Students in York University’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change are exploring pathways to become changemakers for a just and sustainable future.
York University’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC) offers 21st-century education in a student-centric, research-intensive, and inclusive community. The faculty’s innovative interdisciplinary programs and focus on experiential education — including placements, co-op, research projects, and community-engaged learning — bridge the gap between theory and practice with work-integrated learning, effectively preparing career-ready graduates to tackle pressing global challenges.
And with exclusive pathways available in all programs, EUC students can level up and accelerate their careers with direct-entry pathways to graduate studies and specialized degree options.
Meet a few of the students currently studying in the Faculty of EUC:
Gia Pallotta, Environmental Arts & Justice student
Gia Pallotta is focused on a career in the circular economy — a sustainable model that reduces waste and environmental impact by keeping products in use longer. “Participating in the Model United Nations Climate Change conference really ignited my passion,” she says. Her Environmental Arts & Justice program has furthered her understanding of social and environmental justice issues and built skills in qualitative research and environmental ethics. Post-graduation, Pallotta plans to pursue a Master’s in Environmental Studies along with a Graduate Diploma from the Schulich School of Business through YorkU’s Business and the Environment program.
Tim Ong, Sustainable Environmental Management student
In the EUC’s Sustainable Environmental Management program, students explore critical issues facing the earth today: the climate crisis, the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, waste management, energy consumption, and sustainable solutions. Taking advantage of the program’s work-integrated learning, Tim Ong recently gained summer experience at YorkU’s Faculty of EUC’s Las Nubes Ecocampus in Costa Rica. “My experience in Costa Rica was nothing short of phenomenal,” he says. “I gained a better understanding of how sustainable initiatives are used to bring together environmental conservation and socio-economic development in Costa Rica.”
Regina Guzmán, Sustainable Environmental Management and Master in Environmental Studies student
As an international student from Mexico completing EUC’s new 3+2 dual degree pathway (combined undergraduate and graduate program), Regina Guzmán is committed to pursuing a career with meaningful impact. “The 3+2 program offers a more robust curriculum that equips me to enter a new workforce and country with advanced skills, all within just one extra year,” she says. After completing her degree, Guzmán aspires to work in environmental policy analysis and development in Canada. “I also want to expand my community involvement through volunteering and initiate projects that benefit both my Canadian and Mexican communities,” she says.
Laurel Scott, Global Geography student with combined direct-entry in the Bachelors of Education program
Laurel Scott knew she wanted to pursue a teaching career, and YorkU’s Faculty of EUC offered the perfect pathway. “The concurrent education program will put me exactly where I want to be when I graduate,” she says. Scott is also pleased with her decision to pursue Global Geography as her undergraduate degree. “We learn about how political, social, and economic factors, plus intersectionality, affect various populations,” she says. “This is critical knowledge when entering a field like teaching.”
Turn your passion into a career with YorkU’s Faculty of EUC. Learn more at yorku.ca/Discover/EUC.
