Earth Sciences
Earth Sciences examines the physical, chemical, and biological processes that shape the Earth and its companions in the solar system. Programs in earth sciences provide students with a solid foundation in mathematics and science, along with specialized courses on the physics and chemistry of rocks and minerals, the internal and external processes that have moulded the surface of the planet, and the role of living organisms in geological processes.
Admission Information
- Geology, Geophysics or Geoscience
- Apply to the Physical & Mathematical Sciences admission category on the St. George campus
- Six Grade 12 U or M courses, including English and Calculus and Vectors are required
- For Geology: A senior high school credit in Chemistry is required and Biology and Physics are recommended
- For Geophysics: Senior high school credits in Chemistry and Physics are required
- For Geoscience: Senior high school credits in Chemistry and Physics are required and Biology is recommended
- Students outside of Ontario should have the equivalent senior high school credits
- Environmental Geosciences
- Apply to the Life Sciences admission category on the St. George campus
- Six Grade 12 U or M courses, including English and Calculus and Vectors are required
- Senior high school credits in Biology and Chemistry are required for first-year courses
- Senior high school Physics is recommended
- Students outside of Ontario should have the equivalent senior high school credits
Honours Bachelor of Science Programs
- Geology (specialist)
- Geophysics (specialist)
- Geoscience (major and minor options)
- Environmental Geosciences (specialist, major and minor options) - see School of the Environment
First-Year Courses
- GLG 102H1 - Earth Science
- GLG 103H1 - Geology in Public Issues
- GLG 105H1 - Evolution of the Earth: Controversy over the last 2300 Years
- GLG 110H1 - Introductory Geology
- GLG 130H1 - Exploration of the Solar System
Advice for First Year
Students who are interested in geology should take GLG 102H1 - Earth Science, which is a foundation course providing a general overview of the important concepts in geology. In addition, all geology programs require basic sciences, and these can be taken as various combinations of first-year courses in chemistry, physics, biology and mathematics.
Careers
Students are encouraged to seek summer employment with geological field parties to supplement field experience gained in course work.
Most provinces, including Ontario, have registration requirements that geologists must fulfill in order to practise as an independent professional. These include several years of work experience under the direction of a registered geologist.
Most professional geologists have further educational qualifications and our programs provide an excellent foundation for entry into advanced degree work. The professional geologist usually has an advanced degree – MSc or PhD. A high B average is usually a minimum requirement for admission to a graduate program.
An MSc or PhD geologist might find employment in research organizations in industry, government or the academic sector, mineral and petroleum exploration and exploitation, water resources and conservation, or industrial and urban waste disposal. Practical field experience is an asset when applying for industrial jobs.
A geoscience major degree can readily be combined with other fields of study. We encourage our students to think about joint major programs; logical complements are other sciences (chemistry, biology, computer science), and commerce, archaeology, or architecture given the importance of Earth materials and processes in these fields.
Graduates have built a business career by combining their undergraduate geological knowledge of natural resources with graduate degrees in commerce, management or finance (MBA) or in law, and have been sought after by banks and financial companies.
Direct career options include:
- High school teacher
- Mineral and petroleum exploration
- Environmental consulting
What is the difference between a Geologist and a Geological Engineer?
The programs outlined above lead to qualification as a geologist and allow considerable flexibility in course selection.
The Lassonde program in mineral engineering in the university's Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering offers courses leading to the degree of bachelor of applied science (BASc). The program for this degree is more highly structured and includes all basic requirements of an engineering degree.
