Environmental Education and Communication

You understand that climate change and environmental responsibility are the most pressing issues of our time. And you need to develop the confidence and skills to take your career to the next level and connect people and ideas for positive change.

The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Education and Communication focuses on developing your competency and skill as an environmental educator and communicator.

Perhaps you're an educator who teaches about the environment, and wants to do more, or an environmental professional who wants to convey stories more effectively. You will become an agent of change, with solid communication and education skills. You'll be confident to inspire individuals, organizations and communities toward a more connected and compassionate world.

This interdisciplinary program allows you to learn with others from diverse backgrounds. You'll engage in online and on-campus classes, applied projects, team assignments and rich group discussions. And you'll reach a better understanding of the theory, language, philosophy and culture of environmental education and communication.

You can build from here

You can transfer your credits from this diploma to the two-year Master of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication.

Program outcomes

Once you have completed this program, you'll have skills in finding, and communicating, viable solutions to 21st century challenges. You'll be prepared to inspire change in a broad range of sectors, including communication, policy making, teaching, research and counseling.

Standard admission

• Four-year (or comparable) undergraduate degree in a related field, with a minimum GPA of 'B' (3.00/4.33), from a recognized post-secondary institution.
• At least two years of relevant work or volunteer experience.
• Applicants who meet the degree requirement, but not the GPA requirement, will normally be required to complete "Academic Writing and Critical Thinking" several weeks prior to starting the program and obtain a minimum final grade of B (73%).

Flexible admission

Applicants who do not meet the Standard Admission requirements will be considered for flexible admission and assessed as follows:

• Normally, six years of relevant work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• All flexible admission applicants will normally be required to complete "Academic Writing and Critical Thinking" several weeks prior to starting the program and obtain a minimum final grade of B (73%).

English language proficiency

• If English is not your primary language, please review our English language requirements.

Additional recommendations

Our program is designed to be of benefit for a wide range of education and communication practitioners, especially those who have an interest in or a responsibility for leadership in the context of sustainability. As such, work and volunteer experience are key requirements of admission to the program.

All applications to this program require submission of the following information and supporting documents before your file can be assessed for admission:

Application form

In order to apply online, you will be required to create a log-in account using your email address. You will be required to list all credit courses and/or programs you have completed or are currently enrolled in. An application fee will be required. If your application fees are being paid by a third party, review sponsored student information.. Once submitted, you may check the status of your application at any time.

Official transcripts

Applicants are responsible for arranging for the submission of official transcripts from ALL post-secondary (higher education) institutions currently or previously attended, for all credit courses and/or programs. Transcripts are not required for non-credit programs or courses, though some programs may require proof of professional certifications or designations.

Transcripts are considered official only if submitted directly by the Registrar or other recognized authority of the providing institution in the institution's original, sealed envelope. If the envelope has been opened, the transcripts are no longer official and new (official) transcripts will be required to complete your application.

All international transcripts or credentials are subject to an international transcript and/or credential evaluation.

Personal statement

Your personal statement should indicate your motivation for seeking entrance to the program. It should comment upon your personal and career goals, the expectations you have for the program in relation to the achievement of your goals, and the strengths you feel you can bring to the program. In your personal statement, it would be useful to discuss the type of project that you would be interested in pursuing as part of your studies. Length of the personal statement should be two pages.

Letters of reference 

Ideally, one reference letter is based on your work experience; the other on either your academic performance or your community service. However, two work-related references are acceptable in certain cases.

Reference letters are individual documents that can take a number of formats. Length and level of detail can vary; there is no set standard. That said, your reference letters should confirm that your referee feels you are a suitable candidate for the MA in Environmental Education and Communication, that you will succeed in the program and why, how he or she feels it will benefit you, and any additional information from the referee that indicates you are a good fit for this program. The context in which the referee has come to know you should also be mentioned.

Detailed resume

Your detailed resume should include the following:

• Education: List all post secondary education, degrees, diplomas, and certificates you have achieved.
• Training/professional development: List career related training and professional development programs completed within the past five years. Include the source of training, and the duration and year completed. List other training and personal development programs not already identified.
• Work experience: Please include name of organization, position, length of service and brief description of duties.
• Voluntary/unpaid work experience: List and describe any voluntary/unpaid post-secondary employment and/or community service experience. Please include the name of the organization, length of service, and a brief description of duties. List positions you have held in this service.
• Information technology training and experience: Briefly describe your level of training and experience in the use of information technology including computers, software and telecommunications networks as tools for business, education, teaching and personal use.
• Professional memberships and affiliations: List memberships and positions you hold/have held in professional associations, service clubs, community/volunteer sector.
• Publications and relevant projects: List of publications and relevant projects.
• Other relevant information : Provide any other information which you believe is relevant to your application and will be of assistance to the review committee.

 If applicable:

• Applicants declaring permanent resident or Convention Refugee status in Canada, must submit a copy of their Permanent Resident Card (PR card) along with their application.
• Transcript evaluation fee or credential evaluation report, if submitting international transcripts.
• An official English language proficiency score report or other evidence of proficiency if English is not your primary language.
• Other information or documents as may be requested to determine your eligibility.

For information on how and where to send your supporting documents, please refer to the document submission guidelines.