Science Academic Plans

Advisors: See Faculty of Science, academic advisors.

Geology is the study of the Earth, its structure and composition, and the physical, chemical, and biological processes that have affected and continue to shape this planet over a variety of time scales. Training in geology leads to numerous challenging career paths such as exploration for natural resources (minerals, oil, and gas), environmental protection, identifying geological hazards, and understanding global climate change. Graduates are in great demand in a variety of employment sectors that include the exploration industry, mining, government, education, and consulting.

Continuing in Honours Co-operative Earth Sciences, Geology 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. 21.5 units that include:
   
   • 9.0 EARTH units: EARTH 121, EARTH 121L, EARTH 122, EARTH 122L, EARTH 123, EARTH 221, EARTH 223, EARTH 231, EARTH 232, EARTH 235, EARTH 238, EARTH 260, EARTH 331, EARTH 332, EARTH 333, EARTH 342, EARTH 358, EARTH 390, and EARTH 471
   • 1.0 EARTH unit: EARTH 436A and EARTH 436B; or EARTH 499 and one EARTH elective at 300-level or higher
   • 3.0 EARTH elective units with the following conditions:
     
     • 0.5 unit must be 200-level or higher
     • 2.5 units must be 300-level or higher
   • 1.5 CHEM units: CHEM 120, CHEM 120L, CHEM 123, and CHEM 123L
   • 1.5 PHYS units: PHYS 111 and PHYS 111L or PHYS 121 and PHYS 121L; PHYS 112 and PHYS 112L or PHYS 122 and PHYS 122L
   • 1.5 MATH units: MATH 106 or MATH 114; MATH 127 and MATH 128
   • 0.5 STAT unit: STAT 202
   • 1.0 program elective unit 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 SCCOM unit: SCCOM 100
   • 2.0 elective units; must be 0.5 unit lecture courses
2. Co-operative education requirements that include:
   • A minimum four work terms
   • Four WatPD (professional development) courses that must include PD 1, PD 11, and two PD elective courses
   • Four work-term reports:
     • One complete as part of PD 11
     • Three completed in required WKRPT courses: WKRPT 200S, WKRPT 300S, and WKRPT 400S

Notes

1. SCI and EARTH courses may not be counted as program electives.
2. A maximum of 1.5 SCI units may be counted as electives.
3. Additional co-op program information is located in the Co-operative Education and Career Action (CECA) section of this Calendar and in the Science Faculty work-term report guidelines.

Recommended Course Sequence

Year One

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Fall

CHEM 120/CHEM 120L Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter/Laboratory
EARTH 121/EARTH 121L Introductory Earth Sciences/Laboratory
EARTH 123 Introductory Hydrology
MATH 127 Calculus 1 for the Sciences
PHYS 111/PHYS 111L Physics 1/Laboratory
 or PHYS 121/PHYS 121L Mechanics/Laboratory

Winter

Year Two

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Fall

EARTH 223 Field Methods in Hydrology
EARTH 231 Mineralogy
EARTH 235 Stratigraphic Approaches to Understanding Earth's History
EARTH 260 Applied Geophysics 1
MATH 106 Applied Linear Algebra 1 
 or MATH 114 Linear Algebra for Science

Spring

Year Three

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Winter

Fall

Year Four

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Fall 

EARTH 436A Honours Thesis
 or EARTH 499 Research Project
Three EARTH electives 300-level or higher (1.5 units)
One elective (0.5 unit)

Winter

EARTH 332 Metamorphic Petrology
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)