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SFU welcomes back community for fall 2024 semester

September 04, 2024

Simon Fraser University’s campuses are buzzing with energy as the start of a new fall semester is upon us.

Each year, the fall semester brings renewed excitement as more than 25,000 students, both returning and a new crop of first-year students, are welcomed into the community. Faculties start innovative new programs and courses geared toward emerging fields and student life programming kicks off to foster and grow belonging across SFU’s three campuses.

The start of a new semester can be exciting, but sometimes disorientating, so here are some highlights and resources to make the most of the coming year.

Services for students

There are many resources designed to help make the start of the semester smooth and set new and current students up for success.

The best place to start is the Student Services homepage, where people can tap into a variety of supports, including course planning, documentation, financial readiness, academic advising, and career and volunteer opportunities.

Student Services also serves as a hub for students looking to learn more about or access health and counselling, accessible learning, multifaith and Indigenous supports and information on Residence and Housing.

The SFU Library, especially the Student Learning Commons, also provides expert and friendly help with academic writing, learning and study strategies.

What’s new in the classroom

SFU is dedicated to producing students who are prepared to meet the growing demands of today’s workforce and innovative research that benefits society and the new courses for fall 2024 and beyond are in line with that. Here’s a look at what’s new:

Bachelor of Arts in Urban Worlds

With over half the world’s population living in urban spaces, cities matter. They produce, reflect, and amplify most of the dynamics, potential, and problems of global society. With planetary pressures like population growth and climate change, urban spaces need to be more resilient and sustainable for society to thrive in a turbulent world. SFU’s new major in Urban Worlds tackles these topics and turns them into opportunities for students to gain the knowledge and skills they need to effectively shape cities and urban life for a better future.

Two streams. Real world learning. Accelerated master’s admission. Empowering undergraduate students to positively impact urban life in their careers.  The new Bachelor of Arts in Urban Worlds, a collaborative degree between the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Environment, addresses the growing need to tackle the world’s urban issues and improve upon its possibilities.

Certificate of Sound

From music composition, to sound design for video games, to the soundscapes of our built and natural environments, the study of sound can be approached from many perspectives.

The Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology (FCAT) offers courses in sound in each of its’ three schools, and the new Certificate in Sound offers students the opportunity to gain recognition for a broad study of sound across a variety of disciplines.

This certificate aims to encourage students who are interested in sound to take courses offered by the other schools within the faculty to receive more interdisciplinary grounding in their studies.

Masters of Engineering in Sustainable Energy Engineering

This fall, the School of Sustainable Energy Engineering (SEE) celebrates its fifth anniversary and the school, at the forefront of training leaders in the emerging net-zero economy, continues to grow. SEE is announcing a new Master of Engineering in Sustainable Energy Engineering program will begin accepting applications this fall ahead of a fall 2025 start.

This 16-month program prepares graduates for advanced technical roles in British Columbia's clean-tech economy, addressing a market gap in an emerging industry looking for new leaders to make an impact. This interdisciplinary degree focuses on imparting conceptual knowledge, enhancing abilities to devise technological solutions, and developing professional skills necessary for success in the competitive energy sector.

New at SFU Continuing Studies

For those seeking personal and professional development, SFU Continuing Studies has updated its roster of flexible, non-credit courses.

New this year is the Public Relations Certificate, a part-time online program, that equips students and professionals with the latest knowledge and skills to success in the public relations field, and the Risk Management Professional Certificate, three courses designed to help students tackle growing challenges such as cybersecurity and natural disasters.

More to come

As SFU continues to evolve, there will be many more major milestones the university looks forward to hitting this fall. Most recently, the School of Medicine, which will be based in Surrey, arrived at a significant accreditation milestone ahead of making its final submission by Sept. 15.

Construction on Phase 3 of the SFU housing master plan, which features an eight-storey residence that will accommodate 445 upper-year students and a 160-space child care centre, will begin this month as well.

Meanwhile, construction continues on the First People’s Gathering House and The Marianne and Edward Gibson Art Museum as those buildings, which will add so much to the culture and community at SFU, near completion. Located right next to each other, both projects are really starting to take shape. 

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