Master of Science (MSc) in Earth Sciences - Water

The program information below was valid for the fall 2023 term (September 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

Students are responsible for reviewing the general information and regulations section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

Program information

  • Admit term(s) 
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Spring
  • Delivery mode 
    • On-campus
  • Program type 
    • Collaborative
    • Master's
    • Research
  • Registration option(s) 
    • Full-time
    • Part-time
  • Study option(s) 

Admission requirements

  • Minimum requirements 
    • Students should have a Honours Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Earth Sciences, or equivalent (e.g. Geology, Geosciences), with no less than a 75% standing. Outstanding students in other fields will also be accepted, but will have to take extra courses to strengthen their background preparation.
    • Before applying to the program, students are strongly advised to establish contact with potential supervisors. It is a good strategy to identify whether the potential supervisors that students would like to undertake research with have available positions and funding.
  • Application materials 
    • Résumé
    • Supplementary information form
    • Transcript(s)
      • An official transcript showing the awarding of the previous degree.
  • References 
    • Number of references:  3
    • Type of references: 

      at least 2 academic
  • English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Degree requirements

    Students have the responsibility of choosing the option that they will follow. The Thesis option provides an opportunity for the student to acquire a greater degree of research experience, whereas the Master’s Research Paper option provides an opportunity for the student to acquire a broader formal background in their chosen area of specialization through training in a larger number of courses.

    Thesis option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • Students must complete the 2 Water core courses and at least 4 one-term courses (0.50 unit weight), 1 of which must be EARTH 695 Earth MSc Seminar Proposal. Note: WATER 602 can be used to satisfy 1 of the 4 required courses.
    • The courses have to be EARTH 600 level courses, or equivalent, and only 1 400 level undergraduate course may count towards the course requirements.
    • Water core courses:
      • WATER 601 Integrated Water Management
      • WATER 602 Integrated Water Management Project
    • This degree is offered through the Collaborative Water Program. This program, jointly offered by a range of departments across several academic faculties, promotes the development of interdisciplinary perspectives on water. Collaborative Water Program students complete their specialist training in their respective home departments, while working with colleagues from a variety of other departments in core interdisciplinary courses (WATER 601 and WATER 602).
    • The Department will determine whether or not collaborative program courses can be used as electives. It is therefore possible that students will need to take additional courses in order to meet the specific requirements of the program.
    • Students are required to take a minimum number of credit courses as partial fulfillment of their degree requirements. In addition to these courses, students may also be required to take additional courses at the undergraduate level as prerequisites for the credit courses.
  • Link(s) to courses
  • Collaborative Research Seminar I
    • Students are required to present a seminar on their thesis or major paper research proposal and, if appropriate, early stage results to current and past Water students and Water Institute faculty members. Seminars will normally occur following the completion of WATER 601 and WATER 602. Seminars will provide the opportunity for students to discuss how learnings from Water courses were applied in, or influenced, research proposals or research work in the student’s home department. Seminars will normally be poster presentations at Water Institute organized events. The seminar is not an oral examination of the thesis or paper; rather, its purpose is to develop the student's ability to communicate their research in an organized and informative manner.
  • Master’s Thesis
    • Students must submit and successfully defend a Master’s thesis.

    Master's Research Paper option:

  • Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)
  • Courses 
    • Students must complete the 2 Water core courses and 6 one-term (0.50 unit weight) graduate EARTH courses or equivalent (may include 1 400-level undergraduate course). Note: WATER 602 can be used to satisfy 1 of the 6 required courses.
    • Water core courses:
      • WATER 601 Integrated Water Management
      • WATER 602 Integrated Water Management Project
    • This degree is offered through the Collaborative Water Program. This program, jointly offered by a range of departments across several academic faculties, promotes the development of interdisciplinary perspectives on water. Collaborative Water Program students complete their specialist training in their respective home departments, while working with colleagues from a variety of other departments in core interdisciplinary courses (WATER 601 and WATER 602).
    • The Department will determine whether or not collaborative program courses can be used as electives. It is therefore possible that students will need to take additional courses in order to meet the specific requirements of the program.
    • Students are required to take a minimum number of credit courses as partial fulfillment of their degree requirements. In addition to these courses, students may also be required to take additional courses at the undergraduate level as prerequisites for the credit courses.
  • Link(s) to courses
  • Collaborative Research Seminar I
    • Students are required to present a seminar on their thesis or major paper research proposal and, if appropriate, early stage results to current and past Water students and Water Institute faculty members. Seminars will normally occur following the completion of WATER 601 and WATER 602. Seminars will provide the opportunity for students to discuss how learnings from Water courses were applied in, or influenced, research proposals or research work in the student’s home department. Seminars will normally be poster presentations at Water Institute organized events. The seminar is not an oral examination of the thesis or paper; rather, its purpose is to develop the student's ability to communicate their research in an organized and informative manner.
  • Master’s Research Paper
    • Students must complete a written report on a research project that is narrower in scope than a thesis and that entails a lesser time commitment than a thesis.
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences website
Master of Science (MSc) in Earth Sciences - Water future students program page