Geophysics is a broad field where mathematics and physics are combined to study the many incredible phenomena that happen inside, on the surface and in the atmosphere of the Earth and other planets. In addition to mineral and energy exploration, geophysicists are involved in evaluating earthquake and volcano hazards, monitoring nuclear weapons treaties, assisting in managing and protecting groundwater resources and studying geomagnetic phenomenon, such as the Aurora Borealis. Students in the geophysics program acquire a wide range of quantitative skills from their studies of Earth sciences, mathematics, and physics. Geophysicists are perennially in high demand by employers in all areas of Earth sciences from oil, gas, and base metal exploration to environmental monitoring and management, in both the public and private sectors.
Year 1A/B (Fall/Winter)
CHEM 120/CHEM 120L Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter/Laboratory
CHEM 123/CHEM 123L Chemical Reactions, Equilibria and Kinetics/Laboratory
EARTH 121/EARTH 121L Introductory Earth Sciences/Laboratory
EARTH 122/EARTH 122L Introductory Environmental Sciences/Laboratory
EARTH 123 Introductory Hydrology
MATH 127/MATH 128 Calculus 1/2
MATH 106 Applied Linear Algebra 1
or MATH 114 Applied Algebra for Sciences
PHYS 121/PHYS 121L Mechanics/Laboratory
PHYS 122/PHYS 122L Waves, Electricity and Magnetism/Laboratory
Year 2A (Fall)
EARTH 123L Field Methods in Hydrology
EARTH 231 Mineralogy
EARTH 235 Stratigraphic Approaches to Understanding Earth's History
EARTH 260 Applied Geophysics 1
MATH 227 Calculus 3 for Honours Physics
or CIVE 221 Advanced Calculus
One elective (0.5 unit)
Year 2B (Spring)
EARTH 221 Geochemistry
EARTH 232 Petrography
MATH 228 Differential Equations for Physics and Chemistry
or CIVE 222 Differential Equations
Two electives (1.0 unit)
Year 3A (Winter)
EARTH 238 Introductory Structural Geology
EARTH 333 Introductory Sedimentology
EARTH 358 Earth System Science
EARTH 390 Methods in Geological Mapping
EARTH 460 Applied Geophysics 2
Arts Core (0.5 unit)
Year 3B (Fall)
STAT 202 Introductory Statistics for Scientists
EARTH 458/EARTH 458L Physical Hydrogeology/Field Methods in Hydrogeology
Three electives (1.5 units)
Year 4A/B (Fall/Winter)
EARTH 436A/EARTH 436B Honours Thesis
or EARTH 499 Research Project plus one 300- or 400- level EARTH course
EARTH 461/EARTH 461L Applied Geophysics 3/Field Methods in Applied Geophysics
EARTH 471 Mineral Deposits
One 200-, 300- or 400-level EARTH course (0.5 unit)
One elective (0.5 unit)
Four 300- or 400-level EARTH courses (2.0 units)
Note
EARTH 342 (Applied Geomorphology) or EARTH 440 (Quaternary Geology) are recommended.