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Department of Geography | Faculty of Environment Simon Fraser University Calendar | Summer 2024

Urban Studies

Certificate

This certificate studies the nature and functions of the contemporary city from an interdisciplinary perspective. It is suited to those contemplating careers in urban planning, governance, consulting, non-profits, and related urban-oriented careers.

Units applied to one certificate may not be applied to another Simon Fraser University certificate or diploma.

Program Requirements

Students will complete courses totaling 18-23 units. No more than four courses may be in any one department. Substitutions may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the advisor in consultation with members of the Steering Committee or the Undergraduate Studies Committee Chair in the Department of Geography.

Students complete two of

GEOG 261 - Encountering the City (3)

An introduction to key concepts and themes in contemporary geographical approaches to cities and urbanization. Prerequisite: GEOG 100 or 102. Breadth-Social Sciences.

POL 252 - Local Democracy and Governance (3)

The political process in the urban municipality from a comparative perspective. Prerequisite: POL 100 or 151 or permission of department. Breadth-Social Sciences.

SA 201W - Anthropology and Contemporary Life (A) (4)

An introduction to the anthropological perspective as applied to the organization of everyday life in contemporary settings. Introduces positivist, interpretive, and critical interpretive approaches to the analysis of social actions, identities, and values as enacted in space and time. Prerequisite: Recommended: SA 101. Writing.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
D100 Elliot Montpellier
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby

and four of the following (without duplicating any 2XX courses taken above)

GEOG 261 - Encountering the City (3)

An introduction to key concepts and themes in contemporary geographical approaches to cities and urbanization. Prerequisite: GEOG 100 or 102. Breadth-Social Sciences.

GEOG 264 - Canadian Cities (3)

This course will provide a systematic introduction to urbanization in Canada. Topics addressed will include Canadian urbanization as compared with other nations, especially the United States, metropolitan centres, resource towns, and the internal structure of cities. Prerequisite: GEOG 100 or 162 or permission of instructor.

GEOG 324 - Geography of Transportation (4)

An empirical and theoretical examination of the geographical aspects of transportation systems. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100.

GEOG 362W - Gentrification and Urban Change (4)

Contemporary cases and conceptualizations of gentrification and related processes of urban change. Central themes include: political, economic, social, and cultural manifestations of gentrification; class, gender, and racialization; the role of development, planning, architecture, the arts, and resistance movements; and gentrification’s global geographies. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100. Students with credit for GEOG 362 may not take this course for further credit. Writing.

GEOG 363 - Urban Planning and Policy (4)

An introduction to the major approaches and key ideas of the professions of urban governance; urban planning and urban policy. Through a focus on contemporary theory, process-based understanding, and specific issues and examples, the course examines key trends and interventions and promotes critical reflection on urban development. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
B100 Leanne Roderick
TBD
B101 May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Mon, 1:30–3:20 p.m.
Vancouver
B102 May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Mon, 3:30–5:20 p.m.
Vancouver
B103 May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Mon, 5:30–7:20 p.m.
Vancouver
GEOG 364 - Cities and Crisis (4)

An examination of urban geographies of crisis, concentrating on what crisis is, what it is used for, how it is differentially experienced, and how it is distributed unevenly. Case studies of environmental, economic, social, and political crises are the main focus. The course concludes by addressing the future(s) of cities. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100.

GEOG 365 - Race, Resistance and Urban Space (4)

An exploration of how race informs the aesthetics, politics and development of urban space. Examines racial formation in transnational urban contexts, and how cultural production and social movements are utilized to address racial inequities and envision urban futures. Prerequisite: At least 45 units.

GEOG 382 - World on the Move (4)

The world is on the move. Migrants seeking better opportunities cross paths with refugees fleeing persecution. Some are helped and welcomed, many encounter barriers and threats, while identities, including class, race, gender, sexuality, mediate their prospects. This course's geographic perspective clarifies these complexities by combining conceptual analyses with contemporary cases. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100.

GEOG 385 - Food and the City (4)

An exploration of how food is related to cities, giving particular attention to the culture and politics of food production, distribution, and consumption. Prerequisite: At least 45 units, including GEOG 100 or REM 100.

GEOG 424 - Cities, Transportation, Infrastructure (4)

An exploration of the relationships between the development of cities, transportation, and infrastructure from an economic geography perspective. Greater Vancouver provides a location to explore, apply, and critique the theoretical perspectives presented in seminar. Prerequisite: One of GEOG 323, 324, 362, or 363.

GEOG 442 - A World of Cities (4)

An exploration of how cities shape the contemporary globalized world, focusing on key contemporary academic approaches. Highlights geographical and multi-disciplinary work on global-urban relations, networks, structures, and mobilities. Prerequisite: 60 credit hours, including Geog 362. Students who have taken GEOG 442 STT, Global Cities, may not take this course for further credit.

GEOG 449 - City and Environment (4)

The city as human-natural system; its processes and interactions in urban environmental policy and practice; with attention to historical and theoretical context. Prerequisite: 60 units and one of GEOG 362, 363, SCD 301 or SD 381.

GERO 401 - Environment and Aging (3)

Impact of the macro- and microenvironment as it affects the aged. Discussion of planned housing and institutional living arrangements, territoriality and the need for privacy, home range and use of space, urban planning, responsive design of housing and care facilities, effects of relocation and institutionalization. Prerequisite: 60 units. Recommended: GERO 300.

GSWS 204 - Sex and the City (3)

Selected topics on the sexual politics of urban space. May be organized by region, critical approach, or genre. Students who have completed WS 204 may not complete this course for further credit.

HIST 372 - City Life (4)

Examines the experience of city life in various global settings with an emphasis on the social, cultural, and political development of urban environments. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history or enrollment in the Urban Studies Certificate program.

HSCI 403 - Health and the Built Environment (3)

Relationships between the physical environment in which people live and their health and well being. How the built environment affects physical activity, obesity, exposure to pathogens and toxins, health status, mental health, and risk of illness and injury. How urban form, physical infrastructure, and landscape and building design can promote health. Prerequisite: 60 units including HSCI 230 (or 330) with a minimum grade of C-. Students with credit for HSCI 309 may not complete this course for credit.

HUM 340 - Great Cities in Their Time (4)

An exploration of the cultural and intellectual accomplishments of a specific city that achieved prominence in a particular time period, and had substantial impact and influence on human civilization. Examines the political, social, religious, and cultural factors that help to explain a city's significance and investigates the achievements of its citizens. Students may repeat this course for further credit under a different topic. Prerequisite: 45 units. Breadth-Humanities.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
D100 Shuyu Kong
TBD
D300 Niall Mackenzie
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 1:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
PLAN 100 - Introduction to Planning (3)

Students will be exposed to a broad overview of the field of planning. The course will introduce students to the role of a planner while exploring the practice of planning (human settlements and community planning) in varying contexts within Canada and internationally. Students with credit for PLAN 200 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
B100 Laura Tate
May 6 – Jun 17, 2024: Thu, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
B101 TBD
PLAN 300 - Planning Methods and Analysis (4)

Explores the qualitative and quantitative methods used by planners in both urban and regional settings. Students gain a basic understanding of approaches used for collecting, analyzing and communicating relevant-data between and within different communities. Introduces the roles of planners and other participants/actors in planning processes. Reviews issues in current professional planning practice and requirements for professional planning accreditation, including planners’ professional ethics and responsibility to the public interest. Prerequisite: PLAN 100 or PLAN 200.

PLAN 400 - Policy Analysis for Social and Environmental Change (4)

Provides an advanced evaluation of public policy, policy analysis, and policy change, focusing on problems in urban and regional planning and resource and environmental management. Prerequisite: PLAN 100 or PLAN 200; and 60 units.

POL 252 - Local Democracy and Governance (3)

The political process in the urban municipality from a comparative perspective. Prerequisite: POL 100 or 151 or permission of department. Breadth-Social Sciences.

POL 354 - Comparative Metropolitan Governance (4)

A comparative analysis of regional metropolitan governance in Canada and selected other jurisdictions (such as the USA, UK, etc.). The course involves an examination of major policy dilemmas in urban development, and of the local, regional and senior intergovernmental relations within which much of the public policy making in metropolitan settings takes place. Prerequisite: Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.

POL 454 - Urban Public Policy Making (4)

This course will link differing theoretical perspectives and concepts currently used in public policy studies to an understanding of public policy making in urban governance. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.

POL 458 - Selected Topics in Local and Urban Governance (4)

Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department.

POL 463 - Diversity in Cities (4)

Explores diversity in cities. It examines how different social and identity markers (ethnicity, religion, race, gender, class, sexuality, handicap or language) shape cities and how diversity is in turn shaped by public policies. The primary focus is Canada but we also look at these issues outside Canada. Prerequisite: Eight upper division units in political science or permission of the department. Students with credit for POL 458 under the title "Canadian DiverCities", URB 463 or URB 695 under the title "Diversity in Cities" may not take this course for further credit.

POL 497 - Experiential Learning in Political Science (4)

Involves interpretation of, and expansion on, practical experience in political science. Under the supervision of a faculty member, students will undertake a political science research project, involving the participation of local community organizations. Prerequisite: Permission of the department. Students may count only one POL 497 towards meeting their upper division political science requirements.

REM 355 - Sustainable Transportation for a Zero-Emissions World (3)

Explores the transportation system and how to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as well as other sustainability goals. Topics include zero-emissions vehicles, low-carbon fuels, shared mobility, vehicle automation, and reduced vehicle use. An interdisciplinary approach is followed, including analyses of environmental and resource impacts, consumer behaviour, systems, technology change, and climate policy. Prerequisite: 45 units or permission of instructor.

SA 201W - Anthropology and Contemporary Life (A) (4)

An introduction to the anthropological perspective as applied to the organization of everyday life in contemporary settings. Introduces positivist, interpretive, and critical interpretive approaches to the analysis of social actions, identities, and values as enacted in space and time. Prerequisite: Recommended: SA 101. Writing.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
D100 Elliot Montpellier
May 6 – Aug 2, 2024: Wed, 2:30–5:20 p.m.
Burnaby
SA 364 - Urban Communities and Cultures (SA) (4)

Anthropological approaches to urbanization, the nature of the city as a social system, and urban cultures and lifestyles. Prerequisite: SA 101 or 150 or 201W. Students with credit for SA 464 are not eligible to take SA 364 for further credit.

SD 381 - Building Sustainable Communities (4)

Engages students in understanding how to plan and cultivate sustainability at the community and city level, taking into consideration the environmental, economic, and social aspects of development. Explores and analyzes policy instruments, planning tools, and strategies from around the world for engaging people and institutions in building sustainable communities. Prerequisite: One of PLAN 100, PLAN 200, REM 100, or SD 281; and 45 units. Students with credit for REM 381 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
OL01 Laura Tate
Online
SD 401 - Sustainable Development Studio (4)

Engages students in creating innovative solutions to real-world challenges of sustainability and development, using studio-based approaches. Explores mechanisms for effective social and environmental change and develops policies and strategies for implementing sustainability in different locations and at different scales. Prerequisite: SD 281; one of SD 381 or SD 481; and 75 units.

Section Instructor Day/Time Location
D100 Tammara Soma
TBD
SD 481 - Global Sustainability Governance and Action (4)

From sustainability debates to policy windows and strategic goals (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals), students engage with tools and concepts to enable equitable change across contexts and sectors. This includes how policy is created, who the main players are in effecting change, and how we track and adapt to outcomes. Prerequisite: One of PLAN 100, PLAN 200, REM 100, or SD 281; and 60 units. Students with credit for REM 481 may not take this course for further credit.