Water resource management major

The program choice that equips you with the knowledge and tools needed to protect and properly manage our water resources.

Major highlights

• Develop an expertise in using water management tools including wet areas mapping, hydrology modeling and the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) program.
  
  
• Gain experience using state-of-the-art water quality monitoring technologies (pH meters, hydrometers, etc.), fish sampling methods (electrofishing, etc.), digital mapping and global positioning technologies and statistical analyses.
  
  
• Become an environmental professional in water resource management and be prepared for a career in one of the fastest growing sectors in Canada.

Understand hydrological and human systems

Water resource management involves managing the upstream (source) and downstream (distribution) flow and quality and quantity of water for human and ecosystem needs.

The ultimate goal of this management is to achieve a sustainable supply of high-quality water goods and ecosystem services over the long term that best meet our environmental, social and economic needs.

To meet this water resource management goal, we require fundamental knowledge of hydrological and human systems, as well as an in-depth understanding of the sensitivity and dependency of one on the other.

In addition, we require an ability to analyze the water supply and assess the risks and impacts of human activities, as well as develop and implement strategies that meet our competing and often-conflicting objectives.

Our water resource management major will help you understand hydrological and human systems (along with their interactions) through courses in hydrology, fish habitat, biodiversity, sociology, economics, watershed management and others.

It will also prepare you to understand water supply and quality risks and impacts of human activities by equipping you with water quantity/quality assessment and management tools including wet areas mapping, hydrology modeling, the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) program and others.

This is the only multi-disciplinary program of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

As with all majors of the BScEM degree program, you will integrate your knowledge with critical thinking and structured problem solving to help you design management plans that meet social, environmental and economic objectives.

A career in the making

You will learn both indoors and outdoors in our classrooms and laboratories. You will also undertake projects involving research, planning, and implementation for real-world clients such as municipalities, federal agencies like Parks Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, provincial government agencies like the Department of Environment and Local Government and Natural Resources and Energy Development, environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs), and Indigenous communities.

You will become eligible to apply for the Environmental Professional in Training (EPt) designation through ECO Canada. This will allow you to be recognized and employed by organizations in the environment and natural resources sector across Canada.

Water resource management students follow a course map, which defines the course requirements taken in each year.

Transfer into the BScEM program from another college or university.