 | EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Honours Environmental Science with Thesis
The environmental problems confronting our society increasingly demand interdisciplinary solutions, and the individual who has been prepared by an interdisciplinary education is in a strong position to contribute to societal needs. This program provides preparation for a career in environmental science. With the B.Sc., the graduate will be able to work as part of an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research team, or to work with government agencies or utilities in the monitoring of environmental quality. Students who complete an honours research thesis will be eligible for graduate school.
The field of environmental science requires education in a mix of biology (ecology) and study of the physical environment, as well as a background in the aspects of chemistry involved in chemical assessment and monitoring of the environment. Students will also have the opportunity at some point to elect to emphasize biology, physical geography or geology, or to take a similar number of courses in all three areas. This program places strong emphasis on the technical side of environmental assessment, in contrast to the field of environmental studies in which human and planning-related aspects of the environment are emphasized.
In addition to the three core areas of geology, physical geography and biology, the chemistry of the environment is addressed through courses in instrumentation and analysis, and the application of chemical principles to environmental problems is developed in course offerings in geochemistry. The additional development that makes this program unique and particularly relevant to modern environmental scientists is the incorporation of required courses in Geographic Information Systems, or GIS. The GIS approach to organization of spatial data is central to integrated assessment of environmental variables and biological responses.
Inquiries about the Environmental Science Program should be directed to the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Room 204 Memorial Hall, extension 2486.
Program Requirements
Total courses: forty.
Major requirements: twenty-four courses, including Biology 55-140, 55-141, 55-210, 55-211, 55-213, 55-237, 55-341; Geology 61-140, 61-141, 61-220, 61-224, 61-232, 61-328, 61-441; Environmental Science 66-280, 66-499 (a 6 credit course); and Physical Geography 67-100, 67-102, 67-246, 67-210, 67-310, 67-334, 67-402.
Other requirements:
(a) Chemistry 59-140, 59-141, 59-230; Mathematics and Statistics 62-130, 65-205; Computer Science 60-104 or 60-106; Human Geography 42-200;
(b) nine courses chosen from the list of approved courses in the Faculties of Science and Arts and Social Sciences; up to four can be from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; at least one must be from Arts (01-) and one from Social Sciences (02-).
RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCE
The courses that are part of this program are well-defined, and since Science courses typically build on Prerequisites, the sequence of courses must be carefully followed. The sequencing outlined below is not very flexible for the first and second year, when students take a common core of introductory Biology, Geology, Physical Geography, Chemistry, and Mathematics and Statistics. However, the program has some flexibility in the third and fourth years.
FIRST YEAR
Fall term: 55-140, 59-140, 61-140, 62-130, 67-100.
Winter term: 55-141, 59-141, 61-141, 65-205, 67-102.
SECOND YEAR
Fall term: 55-210, 59-230, 61-220, 61-224, 61-232.
Winter Term: 55-211, 55-213, 42-200, 60-104 or 60-106, one elective**.
THIRD YEAR
Fall term: 55-237, 67-246, three electives**.
Winter term: 66-280*, 55-341, 67-210, 67-334, one elective**
FOURTH YEAR
Fall term: 66-499+, 61-441, 67-402, 67-310, one elective**.
Winter term: 66-499+, 61-328, three electives**.
+ Thesis, available only to Honours students with a major G.P.A. of 8.0 or above.
* Field course in environmental science.
**Approved Elective Courses
Students in this program will take nine or eleven approved electives, depending on whether or not they undertake honours thesis research. To be eligible to take thesis research a student must be in honours standing (major G.P.A. of 8.0 or above). The elective courses, listed in the following table, are all relevant to environmental science.
APPROVED SCIENCE ELECTIVES
Biology: 55-324, 55-325, 55-430, 55-437, 55-444, 55-445, 55-468
Chemistry: 59-250, 59-320, 59-321
Computer Science: 60-106
Geology: 61-231, 61-323, 61-324, 61-326, 61-424, 61-430, 61-436
Physical Geography: 67-220, 67-221, 67-320, 67-332, 67-370, 67-410
Any Arts or Social Science course that constitutes a program requirement for the Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree.
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES: CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES: COURSES
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES: PROGRAMS
EARTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES: INSTRUCTORS
FACULTY OF SCIENCE: GENERAL INFORMATION AND REGULATIONS
GENERAL UNDERGRADUATE REGULATIONS
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