The information on this site is an archived previous calendar for the 2023-2024 academic year.

The current University Calendar is available at https://www.mun.ca/university-calendar/ 

11.5 Earth Sciences

www.mun.ca/earthsciences

The following undergraduate programs are available:

120 credit hour programs

  1. 2 Chemistry and Earth Sciences Joint Honours

  2. Earth Sciences and Geography Joint Honours

  3. Earth Sciences and Physics Joint Honours

  4. Earth Sciences and Physics Joint Major

  5. General or Honours degrees in Earth Sciences

  6. Geophysics and Physical Oceanography Joint Honours

135 credit hour program

  1. Biology and Earth Sciences Joint Honours

24 credit hour program

  1. Minor in Earth Sciences

Although Honours programs can be completed in 120 credit hours, students who do not select the prescribed Common Block of Required Courses will normally need more than 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.

Earth Sciences course descriptions are found at the end of the Faculty of Science section under Course Descriptions, Earth Sciences.


11.5.1 Undergraduate Handbook

Additional information about the undergraduate program, individual courses and suggested timetables can be found in the Department of Earth Sciences Undergraduate Handbook which is available on the web at www.mun.ca/earthsciences.


11.5.2 Entrance Requirements

In order to be formally admitted to major programs in Earth Sciences, students must have successfully completed 3 first-year credit hours in each of the following departments: English, Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry and Physics; these courses must be selected from the list of required courses for degree programs in Earth Sciences. Students are encouraged to declare their major in their first year of study at the university.

Most of the 2000 level Earth Sciences courses that are required for major and minor programs in Earth Sciences have Physics and Chemistry prerequisites, and students are advised to complete these prerequisites in their first year of study.

Students will not normally be permitted entry to 3000 level (or above) Earth Sciences courses without having successfully completed all 1000-level courses listed in the Common Block of Required Courses specified in Clause 1. in the Major Programs in Earth Sciences.


11.5.3 Minor in Earth Sciences

A Minor in Earth Sciences will consist of the following:

  1. Earth Sciences 1000 and 1002.

  2. Eighteen credit hours chosen from Earth Sciences courses at the 2000 level or higher with at least 5 credit hours from courses at the 2000 level. Credit hours from Earth Sciences 2150, 2311, 2914, 2915, 2916, 2917, 2918, 4310 and 4950 cannot be used to fulfil this requirement.

Due to the prerequisite structure, availability of courses at the 3000 level and higher depends on courses taken at the 2000 level (see Undergraduate Handbook for some options).


11.5.4 Major Programs in Earth Sciences

Programs in Earth Sciences consist of a Common Block of Required Courses (below), and additional courses that depend on the degree being sought.


11.5.4.1 Common Block of Required Courses

All majors in Earth Sciences must successfully complete those courses specified in Clauses 1. through 4. Students should examine prerequisites of 3000 level courses in order to decide which course to select under Clauses 3. and 4.

  1. Six credit hours in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) courses, including at least 3 credit hours in English courses, Mathematics 1000 and 1001, Earth Sciences 1000 and 1002, Chemistry 1050 and 1051 or Chemistry 1200 and 1001, Physics 1050 and 1051 or Physics 1020 and 1021. Students are advised to consult the Department of Physics Course Descriptions section for credit restrictions.

    Students who intend or are required to successfully complete higher level Physics courses must successfully complete Physics 1051 as well, since it is a prerequisite for higher level Physics courses. Students should review the Department of Physics Calendar entry for these courses.

  2. Earth Sciences 2030, 2031, 2401, 2502, 2702, 2905, 3420, 3905.

  3. Mathematics 2000 or Statistics 2550.

  4. Either Biology 2120 (or Biology 1001 and 1002); or both Physics 2055 and Physics 2820.

Students must ensure that the prerequisites for Earth Sciences courses are fulfilled. Great difficulties in timetabling may be encountered if the required first-year courses are not successfully completed before the beginning of second year.


11.5.5 Honours B.Sc. Degree in Earth Sciences

Geoscientific careers vary widely in required background. The Honours B.Sc. program is designed with considerable choice in order that students may personalize their programs based on career goals. Note that the flexibility afforded by this program is not without limits. Some courses have prerequisites, and it is ultimately the student's responsibility to ensure that these prerequisites are satisfied. Students should consult faculty members and the departmental Student Handbook for guidance in selecting courses appropriate to particular career paths.

In addition to the Common Block of Required Courses listed under Major Programs in Earth Sciences, the following requirements must be successfully completed to qualify for the Honours B.Sc. degree in Earth Sciences:

  1. Earth Sciences 499A and 499B.

  2. At least 27 additional credit hours from Earth Sciences courses at 3000 and/or 4000 levels with a minimum of 12 credit hours from courses at the 4000 level. Credit hours from Earth Sciences 4310 and 4950 cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.

  3. Six credit hours from the Faculty of Science courses numbered 2000 or higher. Credit hours from Earth Sciences courses, courses that are cross-listed with Earth Sciences courses, and the former Physics 2050 are excluded. However, Physics 2820 is permitted.

  4. Additional credit hours selected to conform with regulations for the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science so as to achieve a total of 120 credit hours. Students are encouraged to complete a minor in another department.

  5. Three of the credit hours used to fulfill either requirement 3. or 4. above must be from Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Statistics or Physics. They may be from Mathematics only if Mathematics 2000 has not been taken as part of the Common Block of Required Courses.


11.5.6 General B.Sc. Degree in Earth Sciences

In addition to the Common Block of Required Courses listed under Major Programs in Earth Sciences, the following requirements must be completed to qualify for the General B.Sc. degree in Earth Sciences:

  1. Eighteen additional credit hours from Earth Sciences courses at 3000 and/or 4000 levels with a minimum of 9 credit hours from courses at 4000 level. Credit hours from Earth Sciences 4310, 4950 and 499A/B cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.

  2. Six credit hours from Science Faculty courses numbered 2000 or higher. Credit hours from Earth Sciences courses, courses that are cross-listed with Earth Sciences courses, and the former Physics 2050 are excluded. However, Physics 2820 is permitted.

  3. Additional credit hours selected to conform with the Regulations for the General Degree of Bachelor of Science so as to achieve a total of 120 credit hours. Students are encouraged to complete a minor in another department.

Students are advised that this is the minimum requirement for the General B.Sc. in Earth Sciences. Many provinces, including Newfoundland and Labrador, have legislation requiring registration of professional geoscientists. A basic requirement for registration is, in most cases, the course equivalent of an Honours B.Sc. degree. Students intending to make a career in Earth Sciences should consider taking the Honours Degree program of courses, regardless of whether honours standing is maintained.


11.5.7 Credit Restrictions for Present Earth Sciences (EASC) Courses with Former Courses

Credit Restrictions for Present Earth Sciences (EASC) Courses with Former Courses Table

Present

Former Equivalents

Present

Former Equivalents

EASC 1000

EASC 1010, Geology 1000, Geology 1010

EASC 3611

EASC 4611

EASC 1001

EASC 1011, Geology 1001, Geology 1011

EASC 3705

EASC 4700, Geology 3070

EASC 2030

EASC 203A, Geology 203A

EASC 3811

EASC 3801, EASC 2801, Geology 2801

EASC 2031

EASC 203B, Geology 203B

EASC 4053

Geology 4053

EASC 2150

Physics 2150

EASC 4054

EASC 4052, Geology 4052

EASC 2401

EASC 3400, EASC 3120, Geology 3120

EASC 4171

Physics 4171

EASC 2502

EASC 2501, EASC 3200, Geology 3200

EASC 4179

EASC 4970, Physics 4970

EASC 2702

EASC 3701, EASC 3070, Geology 3070

EASC 4211

Geology 4211

EASC 2905

EASC 2310, EASC 2300, EASC 2900, Geology 2900

EASC 4302

EASC 4501, Geology 4501

EASC 2914

EASC 2414, Geology 2414

EASC 4310

Geology 4310

EASC 2915

EASC 2415, Geology 2415

EASC 4400

EASC 4120, Geology 4120

EASC 3054

EASC 2503 and EASC 3053

EASC 4420

EASC 400A, EASC 4320, EASC 4901, Geology 400A

EASC 3055

EASC 2503 and EASC 3053

EASC 4502

EASC 4201, Geology 4201

EASC 3170

Physics 3170

EASC 4601

Geology 4601

EASC 3172

EASC 3171, Physics 3171

EASC 4800

EASC 4110, Geology 4110

EASC 3210

Geology 3210

EASC 499A/B

EASC 4991, Geology 4991

EASC 3420

EASC 2400, EASC 4901, EASC 2161, EASC 2070, Physics 2070

Notes:

  1. Students wishing to pursue study within the programs offered by Earth Sciences are strongly advised to keep in close contact with the Department to discuss course programs before registration in order to maintain proper sequencing.

  2. Students wishing to take some Earth Sciences courses without intending to major in Earth Sciences should consult with the Head of Department (or delegate) to determine the courses most suitable to their needs and capabilities. Earth Sciences 2914, 2915, 2916, 2917, 2918, and 2150 are especially suitable for such students and have no Earth Sciences prerequisites.

  3. Most courses comprise six hours of instruction per week, usually three hours of lectures or seminars and a three-hour laboratory period; however, at an advanced level other methods of instruction may be adopted.

  4. The field courses 2905, 3705, 3905 and 4905 require payment of a participation fee to cover costs for logistics and equipment. Registration for these courses will be by application only and may be competitive.

  5. The prerequisites for courses 4302, 4902 and 4903 refer to core courses in the Faculty of Science. For the purposes of these prerequisite statements, core courses are defined as those courses that are specified by each department as mandatory to fulfil the course requirements for their General or Honours programs.

  6. Certain 4000 level courses may not be offered every year.

  7. At most 6 credit hours in courses at the 1000-level can be used towards the course requirements in Earth Sciences for the Major, Minor, Joint Major, Honours or Joint Honours.

The information on this site is an archived previous calendar for the 2023-2024 academic year.

The current University Calendar is available at https://www.mun.ca/university-calendar/ 

Copyright © 2023 Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
calendar.editor@mun.ca