Nature, Society & History in Global Perspective

Human interaction with the environment is the most fundamental of all relationships. This course examines the different ways in which societies have defined, understood, and used their non- human surroundings and the processes through which the environment influences culture and adapts to human communities. Students explore the historical context of the human-nature interaction in global perspective and compare the ways in which the concepts of politics, nationalism, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, etc. inform and guide the relationship.

Environmental Thought

A survey of the origin and development of those streams of geographic thought reflecting people's relationship to the natural environment. The course includes discussions within the context of Christian and non-Christian alternatives, of the development of a responsible Christian environmental ethic and its application to global environmental issues.

Geovisualization & Analysis

An introduction to the underlying principles and methods of 3D modeling within ArcGIS 3D Analyst. It provides experience with 3DE tools as well as opportunities for practical, real-life applications through a series of examples and exercises, which include: constructing the 3D environment/landscape, analyzing spatial data, and creating outputs (e.g., 3D maps), based on real-life modeling examples such as urban landscapes, parks, business locations, and housing.

Conservation Biology

An exploration of various practical applications of biology in environmental management, monitoring, and remediation. Topics include many important areas of concern such as wildlife management, fisheries, forestry, agriculture, water and air pollution, and protection of endangered ecosystems. Various biological approaches to these are considered, such as population modelling, ecophysiology, microbiology techniques, biomonitoring, ecosystem health, and biodiversity inventories. The implications of environmental ethics and the role of Christian environmental stewardship are discussed.

Introduction to Physical Geology

An introduction to the materials and processes of the physical earth: rocks and minerals, earth structure and composition, plate tectonics, volcanology, seismology, crustal deformation, weathering and erosion, slope movement, sedimentation, wind and water processes, glaciation, and geologic time. Earth materials and processes are studied in the laboratory and in the field. This course is an environmental studies core requirement.

Geology of the Vancouver Region

An overview of the fundamental earth science processes responsible for the creation, transformation, and ongoing physical development of western North America. These processes are studied in the context of the building of the North American continent through tectonic forces and surface dynamics. Topics include: geologic time, tectonics, volcanology, seismology, stratigraphy, glaciation, erosion, paleontology, paleoclimatology, and environmental issues. The objective of the course is to familiarize students with the physical environment around them so they may take a more active role in the stewardship of the earth. Field trips and field studies are included.

Natural Disasters

Introduction to the geological causes and characteristics of natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, landslides, floods, weather-related events, and climate change. The focus will be on understanding how the natural hazards affect us in everyday life and how we can predict the hazard, prevent, or moderate the hazard to avoid a natural disaster.

Geomorphology

The scientific examination of the physical processes which shape landform development, structure, and dynamics. Topics include: weathering, slope systems, fluvial and coastal environments, and glacial and periglacial systems. Special emphasis is placed on deciphering past events from current landscape structures. Field trips and field studies are required.

Geography of Soils

A scientific investigation of the various aspects of soil as a natural resource. Topics include: physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soils applied in the context of soil formation, soil classification and land use, agriculture, and environmental engineering. Soil mapping and spatial distribution of soils is also considered. Field trips and field studies are required.

Navigating A.I.

This course introduces students to the foundation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) from various lenses including a Christian worldview. Students will focus on analyzing ethical issues, risks, and biases commonly found in AI outputs and explore methods for more effective and appropriate use as their mode of inquiry. With examining and discussing its current topics and future technological trends, students will be equipped with practical approaches to their current and future social context.

Introduction to Gender Studies

An introduction to Gender Studies, an interdisciplinary field that asks critical questions about the meanings of sex and gender in society. Students will examine key issues, questions and debates in Gender Studies, both historical and contemporary, and will analyze the multiple ways that sex and gender have interacted with and continue to intersect with race, class, nationality and other social identities, including religious ones.

Gender & the Bible

In Christianity and Judaism, gender roles have historically been informed by varied interpretations of their sacred texts. This course focuses on issues related to gender (including such topics as the roles and relationships of female and male characters) situated in the historical contexts of when these scriptural texts were written and initially received. Students will investigate and critique the transmission and interpretations of these traditions up to the present day.

Classical Backgrounds of Literature

Readings in Greek and Roman mythology, epic poetry, and short poetry with attention to the cultural and literary context of these works of literature, including the literary construction of gender. This course includes the study of selected works of English literature that have been influenced by the Greek and Roman literary tradition.

Gender & Education

An introduction to gender and education as a method of inquiry into the role of education in society. In particular, the course explores the relationship of gender and education in the context of formalized schooling, both in Canada and around the world. By focusing on gender, this course considers the experiences of people in their roles of students, classmates, teachers, and in positions of leadership. For people of faith, students will become familiar with ‘gender’ as a sociological variable (i.e., cultural) in schooling by exploring current sociological theories of education and current lived realities of girls and boys in schools.

History of the Family after 1600

An examination of the historical development of the family in the modern era. There is a central focus on the formation of families and households and the impact of religion on gender and family roles. The course integrates contemporary gender theory but concentrates on the lives and ideas of historical actors as they are revealed in the historical record.

Engendered History

This seminar examines specific topics in the history of gender throughout the period known loosely as the modern world. The course is designed to clarify the process through which ideas of gender evolved and the ways in which masculinity and femininity have been constructed and experienced in a global context. The seminar also examines group interactions across lines of race, class, ethnicity, region, and religion and the influence of groups striving to assert their own identities on ideas of gender.

Co-op Placement in Game Development

A study of selected works written by women in seventeenth-century Britain and America, situated in their cultural contexts.

Elementary New Testament Greek

This course comprises an introduction to Hellenistic (Koiné) Greek that is designed to prepare the student for reading the Greek New Testament with linguistic aptitude, as well as developing a cultural intelligence pertaining to the ancient people and history that gave rise to the biblical text. Students will explore and investigate linguistic theories and ideas related to the script, grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, as well as evaluate and compare differences and similarities that exist between the Ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish cultures and our own contemporary culture. This course will not only encourage students to develop a foundational proficiency that aids in their life-long inquiry into the Greek New Testament and the cultures from which it ensued; but will also enable and encourage the creative application of fruit born from such a study into the life of the student in a manner that results in skillful Christian living

Elementary New Testament Greek

A continuing study of Koine Greek that is designed to prepare the student for reading the Greek New Testament.

Readings in the Greek New Testament

A reading of selected texts from the Greek New Testament, including a study of syntax and an introduction to exegetical methodology.

Readings in the Greek New Testament

A reading of selected texts from the Greek New Testament, including a study of syntax and an introduction to exegetical methodology.

Readings in the Greek New Testament

Elementary Biblical Hebrew

An introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of biblical Hebrew, designed to prepare the student for serious study of the Hebrew Bible as an item of both ancient and ongoing cultural, historical, and theological significance.

Elementary Biblical Hebrew

A continuing study of the grammar and vocabulary of biblical Hebrew, designed to prepare the student for serious reading and study of the Hebrew Bible.

Readings in the Hebrew Bible

A reading of selected texts from the Hebrew Bible, including a study of Hebrew syntax and an introduction to exegetical methodology.

Readings in the Hebrew Bible

A reading of selected texts from the Hebrew Bible, including a study of Hebrew syntax and an introduction to exegetical methodology.

History of Christianity I

Examines major historical developments in Christianity from the apostolic era up to the sixteenth-century Reformation. Emphasizes the theological, institutional, cultural, and spiritual formation of the Christian tradition, including the patristic period, ecumenical councils, the emergence of papal government, medieval Christianity, Eastern Christianity, monasticism, and scholasticism. Students engage primary and secondary sources to understand continuity and diversity within Christian belief and practice across historical contexts.

History of Christianity II

Examines the development of Christianity from the Reformation era to the present through engagement with primary and secondary historical sources. Analyzes movements traditionally associated with Europe and North America alongside the emergence of diverse Christian expressions shaped by cultural, social, and political contexts worldwide. Explores theological developments, missionary encounters, indigenous Christian movements, Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, and contemporary global trends. Emphasizes the interconnected nature of Christian history and attends to the varied ways Christian faith has been articulated, practiced, and transformed across cultures.

Menn. Brethren/Anabaptist Studies

This course conducts an historical exploration of the origin and development of the sixteenth-century Anabaptist movement, its subsequent development within the wider context of Protestantism in Europe, with special attention given to the emergence and growth of the Mennonite Brethren within the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition in Russia, and the Mennonite Brethren experience in North America. An historical survey of the Anabaptist-Mennonite Brethren experience will be integrated with discussions concerning contemporary issues of historiography, theology, ecclesiology and world mission within the Mennonite Brethren Church.

Evangelical Free Church History & Thought

Alliance History & Thought

Baptist History & Thought

Topics: Global Church History

Examines topics in the history of Christianity as a global phenomenon, emphasizing its development across diverse cultural, geographic, and historical contexts. Content may include major movements, regional developments, and representative figures shaping the Church’s global presence. The course is designed to support focused study on selected periods, regions, or themes within global church history. Repeatable for credit with different focus.

Topics: History of Christianity

Provides an opportunity for students to engage critically with emerging issues, debates, and developments within a specific academic discipline. Students will explore contemporary topics that shape the Church’s witness, theological reflection, and vocational practice in today’s world. Emphasis is placed on integrating biblical and theological perspectives with scholarly inquiry, fostering spiritual formation, and cultivating leadership rooted in humility and social responsibility.

Topics: Advanced Historical Figures

Advanced study of significant figures in the history of Christianity. This course examines the life, historical context, theological contributions, and enduring influence of one or more individuals whose work has shaped Christian thought, spirituality, mission, or ecclesial life. Attention is given to primary sources, historiographical interpretation, and global reception. Particular topics may vary. Repeatable for credit with different focus.

Topics: Advanced Historical Texts

Advanced study of significant texts in the Christian tradition. This course examines selected primary works that have shaped Christian theology, spirituality, worship, and ecclesial life. Offerings may focus on a single text or author, or on a thematic grouping of texts from a particular period, tradition, or global context. Repeatable for credit with different focus.

The Ancient & Medieval World

Examines key themes in world history from antiquity to the seventeenth century AD. Students will analyze political and religious developments and systems of cultural and economic exchange. Students will be introduced to the historical and archival way of knowing so they can gain an effective means of understanding, appreciating, and critiquing the past to better understand the present and prepare for the future.

The Modern World

Examines key themes in the development of the modern world from the seventeenth to the late twentieth century. Students will analyze significant political, religious, economic, and cultural changes. Students will be introduced to the historical and archival way of knowing so they can gain an effective means of understanding, appreciating, and critiquing the past to better understand the present and prepare for the future.

Making Canada's History

Explores our understanding of the people, places and events that have influenced Canada’s history. This course examines the narratives of progress and reimagines the nation through a history of relation as informed by Indigenous and newcomer ways of knowing. It interacts with Canada’s past by immersing students in the study of Indigenous/settler encounters, economic exchange, French/English, national identity, minority rights, women’s agency, global movements, and environmental issues.

History of Nursing

This course examines the development of Canadian nursing over the past four centuries, with an emphasis on the twentieth century. Based on an understanding of nursing as rooted in a Christian ethos of caring for strangers, this course critically explores the ways in which religion, politics, gender, race, economics, technology, culture, war, and epidemics have influenced the development of nursing both nationally and globally.

Genocide, Reconciliation & Co-existence: Indigenous Nationhood & Canada

The history of First Nations, Métis Nations and Inuit Nations in Canada from time immemorial through to the present from various perspectives gained from interactions with Indigenous authors and guest speakers and cultural experiences such as immersion trips to Indigenous territories. Engage broad economic, social and political themes associated with Canada's settler society and gain cultural intelligence by analyzing from an Indigenous perspective how standard narratives of progress shaped early encounters, the fur trade economy, governmental policy, Christianity and culture, residential schools, land reserves and self-government. Considers the ways in which Indigenous nations utilized and reshaped Canada's historical narrative to resist assimilation, paternalism, civilization, marginalisation, and integration. Examines arguments for partnership, cooperation, negotiation and reconciliation in a movement towards peaceful co-existence.

Greece & Rome: Leadership in the Ancient World

A study of the most influential leadership in ancient Greece and Rome. Plutarch's biographical studies are the main focus. Various accounts of Herodotus, Thucydides, Aristotle, Xenophon, Livy, Sallust, Tacitus, and Suetonius are used as supplementary material.

History of Economic Thought

An investigation of the overlap of economic history and economic thought all the way from ancient Greeks philosophers, through medieval scholastics, to mercantilist businessmen, to Adam Smith and the classical economists of the Industrial Revolution, to macroeconomists emerging from the Great Depression, and into the twenty-first century. Students examine the main economic questions and themes of these various periods including: What is the good life? Is business moral? How do selfish individuals promote societal good through markets? What is the proper role and scope of government? As an inquiry-based course, students will have considerable latitude to examine topics of particular interest to them in more detail.

Renaissance Europe

An examination of the social, intellectual, artistic, political, and economic transformations that gave rise to, and followed in, the wake of the rebirth of ancient Greek and Roman culture that began in Italy in the mid-14th century and spread to the rest of Europe for the next 200 years.

Reformation Europe

An examination of the social, intellectual, artistic, and political history of Western Europe from the fourteenth to the seventeenth century, with a special emphasis on changes in theology and devotional practices, and the ensuing wars of religion, as the Protestant and Catholic Reformations spread throughout Europe.

The Age of Enlightenment

An examination of the main events, individuals, and ideas in European history from 1600 to 1789. Key topics include: the growth of absolutism, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment; the development of new political and economic theories; artistic and cultural movements; the rise of the public sphere; religious revivals; and changes in marriage, the family and gender roles.

History in Practice

An exploration of the various manifestations of the practice of history in the public sphere. Students will be exposed to the ways in which communities, regions, nations, and others polities collect, manage, create, present and understand their histories, pasts, and stories. Analyze how forms of historical consciousness show themselves in archives and museums, films and theatrical productions, monuments and memorials, anniversaries and celebrations, government policies and sporting achievements, genealogy and national origin stories, etc. Practical application of historical skills and tools through communication with public historians, visits to local historic sites, completing relevant assignments and engaging experiential learning. Students will gain valuable experiences and knowledge related to a variety of areas where public history is practiced and will be exposed to career opportunities in history. This course is a prerequisite for other History Practicum opportunities

Science & Technology in Global Perspective

This course provides a survey of the history of science and technology from the ancient world to the present with particular emphasis on the early- modern and modern eras. While much of the focus is on developments in the Western world, this course also examines select issues and events in a comparative world perspective.

History Practicum

A supervised field experience designed to give students an opportunity to apply the skills and methodology of the discipline of history in a variety of settings so as to expose them to the broad range of contemporary applications for their formal education. Placements may take place in a variety of public settings including but not limited to: areas such as businesses and industry, government and public service, non-governmental organizations and international agencies, information management and preservation, resource management and land use, and education and training.

History Practicum

A supervised field experience designed to give students an opportunity to apply the skills and methodology of the discipline of history in a variety of settings so as to expose them to the broad range of contemporary applications for their formal education. Placements may take place in a variety of public settings including but not limited to: areas such as businesses and industry, government and public service, non-governmental organizations and international agencies, information management and preservation, resource management and land use, and education and training.