Sunshine.
We are one of Canada’s sunniest cities (320 days of sunshine each year). Bring sunscreen and shades.
Coulees.
Think of a flowing landscape running along the river valley. Once you see them, you’ll never forget them.
Wind.
Yes — windy days warm our winters. But the breeze is indicative of our people. It’s a force that moves us all to do more. Be more. Be better. We don’t settle. And neither will you.
Home to 95,000 people, Lethbridge is a place where ideas grow. We are a campus community. Culturally vibrant with a flourishing arts scene and active social scene. Alberta’s big sky. Stunning scenery (the High-Level Bridge and the Oldman River). Four distinct seasons. Spectacular sunrises and glowing sunsets. Look west, and you’ll see vast prairies and the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, which are only a short drive away (unbelievable skiing, boarding, biking, hiking and camping opportunities await). Drive anywhere in our city in 20 minutes—Park with pocket change.
With both a college and a university, Lethbridge is a varsity town. This means there is plenty to do both on campus and off. Listen to a band, go for coffee, watch a movie (we have a theatre — owned and operated by a Lethbridge alumnus — where movies are only $4!), check out a festival square or go to a play in Galt Gardens, sing at an open mic or check out a comedy show. There’s truly something for everyone.
Urban & regional studies (URS) delves into the physical, social, economic and political factors that shape our cities. It looks at the role of planning to manage dynamic forces of change such as immigration, global warming, ageing populations, energy conservation, congestion, urban forests, homelessness and smog, to name just a few.
As a URS student at the University of Lethbridge, you will learn to approach contemporary development challenges from various frames of reference. Issues include the evolving social, ethnic and architectural character of urban neighbourhoods, the decline of agricultural service centres in the west or the governance of urban sprawl.
This multidisciplinary major will provide you with a broad range of conceptual and practical tools to understand cities and regions. URS is housed in the Department of Geography & Environment, but as a multidisciplinary major, the program includes courses outside the department’s offerings, such as anthropology, economics, political science, sociology and statistics.
The knowledge and experience you gain in the URS program will provide an exceptional stepping stone, whether you choose to continue your studies to the master’s or doctoral level or to enter the working world. Either way, you will have the educational background to play an important role in providing an understanding of, and solutions for, some of our most pressing urban and regional concerns.