Introduction
Congratulations on being accepted into a Bachelor of Arts degree program! You are embarking on an academic journey that will offer you the best of a broad liberal education with the ability to specialize in various fields of study.
Urban Studies is a broad interdisciplinary program designed to provide an integrated understanding of the social, political, economic, cultural, and geographic processes that shape urban life. Cities are sites of great cultural and ethnic diversity, economic innovation, cultural expression, resource consumption, wealth generation, and political conflict and co-operation. Today most developed societies are predominantly urban, even as global processes increasingly shape them. The processes that shape urban life play a critical role in shaping the sustainability of societies. Indeed, it is impossible to understand sustainability issues without understanding the organization of cities. The Urban Studies program provides a strong background for students interested in working in public and private sector fields including urban and regional planning, architecture, environmental design, economic development, city administration, social services and policy, cultural programming, urban politics, and education.
The Bachelor of Arts degree is offered as either a B.A. or B.A. (Honours), both requiring the completion of 120 units and normally four years of full-time study.