Sustainability, Science & Society (Bachelor of Arts and Science)

The grand challenge of the 21st century is sustainable well-being; that is, to improve human well-being while maintaining the Earth's life-support systems. As individuals, sometimes tackling these sustainability challenges seems daunting.

The Sustainability, Science & Society (SSS) program recognizes individuals must come together to solve our grand challenges, through an interdisciplinary approach. The curriculum aims to provide students with integrative and coherent knowledge across a range of disciplines such as Science and Technology, Economics, Policy, and Governance, as well as Ethics, Equity, and Justice, which constitute the pillars of the program. Through this program, you will learn the skills required to effectively understand and address complex challenges from a multi-dimensional -scientific-technological, socio-economic, political-institutional, ethical, and human behavioural- approach, while charting a transition to sustainability.

The SSS program uniquely aims to cultivate the leadership skills necessary for solving sustainability challenges through what we call core competencies. Minor and elective requirements can both provide additional depth in particular areas of studies.

• Canadian citizenship or Canadian permanent residency
• 23 years of age or older by the start of classes (21 years of age for the Faculties of Management and Music)
• No high school, college or university level studies within the last five years that would constitute a basis for admission
• Two letters of reference
• Mature Student Statements:
  • Letter of Intent, including description of all educational experiences
  • Complete resume of employment and other activities, highlighting points relevant to the application
• In some cases, an interview may be required
• Demonstrate academic potential by successfully completing a minimum number of specific courses (see 'Minimum grades & prerequisites' below) within the three-year period prior to admission and no later than May 15th of the year of application for the intended program (May 1 for some programs). These courses, which may be completed at CEGEP or university, will also fulfill prerequisites for the intended program. 

SSS graduates find work in a variety of sectors, depending on the issues to which they want to apply their sustainability knowledge. Graduates can expect to be competitive for jobs in:

• the public sector, working for governmental bodies or agencies
• non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the local, national, and international level
• multi-national organizations like development banks or the United Nations
• private sector businesses or consulting, in which there is growing demand for practicing sound sustainability practices.

Recent graduates have worked at The Nature Conservancy, Cities for People in Montreal, and more.

1. Know your deadlines.

   Mark your calendar with these important dates regarding your application. 

2. Decide what to study.

   Use the program finder tool to explore over 300 undergraduate programs and find your best match. 

3. Make sure you're eligible.

   Admission to most programs is based on grades only. In this step, you'll find:
   • How your academic record is reviewed
   • The grades that gained entrance to your program in previous years
   • The prerequisites for your program

4. Get ready to apply.

   As of October 1, you can apply. Complete each step of the pre-application to-do list, including:

   • Understand the deadlines that apply to you
   • Prepare your academic documents
   • Identify supporting documents you'll need to provide

5. Submit your application.

   Review our tips on how to apply and see what the application fees will be. Remember that you can apply to two programs.

6. Apply for an entrance scholarship.

   Look into entrance scholarships early! The deadline is usually a week after your application deadline. This page provides information about entrance scholarships, bursaries, and other funding opportunities.

7. Submit documents and keep in touch.

   We'll connect with you by email to let you know when to upload supporting documents, if required. In this step, you'll see:
   • How to follow your applications status
   • Supporting documents you may need to prepare
   • How to submit supporting documents, including self-reporting your grades