Science Academic Plans

Advisors: See Faculty of Science, academic advisor.

Geophysics is a broad field where mathematics and physics are combined to study the many 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 in 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.

Continuation in Honours Earth Sciences, Geophysics Specialization, requires a cumulative overall average of 60% and a cumulative average of 60% in all EARTH courses.

Successful completion of this program requires:

1. 22.0 units that include:
   
   • 9.0 EARTH units: EARTH 121, EARTH 121L, EARTH 122, EARTH 122L, EARTH 123, EARTH 123L, EARTH 221, EARTH 231, EARTH 232, EARTH 235, EARTH 238, EARTH 260, EARTH 333, EARTH 358, EARTH 390, EARTH 458, EARTH 458L, EARTH 460, EARTH 461, and EARTH 471
   • 1.0 EARTH unit: EARTH 436A and EARTH 436B or EARTH 499 and one EARTH elective at 300-level or higher
   • 2.5 EARTH elective units with the following conditions:
     
     • 2.0 units must be 300-level or higher
     • 0.5 unit must be 200-level or higher
   • 1.5 CHEM units: CHEM 120, CHEM 120L, CHEM 123, and CHEM 123L
   • 1.5 PHYS units: PHYS 121, PHYS 121L, PHYS 122 and PHYS 122L
   • 2.5 MATH units: MATH 106 or MATH 114; MATH 127 and MATH 128; MATH 227 or CIVE 221; MATH 228 or CIVE 222 or ENVE 223
   • 0.5 STAT unit: STAT 202
   • 2.0 Program elective units chosen from any 200-level or higher BIOL, CHEM, PHYS, MATH, AMATH course or chosen from BIOL 120, BIOL 130, BIOL 150, CS 115, or CS 116
   • 0.5 Program elective unit chosen from the Faculty of Arts
   • 1.0 elective unit chosen from any 0.5 unit lecture course
2. Completion of the English Language Proficiency Requirement

Notes

1. The Faculty of Arts Program elective should be taken in Year Two.
2. The Faculty of Arts Program elective is recommended to be a course in oral or written communication (e.g. SPCOM 223, ENGL 109, ENGL 129R, ENGL 140R, ENGL 209,ENGL 210E, ENGL 210F or PHIL 145).
3. EARTH 342 and EARTH 440 are recommended EARTH electives.
4. SCI and EARTH courses may not be counted as Program elective options.
5. A maximum of 1.5 SCI units may be counted as elective courses.

Recommended Course Sequence

Year One

Fall

Winter

CHEM 123/CHEM 123L Chemical Reactions, Equilibria and Kinetics/Laboratory
EARTH 122/EARTH 122L Introductory Environmental Sciences/Laboratory
MATH 106 Applied Linear Algebra 1
 or MATH 114 Linear Algebra for Science
MATH 128 Calculus 2 for the Sciences
PHYS 122/PHYS 122L Waves, Electricity and Magnetism/Laboratory

Year Two

Fall

Winter

Year Three

Fall

Winter

EARTH 333 Introductory Sedimentology
EARTH 358 Earth System Science
EARTH 390 Methods in Geological Mapping
EARTH 460 Applied Geophysics 2
One Program elective (0.5 unit)
One elective (0.5 unit)

Year Four

Fall

EARTH 436A Honours Thesis
 or EARTH 499 Research Project
EARTH 461 Applied Geophysics 3
Two EARTH electives 300-level or higher (1.0 unit)

Winter

EARTH 436B Honours Thesis
 or one EARTH elective 300-level or higher (0.5 unit)
EARTH 471 Mineral Deposits
One EARTH elective 200-level or higher (0.5 unit)
Two EARTH electives 300-level or higher (1.0 unit)