Vanier College
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The aim of the program is to prepare students to practise the occupation of environmental and wildlife technician mainly in the fields of applied research, planning and education in the natural environment with a view to promoting conservation, the sustainable and rational use of natural resources as well as the sound and integrated management of natural environments and their biodiversity. The concept of natural environment, which forms one of the cornerstones of this program, is defined as the terrestrial, aquatic and wetland ecosystems in a territory, as well as water, air, soil, plant and wildlife resources.

Environmental technicians are employed in a variety of fields, the primary one being applied research. As part of a multidisciplinary team and under the supervision of a researcher, technicians work as assistants responsible for a variety of tasks, including taking censuses in the natural environment, organizing and managing the logistical aspects of the research, both in the field and in a lab, conducting certain lab analyses as well as conducting experiments.

Research activities are aimed at the rational use of natural resources in a given territory. Such a territory may include protected areas, as well as recreational, agricultural, forest, urban and periurban areas. Environmental and wildlife technicians may be called upon to perform their duties in any or all of these areas.

The Sustainability College Major is designed to allow students, whatever field of study they are in, to explore a wide spectrum of environmental, economic and social issues faced by the planet, locally or globally. Sustainability and Environmental studies are amongst the fastest growing university programs and work sectors and for good reasons, given the urgent need for sustainable solutions on every front of human interaction with the environment. With this perspective in mind, the Sustainability Major’s aim is to promote students’ engagement who are called to become actors in the positive changes that need to be made. While studying in their respective program, students get exposed to issues of sustainability through a variety of related courses they take, events they attend and hands-on experiences they acquire.

Requirements for the Major are as follows:
1. Students must complete and pass SIX courses from the list of eligible courses., TWO of which must be OUTSIDE of one’s program of study. Courses are available in a variety of disciplines.
2. Students must participate in Academic Activities such as Sustainable Earth Week or Bike Week; must attend a presentation with sustainability content during events like the Social Science Festival or Science Presentations; must attend a conference or event with environmental content; or must work on projects related to Sustainability for their Integrative Project or other end of year project. A minimum of THREE activities are required.
3. Students must volunteer in local College projects (e.g. planning or helping at some of the events mentioned above, working on a specific College project); must volunteer within the Community (e.g. in St Laurent or beyond); or can go to classes to talk about the Sustainability Major as a recruitment tool. A total of 10 hours of volunteer work is required in any given semester, for a total of 30 hours.