In collaboration with the University of Alberta (U of A), Yukon University (YukonU) offers years three and four of a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Northern Environmental and Conservation Sciences (ENCS), with a major in Northern Systems.
The ENCS curriculum offered at YukonU integrates natural and social sciences as related to issues such as:
- wildlife conservation
- land use
- resource management under modern treaties
- energy
- global climate change
- northern and aboriginal studies,
- local environmental, economic and social context
The program provides students with the knowledge and skills to understand environmental conditions and evaluate impacts on plants, soils, water and animals. The structure and function of ecosystems are explored as students learn to develop, assess and implement conservation and restoration measures for natural and managed ecosystems.
Program delivery
- Coursework is completed at YukonU, taught by U of A and YukonU faculty.
- Students may also choose to spend some of their third or fourth years taking courses at the U of A campus in Edmonton.
- Students from Edmonton may also complete part of their program in Whitehorse.
Students complete up to two years (60 credits) of transferable coursework in a science-based diploma program at Yukon University (such as the Northern Environmental and Conservation Sciences Diploma, or Renewable Resources Management) or at another institution before applying to transfer into the University of Alberta B.Sc. ENCS program for years three and four.
Students planning to apply to transfer to the ENCS program from a diploma program at Yukon University should complete a minimum of 24 credits (8 courses) from the core and/or elective courses listed here (Recommended Courses for First and Second Year of B.Sc. in Northern ENCS).
Students applying from other post-secondary institutions should contact the ENCS Program Advisor about transfer credit options.
To receive transfer credit toward the B.Sc. ENCS program for courses from Yukon University or from other institutions, students must have received a grade of C- or higher.
Students must also meet the entrance requirements of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life, and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta, including:
- minimum admission GPA of 2.3
- Biology 12
- Chemistry 12
- Pre-calculus 12 or equivalent
NOTE: if you do not have these high school prerequisites, please contact an ENCS Program Advisor as you may meet these requirements through other previous coursework, or through upgrading at Yukon University.
Application deadlines: May 1 for September admission (if you've missed the deadline, contact an ENCS Program Advisor at ualberta@yukonu.ca to find out about submitting a late application); November 15th for January admission.
To apply for admission:
- Contact an ENCS Program Advisor to discuss your program options. The advisor will conduct a preliminary assessment of your completed coursework and unofficial transcripts to ensure that you are eligible to apply.
- Once the advisor has confirmed that you are eligible to apply, submit an application by going to the U of Alberta undergraduate admissions page and clicking on the Apply Now button. If you are not a previous UAlberta student or applicant, you will be prompted to create a LaunchPad account, after which you can begin your application. Please note the following details when filling out the application, the Faculty being applied to is Agricultural, Life, and Environmental Sciences (ALES), the program is Environmental and Conservation Sciences (or just ENCS), and the major is Northern Systems. For campus, select “North Campus (Edmonton)” (selecting Northern Systems in the Major section indicates that you are applying to the Yukon program). U of Alberta application fees apply.
- After submitting the application through the U of Alberta system:
- Email a pdf copy of the application to Dr. Kathryn Aitken, for Yukon University records.
- Have official copies of post-secondary and high school transcripts sent to the Registrar's Office at Yukon University by mail to Admissions, YukonU, P.O. Box 2799, 500 University Drive, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 5K4 or by email to admissions@yukonu.ca. NOTE: If you are, or have been, a Yukon University student, and have official transcripts on file with Yukon University, we may be able to use those for the application process. Talk to an ENCS Program Advisor to find out if this is an option for you.
- Follow the instructions at https://www.ualberta.ca/en/admissions/how-to-apply/after-you-apply/index.html to ensure that you have activated your Campus Computing ID (CCID) and password. You can monitor the progress of your application by logging into your UAlberta Launchpad account.
- After receiving an offer of admission from U of Alberta, you will be required to pay a $500 tuition deposit to U of A to indicate your intention to attend. The deadline to pay the deposit will be indicated in your UAlberta Launchpad account. For more information on tuition deposits and how to accept your offer of admission, visit: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/admissions/how-to-apply/after-you-apply/accept-your-offer.html. For further information, contact the U of Alberta Student Service Centre: https://www.ualberta.ca/en/services/student-service-centre/index.html. If you are an Indigenous student who will be receiving third-party funding for your education costs (e.g., through your First Nation, etc.), you may qualify for a waiver of the tuition deposit. Contact indigenous@ualberta.ca to find out more.
Once admitted, students must meet with a ENCS Program Advisor at YukonU select courses. Email the Program Advisor to make an appointment.
While enrolled in the B.Sc. Northern ENCS program, students will maintain dual registration at U of A and YukonU.
Tuition, mandatory course instructional support fees, and non-instructional student fees will be assessed in accordance with the policies of the University of Alberta. Student fees will be assessed in accordance with the policies of Yukon University.
Tuition for this partnered program is calculated per course credit based on University of Alberta rates. See the U of A website for details or email our ENCS Program Advisor.
On successful completion of the B.Sc. Northern ENCS program, students receive a University of Alberta Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Conservation Sciences degree, with a major in Northern Systems.
To receive a B.Sc. Northern ENCS degree students must:
- Complete all course requirements of the B.Sc. Northern ENCS program, including a minimum of 60 approved credits of U of A coursework offered at YukonU or at the U of A campus in Edmonton.
- Meet the YukonU First Nations core competency requirement (B.Sc. ENCS students usually meet this requirement through core coursework in the program)
- Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in their last 60 credits of U of A coursework.
- Meet all other relevant academic standing and graduation requirements of the U of A.
Yukon University recognizes that a greater understanding and awareness of Yukon First Nations history, culture and journey towards self-determination will help to build positive relationships among all Yukon citizens. As a result, you will be required to achieve core competency in knowledge of Yukon First Nations.
For details, visit Yukon First Nations Core Competency
Graduates of the ENCS program are prepared for a variety of career options in both the public and private sectors.
Examples of employment opportunities include:
- wildlife biologist
- First Nations resource manager
- park warden
- traditional land use advisor
- environmental policy analyst
- environmental educator
Students may also continue on to graduate studies.
Fees
Tuition for this partnered program is calculated per course credit based on University of Alberta rates. See the U of A website for details or email our ENCS Program Advisor.
Student financial awards
Students are eligible for U of A awards while formally registered as U of A students.
Students may also be eligible for Yukon Government student grants and training allowance while registered in partnered programming.
Please contact the Financial Aid advisor at Yukon University and the Office of the Registrar and Student Awards at the U of A for more information.
Financial assistance
There are government programs, scholarships, bursaries, awards and First Nation funding available to financially support you throughout your academic career.
See money matters for more information, or talk to our financial advising staff. Email or call 867 456 8574 to make an appointment.
This expanded schedule includes information on the current courses offered in the Northern ENCS program, including descriptions and course registration numbers for both the YukonU and University of Alberta registration systems.
Click here to download a pdf of the winter 2025 course schedule (current as of 27 Jan 2025; please see Banner registration system and individual course pages in section below for information on class locations and updates)