ERS 302Research Methods and Design

Units: 0.50
Faculty: Environment
Subject: Environment, Resources and Sustainability

When it runs

Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

This third-year course will provide students with an opportunity to learn important components of research design and implementation. Students will learn to think critically about the research process from how to ask good questions to designing research that addresses these questions in socio-ecological contexts. This course will set students up for success in applied environment and sustainability careers, with the critical skills to plan/implement projects and/or engage in research.

Prerequisites

Students must be in level 3A or higher

Antirequisites

Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
- ENBUS306 - Research Design (0.50)
- INTEG340 - Research Design and Methods (0.50)
- PLAN350 - Research Methods for Planners (0.50)

Leads to

No course lists it as a requisite.

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
Section	Class	Enrolled	Meets
LEC 001	5859	19 / 55	F 11:30–14:20

Reviewed on UW Flow

100% liked it100% easy100% useful

From 1 rating and 1 comment on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

For the first offering of a course, especially one that will be mandatory for future ERS students, this was genuinely an amazing course. I, and majority of the class, were upper years who took this course out of interest/thesis prep and it wasn't mandatory for us. Dr Jones-Crank was a very engaging and receptive professor who structured the course effectively for all students. The assignments consisted of in-class assignments each week (10%), a research question write up (5%), ethics training (5%), an annotated bibliography (20%), a research proposal presentation (15%) and a final proposal report (30%). Every assignment, including in-class activities built towards the final proposal, and…

Dec 2025 · liked itOn UW Flow Remove this

Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026

Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them

Calendar versions

Undergraduate Calendar

2025–26
2026–27 (shown here)
2019–20 and earlier on ucalendar