Start term
Fall, Winter
Sustainability Principles (Microprogram)
Degree
Microprogram (MP)
Department
Faculty
Credits
15 credits
Modality
Hybrid
Why choose Sustainability Principles?
If you dig deeply enough into any environmental issue, you’ll understand that it’s multifaceted by definition. For example, at face value, recycling is about converting waste, but its larger aim is to address the complex problems associated with pollution, loss of habitat and biodiversity, and declining human health, to name a few. Although this is one simple example, it is evident that environmental issues are connected to socio-political and philosophical, value-driven issues around how people live and how they consume, both locally and globally.
With this in mind, the Microprogram in Sustainability Principles allows students to explore the concept and practice of sustainability through a selection of hand-picked courses in the social sciences, sciences, and humanities, examining environmental sustainability, policy, and values. As a member of the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability, you’ll be working alongside other students from across the university in a supportive community with the goal of communicating across disciplines and becoming agents of positive environmental change. Note that no scientific background is required for this program.
Program highlights
- Interdisciplinary perspective: Explore sustainability from multiple angles — science, social sciences and humanities.
- Learn to drive meaningful change: Examine real-world issues like policy, consumption and environmental impact, and build the knowledge to contribute to more sustainable practices and decisions as an engaged, globally responsible citizen.
- Accessible and flexible pathway: No scientific background required. This microprogram can be completed independently, with or without a prior university degree.
Courses
Enjoy a curated selection of interdisciplinary courses on sustainability topics at Concordia offered online and in-person. No prerequisites or scientific background are required.
Introductory courses
Choose one of these courses.
This course is offered in the fall term in-person on the Loyola campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. + tutorial or on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Description: This course begins with an introduction to the science of ecology and to the concept of sustainability as an ecological principle. The concept of sustainability is then broadened to include humans, as students are introduced to ethics, economics, and resource management from an eco-centric point of view. Students are encouraged to think critically about current environmental problems and to take action on an individual project.
This course is offered in the winter term.
Description: The aim of this online introductory course is to have students critically examine and understand Indigenous and non-Indigenous worldviews and approaches to what sustainability means, including key principles and issues.
Students will be offered pathways to explore sustainability and environmental justice topics such as Indigenous approaches to food sovereignty and food security; land-based education systems; ongoing impacts of colonial-corporate policy and practices on climate change; pollution; biodiversity loss; degrowth; systems thinking; climate action; and assessment and practice of sustainability and planetary well-being from Indigenous and diverse disciplinary perspectives.
Environmental sustainability courses
Choose up to two courses from this group.
This course is offered in the summer and winter terms only.
Description: This course deals with food composition (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals), its absorption and utilization, energy balance, special diets, and food technology. Lectures only.
This course is offered in the winter term in-person on the Loyola campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Description: The current state of biodiversity around the world and the forces that affect this diversity are the main focus of this course. It addresses the origins of this diversity, the advantages of variability in the environment for human life, and the contemporary challenges to this diversity. This course is intended to emphasize holistic thinking and system analysis.
This course is offered in the winter term online.
Description: This course studies energy, a critical resource for civilization, and the impact of energy consumption on societies and the environment. Topics include renewable and non-renewable energy sources, the physics of energy including the second law of thermodynamics and the notion of entropy, energy production and distribution, and social and global environmental issues such as pollution, sustainability, climate change, regulation and the future of energy. Lectures only.
Sustainability policy courses
Choose up to two courses from this group.
This course is offered in the fall term in-person on the Sir George Williams campus on Mondays from 11:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Description: This course introduces and examines progress towards sustainable development from an interdisciplinary perspective in Canada and across the globe. It focuses on the multitude of factors included in sustainable development, the interrelationships between these factors, and humans' effectiveness at achieving sustainable development from different disciplinary perspectives. Emphasis is placed on current issues in sustainability and sustainable development, and on solutions to complex sustainability problems in a social context.
This course is offered every winter term online.
Description: This online course is an introduction to the emerging field of global environmental politics. It surveys the present environmental crisis and the roles of states, international organizations, and civil society. Various case studies dealing with oceans, forests, fisheries, biodiversity, global warming, and others are used to illustrate the inherent complexity of transnational ecological issues in the era of globalization.
Sustainability values courses
Choose up to two courses from this group.
This course is offered in the fall and winter terms online.
Description: This course is an introduction to argumentation and reasoning. It focuses on the kinds of arguments one is likely to encounter in academic work, in the media, and in philosophical, social, and political debate. The course aims to improve students' ability to advance arguments persuasively and their ability to respond critically to the arguments of others. Students will find the skills they gain in this course useful in virtually every area of study.
Students who have received credit for PHIL 210 or for this topic under a PHIL 298 number may not take this course for credit.
This course is offered in the winter 2027 term in-person on the Sir George Williams campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There is a conference component on Mondays from 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. or from 10:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on campus.
Description: This course provides an introduction to the main problems in the philosophy of science. These include the structure of scientific theories, various models of scientific method and explanation, and the existence of unobservables.
Students who have received credit for INTE 250 or PHIL 228 may not take this course for credit.
Admission requirements
This microprogram welcomes candidates from diverse educational backgrounds who are interested in working with sustainability.
- Only Canadian citizens and permanent residents are eligible to apply.
- Registered undergraduate students at Concordia are not allowed to enrol in this microprogram but are eligible for the Elective Group and Minor in Sustainability Studies.
- No previous degree or diploma required for acceptance.
Students in the microprogram will be in classes with students who have been admitted based on the following requirements:
- a DEC for in-province students;
- a minimum C+ average for students coming from out of province straight out of high school;
- a 26 from an IB program; an 11 from a Baccalauréat français;
- or a C for university transfers.
In order to accommodate your learning history, let us know if you do not meet any of these criteria by addressing this in your letter of intent in your application.
How to apply
- You’ll need a Concordia Netname to start an application. Create a Netname account.
- Once you have a Netname, use it to log in and complete an application. Select “Undergraduate Microprogram” from the list to get started.
- Include your supporting documents:
- Letter of intent stating your interests and motivations to learn about sustainability (two pages maximum, single-spaced in English)
- Curriculum vitae (cv)
- Proof of your status in Canada
- Have a valid credit card available to pay the application fee of $40 CAD.
Please note: we accept the following credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners Club, and UATP.
You may upload documents to your application even after submitting it. However, we cannot complete the assessment of your application until we receive all required documents.
Tuition and fees
The cost of the microprogram is a combination of university tuition and compulsory fees.
The cost of tuition per credit depends whether you reside in Quebec or the rest of Canada. This is a 15‑credit microprogram.
| Residency | Tuition | Compulsory fees | Estimated program total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quebec resident | $1,558.80 | $933.75 | $2,492.55 |
| Non-Quebec Canadian | $6,492.75 | $933.75 | $7,426.50 |
Note: Microprogram students do not qualify for financial assistance, awards, fee waivers, bursaries, or scholarships internally to Concordia or externally at the provincial/federal levels.
Contact us
If you have questions about the microprogram, please contact:
Rebecca Tittler
loyolacollege.fas@concordia.ca
Book an appointment
