Urban Worlds

Simon Fraser University's undergraduate students gain the knowledge and skills they need to effectively shape cities and urban life for the better with SFU's newest major, Urban Worlds. Directly addressing SFU’s priority to engage in global challenges and vision to advance an inclusive and sustainable future, urban-minded undergraduates can now put their passion for making positive change in our cities towards a degree.

Coming Spring 2025 - URB 201: Urban Inquiry and Practice

Taught by Professor Andy Yan, URB 201 will be offered in spring 2025 on Thursdays (2:30-5:20 PM) at SFU Burnaby campus.

Description: Effective inquiries in urban studies require the application of approaches to find, analyze, and communicate data about the city, its residents, and its functions. From these applications, they can become the keys to professional urban practices in careers that focus on examining cities. Course outline is available here.

Topics of Study

  • gentrification
  • housing and homelessness
  • governance and politics
  • climate change
  • sustainability and resilience
  • culture and place
  • migration
  • inequality and justice
  • age-friendly cities and communities
  • race and gender
  • community-engaged place-making
  • transportation
  • city's role as a node of extraction in the global economy

Career Opportunities

Urban Worlds students can pursue various career paths with the skills and knowledge they acquire. Here are just some of those careers:

  • senior government managers and officials
  • city construction
  • production utilities
  • transportation
  • urban and land-use planning
  • senior government managers and officials
  • economic development
  • sustainability
  • business development officers
  • market researchers and analysts
  • emergency management

Program Structure

Urban Worlds is a collaboration between the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Environment. This allows students two stream options to curate their studies:

  • Foundation Year: students take courses together
  • Years 2 & 3: students choose a stream focused on their areas of interest - Urban Studies (FASS) or Urban Change (FENV)
  • Year 4: students reconnect for capstone projects

Students graduate together with a degree that will create opportunities for graduate studies as well as jobs and career pathways.

Learn more about the streams, program and course requirements, etc. here

Note: Students in Urban Worlds can also apply for admission to our Accelerated Master's Degree Program. 

ATTN current Urban Worlds students: Check out our Urban Worlds Library Resource Page. This page will be regularly reviewed and kept updated, useful, and current.