Courses

An introduction to the literature on global cities and a systematic review of a distinct field of research in urban studies which concerns itself with the globalization of a network of global or world cities. Course credit exclusion: GS/GEOG 5580 3.00.

Provides students with a critical understanding of key renewable energy options for electricity generation, heating and cooling of buildings and transportation. Students will be introduced to a critical analysis of renewable energy as a strategy for climate change mitigation, community empowerment, industrial development, and energy security. Integrated with ENVS 4400. Exclusion: Students who already took ENVS 4400.

Examines current political, economic and social debates concerning extractive industry, placing these in the context of longer histories of global imperialism and colonialism. Following a review of conceptual approaches to natural resource `extraction`, the course will examine contemporary global regulation and resistance to it, focusing upon the state, the corporation, the resource, the affected community, and the (global) social movement as units of analysis. Integrated with ENVS 4310. Exclusion: Students who already took ENVS 4310.

Introduces incoming MES students to a broad range of debates and interdisciplinary perspectives in Environmental Studies as a basis for the preparation of the Initial Plan of Study.

Introduction to concepts and principles in ecology as they relate to both natural and managed environments and to resources, planning, management, and conservation. Topics are analyzed within the context of ecological change and its implications for both the non-human world and human habitats.

Exploration in the emerging field of ecological economics, including discussion of: the optimal scale of the economy in relation to the environment, environmental valuation, measurement, risk, and discounting; intergenerational and interspecies equity; entropy/ thermodynamics; and community-based economics.

Explores the field of planning in its diverse forms of theory and practice. Focus is on overarching aspects of planning theory and practice and selected themes of significance to planning in the Greater Toronto Area. By permission of OSAS.

Examines the development and implementation of public policies related to the environment and sustainability in a Canadian context. The course focuses on the interaction of institutions, societal forces and ideas in the Canadian environmental policy experience.

This course is an introduction to environmental philosophy with an emphasis on major ethical traditions including environmental ethics, concepts of Nature, power, the body and animal/human relations. There is a special focus on the ethical dimensions of various religious and spiritual traditions.

This course examines the political economy of capitalism from a geographical angle. It looks at the spatial and environmental aspects of capitalism employing Marx=s >mature= works as well as more contemporary literature on political economy in geography and cultural studies. Crosslisted GEOG 5375.

This course assists students in the transition from MES II to MES III, with emphasis on the design of the substantive and integrative experiences to be undertaken in MES III (including expectations of the Major Project, Major Paper, or Thesis) and the ways that students may demonstrate “mastery” of the subject matter.

This course assists students in the transition from MES II to MES III, with emphasis on the design of the substantive and integrative experiences to be undertaken in MES III (including expectations of the Major Project, Major Paper, or Thesis) and the ways that students may demonstrate “mastery” of the subject matter.

Introduction to planning for urban centres and regions. Emphasis is on the history of urban regional planning thought and practice, key planning models and concepts, the planning process, and plan implementation

Explores the evolving nature of community planning and the linkages among planning, housing policy and programs, and planning for the provision of social services and infrastructure in a multicultural society.

This course focuses on the strategic relationships between land use planning, the environment, economy and transportation planning policies, principles and practices. The course focuses on the interaction of key actors, institutions, policy processes, strategies and techniques relating to transportation planning. Topics include reducing auto dependence, the role of public transit and alternatives modes of transportation in the Canadian transportation planning approach.

Focus is on planned approaches to identifying and resolving environmental problems encountered in human settlements. Consideration is given to the location, form, pattern and functioning of human communities in relation to the natural environment, as well as to the livability and quality of built environments.

Examines the role of urban design in creating healthy and equitable urban environments. Social, ecological and economic considerations shaping the urban landscape are studied and provide a basis for a proactive and informed approach to its design.

Examines the critical urban theories and theoretical debates that have informed research questions and political orientations in the field of urban studies since the 1960s. Readings include major texts from feminist, post-structural/colonial and Marxist approaches, and debates over the changing natures of local states, political organizations and justice, generated both in Western and non-Western urban contexts. Students are expected to develop faculties of comparing and critically assessing different theoretical approaches. Crosslisted POLS 6404.

This course looks at current and historical research from Aboriginal and Indigenous (non-western) perspectives, including ethics, epistemologies, methodologies, protocols, and practices. It also examines colonial and 'post' colonial research practices by mainstream researchers, publishers, granting agencies, and ethics review boards.

Examination of law relating to planning and development, with emphasis on the Canadian context. Topics include land use, real estate, urban and regional planning.

Planning and politics are considered along a number of dimensions: the ideologies of planning; the role of planning as a selective filter of values and interests in civil society and the local state; planning as a mediator of conflicts between concepts of urban places as ‘economic space' and ‘community space'; planning as the mediating agency of urban growth and decline.

The application of analytics including optimization, simulation, regression, and time series analysis, to problems in environmental studies such as food systems, political change, emergency response systems, and homeless shelter policy. Solutions will be implemented in spreadsheets and statistical software (Excel and R).

This course is intended to acquaint students with participatory research, its theoretical underpinnings and guiding principles, as well as some of its challenges and limitations. Students have the opportunity to apply participatory research theory, principles, and skills through assignments and in the community.

The purpose of this course is to provide a critical overview of the theory, practice and key issues pertaining to environmental assessment. Emphasis will be placed on the Canadian context. The objectives include: a) gaining familiarity with the fundamentals of environmental assessment; b) exploring issues pertaining to the practice of environmental assessment; c) exploring substantive issues that may be addressed through environmental assessment; and d) briefly exploring methods and techniques of environmental assessment.

The workshop examines the context and debates surrounding the environmental future of the Greater Toronto Area in which we live, work, study, and play. The purpose is to allow students an opportunity to observe, critically analyse, and develop environmental plans within an applied setting.

This project-based course examines current planning and development practices in Toronto. Students learn about complex problems that planners typically need to resolve when dealing with significant development projects in major North American cities.

This course examines natural disasters from an interdisciplinary point of view, particularly considering why there seem to be more natural disasters, and how and why decisions made by people create vulnerable communities.

This course examines natural disasters from an interdisciplinary point of view, particularly considering why there seem to be more natural disasters, and how and why decisions made by people create vulnerable communities.

Individual study activities in subject areas not addressed in current Environmental Studies course offerings, devised and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and arranged to suit the requirements of the student’s individual Plan of Study. Normally intended for students at the MES II level. Maximum 18 credits per program

Individual study activities in subject areas not addressed in current Environmental Studies course offerings, devised and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and arranged to suit the requirements of the student’s individual Plan of Study. Normally intended for students at the MES II level. Maximum 18 credits per program

Individual study activities in subject areas not addressed in current Environmental Studies course offerings, devised and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and arranged to suit the requirements of the student’s individual Plan of Study. Normally intended for students at the MES II level. Maximum 18 credits per program

Individual study activities in subject areas not addressed in current Environmental Studies course offerings, devised and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and arranged to suit the requirements of the student’s individual Plan of Study. Normally intended for students at the MES II level. Maximum 18 credits per program

Approved research toward the submission of Major Paper, Major Project, Portfolio, arranged and conducted under the supervision of a faculty Supervisor. MES students take the course for 0 credit. Only MES/JD students take the course for (transfer) credits (normally 12).

Approved research toward the submission of Major Paper, Major Project, Portfolio, arranged and conducted under the supervision of a faculty Supervisor. MES students take the course for 0 credit. Only MES/JD students take the course for (transfer) credits (normally 12).

Approved research toward the submission of Major Paper, Major Project, Portfolio, arranged and conducted under the supervision of a faculty Supervisor. MES students take the course for 0 credit. Only MES/JD students take the course for (transfer) credits (normally 12).

Approved research toward the submission of Major Paper, Major Project, Portfolio, arranged and conducted under the supervision of a faculty Supervisor. MES students take the course for 0 credit. Only MES/JD students take the course for (transfer) credits (normally 12).

This ongoing seminar is designed to assist PhD students in the formulation of their PhD Program Plan, through a comparative examination of research methods and research designs.

This course is designed to support PhD students in Environmental Studies as they conceive and develop their PhD dissertation proposals. While it is not a methods course per se, we will discuss, review or workshop particular approaches, methodological issues, and methods based on the interests and needs of those enrolled. Class activities and assignments are directed at students developing, writing (or refining in the case of those with a draft already written) and completing their dissertation proposals and preparing themselves for the dissertation research/writing process.

Individual research activities in subject areas not addressed in current Environmental Studies course offerings, devised and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and arranged to suit the requirements of the student's individual PhD Program Plan.

Individual research activities in subject areas not addressed in current Environmental Studies course offerings, devised and carried out under the supervision of a faculty member and arranged to suit the requirements of the student's individual PhD Program Plan.