Sustainability Courses at Trinity
As part of Trinity’s Integrated Sustainability Initiative, sustainability studies is being integrated into the College’s academic programs to help equip students with tools to address one of the globe’s most pressing challenges. Starting the 2021-2022 academic year, the College added a core sustainability course to the Ethics, Society & Law Program and the International Relations Program. A sustainability course in Immunology is also under development.
- Ethics, Society & Law Program: TRN312: Sustainability Issues in Ethics, Society, and Law
- International Relations Program: TRN350: Scarcity, Sustainability, and the Future of International Relations
The above courses can contribute to a Certificate in Sustainability offered by the School of the Environment
Community Research Partnership in Ethics (CRPE)
In the CRPE program, students undertake research projects designed to meet the knowledge needs of ethics-oriented organizations in the broader community. Some current partner organizations that relate closely to Sustainability include the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), and Aboriginal Legal Services (ALS).
- Ethics, Society & Law Program (Limited Enrolment Course): TRN407: Community Research Partnership in Ethics
Other U of T Sustainability Courses and Certificate
Looking for more? Search courses related to sustainability at U of T’s Undergraduate Sustainability Course Inventory
The Certificate in Sustainability is a for-credit undergraduate certificate open to all Faculty of Arts & Science students and is designed to complement any degree or discipline. It is offered in conjunction with any undergraduate program at the Faculty of Arts & Science and is of no additional cost for full-time students. Successful completion of the certificate is recorded on the academic transcript. This certificate brings together students from the arts and sciences, to approach the topic of sustainability from multiple perspectives. Students will develop a sustainability lens through which they can approach the rest of their academic program, career path, and life in general. TRN312 and TRN350 courses count as electives towards this certificate, and the two Trinity One courses count towards the required Foundations course. This Certificate is part of a tri-campus initiative, led by the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability (CECCS), to incorporate sustainability into the undergraduate curriculum and address society’s pressing sustainability challenges.
Graduate Programs in Sustainability
Graduate programs in environment and sustainability are offered at the University of Toronto. The programs empower students to take their education and commitment to sustainable futures to the next level. Programs offered range from focuses in Sustainability Management to a Master in Environment & Sustainability, and even collaborative specializations for those already in graduate programs. We invite you to explore your options here and find the program that will enhance your sustainability education further and help you to advance towards future careers in your field of interest or doctoral-level studies. For more general information, you can visit: https://environment.utoronto.ca/graduate/.
The Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) degree is a professional masters’ degree for graduate students looking to advance their knowledge and experience in sustainability management. The degree was developed with the help of leading governmental organizations, businesses, non-profits, and research institutes. The degree welcomes students from many different academic disciplines and provides the opportunity for students to specialize within management or science, on top of the general foundation of sustainability management. For more information, you can visit: https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/programs/sustainability-management/ and https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/mscsm/master-science-sustainability-management-mscsm.
In the Master of Environment & Sustainability (MES) program, students will work closely with their individual thesis advisor and advisory committees for the duration of 12 months full-time. The advisory committee will consist of a primary supervisor and two other faculty members from at least two disciplines or departments to encourage transdisciplinary learning. This style of learning and exposure will prepare students for careers in the private and public sectors, as well as future studies at the doctoral level. For more information, you can visit: https://www.environment.utoronto.ca/graduate/mes/about-mes.
The collaborative specializations provide graduate students already enrolled in degree programs the opportunity for further specialization. The specializations offered are within Environmental Studies and Environment and Health. These specializations allow students to complement their current degrees and enhance their unique interdisciplinary approach to their work. For more information, you can visit: https://www.environment.utoronto.ca/graduate/collaborative-specializations/about-collaborative-specializations.
UTSC offers the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Environmental Science to encourage interdisciplinary work within six major concentrations:
- Climate Change and the Environment
- Contaminant Flux
- Environmental Science in Transitional Economies
- Great Lakes Ecosystems
- Remediation and Restoration of Degraded Environmental Systems
- Urban Geoscience
Applicants are accepted from a range of disciplines including environmental science, geology, chemistry, biology, engineering, geography and physics. For more information, you can visit: https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/physsci/doctor-philosophy-overview and https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/programs/environmental-science/.