Okanagan University College

What you'll study

Coursework draws from sciences, social sciences and humanities to build analytical and critical thinking about environmental problems. The Environmental Management and Environmental Science option course lists include the following (examples drawn from the program outlines):

• Foundational science: EESC 101 Environmental Science; EESC 111 Earth Science; GEOG 111/121 Introduction to Physical Geography
• Biology sequence (Environmental Science option): BIOL 111 Biology for Science Majors I; BIOL 112 Evolution and Ecology; BIOL 121/122 Biology for Science Majors II / Physiology of Multicellular Organisms (varies by stream)
• Quantitative skills: MATH 111 Essential Mathematics for Arts, MATH 112 Calculus I, ISTAT 121 Elementary Statistics
• Social and policy perspectives: GEOG 129 Human Geography: Resources, Development and Society; POLI 204 Canadian Environmental Policy; ECON 115 Principles of Microeconomics; ECON 271 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
• Technical and spatial tools: GEOG 272 Introduction to Cartography, GIS and Remote Sensing; GEOG 270 Geographic Data Analysis
• Communication and professional skills: ENGL 100 University Writing; CMNS 235 / ENGL 235 Professional Writing and Communications
• Indigenous and contextual studies: INDG 100 Introduction to Indigenous Studies; INDG 202/204 Okanagan or Indigenous Concepts and Frameworks
• Optional disciplinary electives at the 200-level or higher across GEOG, EESC, BIOL, ANTH, PHIL and POLI (examples: BIOL 203 Introduction to Ecology; PHIL 251 Environmental Ethics; ANTH 245 Culture and the Environment)

Students must ensure they meet prerequisites for courses in their chosen option; lab science and 200-level course requirements are specified in the program's second-year structure.

Entry requirements

Regular applicants need B.C. secondary graduation or equivalent and English 12 (minimum 60%) or an approved alternative. Applicants with less than 60% in English 12 may be admitted to the first year of the Associate of Arts Degree under conditions that restrict course registration until the English requirement is met; completion of the English entrance requirement within the first year is mandatory. Mature applicants (19+ and out of full-time secondary school for at least one year) may be admitted with secondary graduation waived but must meet the English entrance requirement as stated. A minimum of 50% of the program must be completed at Okanagan College, including at least 18 credits at the 200-level or above.

Career prospects

Graduates leave with a mix of technical, analytical and communication skills applicable to entry-level positions across the environmental sector. The diploma is designed for those who want to enter the labour market directly—addressing growing demand for environmental labour—or to continue into further undergraduate study using the program's transfer credits.

Scholarships & funding angle

Domestic tuition is listed at $4,836 per year for 2025–26 (first-year estimate for a full-time student in the Environmental Arts stream); fees shown include mandatory campus fees. Students should consult the institution’s financial aid and awards information, check student-loan eligibility, and review detailed international tuition information if applicable.