Why Earth Sciences @ Memorial?

Memorial University of Newfoundland has one of the largest and most diverse Earth Science departments in Canada. With 20 faculty members, 17 staff members, and leading-edge teaching and research facilities, the department is able to offer high quality graduate degree programs. Graduates of Memorial’s Department of Earth Sciences have gone on to careers in academia, government, and the private sector.

The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador is an excellent natural laboratory in which to study Earth Sciences and many of our courses have field-based components. The cross-section of geology that can be studied in Newfoundland and Labrador is unparalleled and spans a large part of Earth’s history. Our department’s long-standing, excellent reputation is, in part, due to its close proximity to this world-class geology.

Memorial’s Department of Earth Sciences maintains close ties to the mining and petroleum industries of Canada, the USA, and elsewhere. Each year, leading petroleum and mineral exploration companies recruit at Memorial University because of the excellent education and training our students receive, and have taken with them throughout the world.

Description of programs

• MSc – The MSc program is offered in both Geology and Geophysics, and involves courses and a thesis. The MSc can be completed in two years of full-time study.

• PhD – The PhD program is offered in both Geology and Geophysics, and involves courses, a comprehensive exam, and a thesis. The PhD can be completed in four years of full-time study.

Contact a faculty supervisor

Graduate applicants interested in research-based programs are strongly encouraged to connect with a faculty supervisor at the time of application. Visit the Department of Earth Sciences website for a list of faculty members, their research interests, and contact information. You may also use the Yaffle search application to find a supervisor you may wish to work with.

The School of Graduate Studies offers advice on how to search for and contact potential supervisors. Need more help? Try attending one of our webinars and information sessions for prospective graduate students.

Minimum admission requirements

• MSc – Bachelor's degree (minimum second class) in an appropriate area of study

• PhD – Master’s degree in an appropriate area of study

Potential career options and outcomes

Mineral or oil and gas exploration and development, hydrogeology, environmental geology, secondary school teaching, geological surveys, university teaching and research, law, business,
banking and economics, space

Graduate student and alumni profiles

Our graduate students come from all parts of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and the world. View the student profile below to learn more about what they do and why they chose Memorial.

Note: All figures are in Canadian dollars and subject to change. Fees are approved by the University’s Board of Regents. In the event of a discrepancy between the fees approved by the Board and those published on this website, the fees approved by the Board will prevail. Financial policies are enforced through the Department of Financial and Administrative Services. For the complete and official list of all fees and charges, visit www.mun.ca/finance/fees/.