Sustainability & the City: Cities & Environment along Europes Major Rivers
Geography and Urban Studies Field School
Through the lens of Geography and Urban Studies, you will have the opportunity to broaden your understanding of sustainability by learning various approaches used in France, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Austria and Italy. The itinerary will focus on regional sustainable development, sustainable urban design, environmental problems and policies, conservation, and the significance of the historical development of the selected cities and regions. Further, our itinerary will travel through the watershed ecosystems and the historical, cultural, settlement, and transportation corridors of five major rivers of Europe (Seine, Rhine, Rhone, Danube and Poe rivers). Exposure to urban and rural landscapes will be maximized with direct observation, instruction, and fieldwork. You will see firsthand examples of sustainable communities, sustainable environmental management, land use, and transit in this 5-week immersive experience across Europe.
Key information
Application information
Have questions?
For program information, please contact:
Aaron Williams at awill@ucalgary.ca
For application and registration support, please contact the Group Study Team at group.study@ucalgary.ca
Other useful links:
Italy: Travel Advice - Lonely Planet Guide
Austria: Travel Advice - Lonely Planet Guide
France: Travel Advice - Lonely Planet Guide
Hungary: Travel Advice - Lonely Planet Guide
Germany: Travel Advice - Lonely Planet Guide
Program details
Questions about these courses should be directed to the program instructor.
Please note: course descriptions are tentative and subject to change.
-
Courses offered
Students on this program are required to enroll in four courses.
All students must enroll in:
UBST 494: Sustainable Cities I (3 credits)
UBST 495: Sustainable Cities II (3 credits)
GEOG 436: Field studies in Physical and Environmental Geography (3 credits)
GEOG 390: International Field Studies (3 credits)
GEOG/UBST 596: Directed Independent Study (3 credits) - Available for undergraduate senior-level students only.
-
Prerequisites
All courses offered: Consent of the department
-
Pre-departure
March TBD, Calgary: Mandatory pre-departure orientation with your GSP advisor
May 1-5, 2025, Calgary: On-campus course work and preparation
-
In-field
May 08: Paris - Arrival in Paris
May 09 : Paris – Lectures and Fieldworks
May 10: Paris - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 11: Paris - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 12: Paris - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 13: Paris - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 14: Geneva - Transfer to Geneva by train.
May 15: Geneva- Lectures and Fieldworks
May 16: Freiburg – Transfer to Freiburg
May 17: Freiburg - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 18: Freiburg – Lectures and Fieldworks
May 19: Freiburg - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 20: Freiburg- Lectures and Fieldworks
May 21: Freiburg - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 22: Munich - Transfer to Munich
May 23: Munich - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 24: Munich - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 25: Budapest - Transfer to Budapest
May 26: Budapest - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 27: Budapest - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 28: Budapest - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 29: Vienna - Transfer to Vienna
May 30: Vienna - Lectures and Fieldworks
May 31: Vienna - Lectures and Fieldworks
June 01: Vienna - Lectures and Fieldworks
June 02: Bozen/Bolzano – Transfer to Bozen
June 03: Bozen/Bolzano - Lectures and Fieldworks
June 04: Bozen/Bolzano - Lectures and Fieldworks
June 05: Milan – Transfer to Milan
June 06: Milan – Lectures and Fieldworks
June 07: Milan - Daytrip to Torino (Turin)
June 08: Milan - Lectures and Fieldworks
June 09: Venice - Transfer by train to Venice
June 10: Venice- Lectures and Fieldworks
June 11: Venice - Lectures and Fieldworks
June 12: Venice Lectures and Fieldworks
June 13: Venice - Flight home to Calgary
-
Post-field
All assignments are due upon program completion unless alternative arrangements are made with instructors for GEOG 596 or UBST 596.
-
Costs
The estimated cost of the 2025 Sustainable Cities: Learning from Europe Group Study Program has yet to be decided.
Important information regarding deposit payments: Deposits are non-refundable. Deposits secure your space in the program and allows payment for logistical arrangements to be made in advance.
-
Funding
Funding
Our office administers several awards, including the Global Access Fund (based on a funding-first model where students apply prior to committing to a global learning program) and the Global Learning Award (students apply after being accepted to a global learning program; the amount varies year-to-year as the money is split among chosen recipients). Students may only receive these awards once. Please see the funding page, linked below, for more information.
Faculty of Arts Group Study Program (GSP) Scholarships (for GSP participants) and Faculty of Arts Student Study Abroad Scholarships (for other international programs) - up to 10 awards of $1000 each! Application not currently open. Details to come.
Student loans: If you qualify for student loans, your program should qualify. Please note that eligibility for student loans is determined by your loans provider.
All students will stay at student appropriate, safe and clean accommodations.
This program is open to undergraduate students in good academic standing from all faculties.
Applications will be considered after your online application, unofficial transcript and other supporting documents have been received by Study Abroad.
Announcements on whether you have been selected to the program will not be distributed until after the November 11 deadline.
-
Statement of Purpose
Please tell us why you want to study abroad, why you have selected this particular program (academic reasons, personal interest, career prospects, etc.), how this program will meet your academic objectives and/or complement your degree, how you plan to finance your program and why you should be selected.
The Statement of Purpose is submitted within your online application (max 500 words).
Note: Because the online application will time out after one hour, we recommend that you compose your statement of purpose in advance in Word to check for spelling, grammar and word count, and then paste it into the online application.
-
Extra documents
The following documents need to be submitted with your application:
1) Unofficial transcripts
Click here for a step-by-step guide to access your unofficial transcript.
2) Program agreement
Click here to download the program agreement.
Submit the above documents through your online application with your statement of purpose.
-
Interview with an Instructor
After your complete application has been received and reviewed by the instructors, you will be contacted by the professors to schedule an interview. Please watch your UCalgary email account including the spam folder and expect to be contacted within several business days.
Please ensure that you have read the Group Study Program General FAQs thoroughly before applying.
Getting started
Program-Specific Info Sessions
Info sessions are scheduled for every Group Study Program. Attending an info session is not required to apply, but strongly recommended as it will give you an opportunity to meet the instructor and learn more about the travel experience.
We also recommend watching Global Learning 101 for general information.
Global Learning Advising
If you have questions about this program, you can meet with one of our Global Learning Advisors by emailing group.study@ucalgary.ca or booking an appointment through the link below.
1. Select "Advising"
2. Select “Study Abroad”
3. Select “Book by Appointment Type”
4. Select your program advisor to view available times.
Academic Advising
Before applying to study abroad, you should ask your academic advisor how a Group Study Program might align with your degree.
After you are accepted, you should ask your academic advisor more specific questions about courses/credits. It’s also recommended to follow up with your advisor again once you return to Calgary.
Start your application
Once you have gathered everything you need, you can begin your application!
Please note: Applications will not be considered complete until all required documents are submitted in full.
International travel presents challenges that may not be found when attending classes on campus. There may be a lack of resources, emergency services, hospitals, accessibility issues and/or demands on the physical and the mental self, all of which can challenge individuals when away from their usual support systems and structures. Adequate preparation is essential.
For this reason, it is imperative that you evaluate all aspects of your own physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual condition against the rigors of the particular global learning program you are selecting. If you are unsure of whether or not this program is a good fit for you and/or if you have any circumstances that could impede your enjoyment of the program, please contact us. Our Global Learning Advisors will be happy to assist in finding the best options for you and arrange any supports or accommodations necessary to ensure your success.
If you have or are seeking a certificate from Student Accessibility Services, you should provide this early to your Global Learning Advisor to ensure that the option that you are seeking can support your needs.
Please note: All participants must adhere to COVID-19 and other vaccination-related requirements for the destinations visited on this program. Failure to do so may have consequences such as being denied access to accommodation/housing, program activities, or to the host country itself.