Advisors: See Faculty of Science, academic advisors.
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.
Continuing 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:
21.75 units that include:
- 9.25 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 333, EARTH 358, EARTH 390, EARTH 458, EARTH 458L, EARTH 460, EARTH 461, and EARTH 471
- 1.0 EARTH unit: EARTH 436A and either EARTH 436B or one EARTH elective at 300-level or higher
- 2.5 EARTH elective units with the following conditions:
- 0.5 unit must be 200-level or higher
- 2.0 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 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, CS, PHYS, MATH, AMATH course, or chosen from BIOL 120, BIOL 130, BIOL 150, CHEM 140, CS 115, CS 116, or PHYS 175
- 0.5 ENGL unit: ENGL 193/SPCOM 193
- 0.5 elective unit chosen from any 0.5 unit lecture course
Notes
- EARTH 342 and EARTH 440 are recommended EARTH electives.
- SCI and EARTH courses may not be counted as program electives.
- Students will need enrolment permission for required courses offered through Engineering.
Recommended Course Sequence
Year One
Fall
CHEM 120/CHEM 120L General Chemistry 1/General Chemistry Laboratory 1
EARTH 121/EARTH 121L Introductory Earth Sciences/Introductory Earth Sciences Laboratory
MATH 127 Calculus 1 for the Sciences
PHYS 121/PHYS 121L Mechanics/Mechanics Laboratory
One of ENGL 193/SPCOM 193 Communication in the Sciences
Winter
CHEM 123/CHEM 123L General Chemistry 2/General Chemistry Laboratory 2
EARTH 122/EARTH 122L Introductory Environmental Sciences/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/Waves, Electricity and Magnetism Laboratory
Year Two
Fall
EARTH 123 Introductory 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
Winter
EARTH 221 Geochemistry 1
EARTH 232 Petrography
EARTH 238 Introductory Structural Geology
MATH 228 Differential Equations for Physics and Chemistry
or ENVE 223 Differential Equations and Balance Laws
One program elective (0.5 unit)
Year Three
Fall
EARTH 223 Field Methods in Hydrology
STAT 202 Introductory Statistics for Scientists
Three program electives (1.5 units)
Winter
EARTH 333 Introductory Sedimentology
EARTH 358 Earth System Science
EARTH 390 Methods in Geological Mapping
EARTH 460 Applied Geophysics 2
One EARTH elective 300-level or higher
One elective (0.5 unit)
Year Four
Fall
EARTH 436A Thesis Proposal
EARTH 458/EARTH 458L Physical Hydrogeology/Field Methods in Hydrogeology
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)
One EARTH elective 300-level or higher (0.5 unit)