DEPARTMENT of ANTHROPOLOGY, ECONOMICS & POLITICAL SCIENCE
Urban Wellness Minor
You are curious about the ways that everyday life—housing, transportation, public health, climate resilience, social equity—shape health and well-being in cities. As the world becomes increasingly urban, you know how important it is to be prepared for the challenges and opportunities our urban centres will face.
In this minor, you learn about the social and economic realities of city life. You consider the role that thoughtful policies and governance play and you learn that cities exist at the intersection of natural and built environments. This minor complements majors such as anthropology, economics, political science and sociology.
Why take this minor?
The urban wellness minor gives you an interdisciplinary lens on the ways that communities address urban challenges. You look at how environmental, social, economic and political forces shape city life. Through courses in anthropology, economics and political science, you connect classroom learning with real-world engagement and build the skills to analyze complex urban problems and work toward inclusive, practical solutions. This minor is a strong choice if you want to understand cities in all their complexity and play a part in shaping their future.
What to expect
Building on your introductory Bachelor of Arts courses, you explore the foundations of urban wellness by examining the crises cities face and how these connect to inequality, race, gender, identity and Indigeneity.
Bringing together insights from many disciplines, you gain a big-picture view of how cities work from cross-cultural health, planning, social science and Indigenous perspectives. Through a capstone project and experiential learning opportunities such as community service placements, you build practical skills for research and analysis, work on projects with real-world impact and prepare for careers where urban wellness is front and centre.
Your future
Expanding your understanding of urban wellness helps you understand the impact cities have on health, equity and sustainability. These skills are increasingly valued across all sectors.
When you choose a minor in urban wellness, you learn about these topics:
- urban systems
- urban crises
- policy and governance insight
- community engagement
- communication and advocacy
- systems thinking
- green design
- built environments
- social intelligence
- urban planning
- sustainability perspectives
- equity in urban life
This minor equips you to contribute to inclusive, community-focused solutions to urban challenges in areas such as these:
- urban and regional planning
- policy and government analysis
- community development
- environmental consulting and sustainability
- housing and social services
- sustainability and corporate responsibility
- social and economic policy research
- transportation planning and design
We recommend these resources to learn more about working in the urban wellness field:
- Careers and Experience: career counselling and support from MacEwan career development specialists
- Research Institute for Urban Wellness: researches ways to revitalize public spaces, improve safety and support vibrant urban life
- BILD Edmonton Metro: (Building Industry and Land Development) serves as the unified voice and expert resource for the real estate development industry in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region
- Recover: Edmonton's Urban Wellness Plan: creates opportunities for maintaining connections to help people and places thrive
- Project for Public Spaces: brings public spaces to life by planning and designing them with the people who use them every day
- PlacemakingX: global network of leaders supporting placemaking as a way to create healthy and inclusive communities
The Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) has detailed occupational profiles, salary survey data, trend reports and assessment tools to help you choose and plan a career that matches your skills and interests.
Program of study
This minor is open to students in the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science. Courses for your minor are only one component of the degree requirements you need to graduate. To see all courses required for the minor, check the program of study in the academic calendar.
Requirements can change from year to year. You will follow the program of study outlined in MacEwan University’s Academic Calendar for the year you declare your major/minor or the year you are accepted into an Honours program.
Academic advisors in the Faculty of Arts and Science have prepared resources to help you understand how your major/minor fits within overall degree coursework. Consult the academic planning information to choose and enrol in courses and complete the major/minor declaration process.
