Please note: MSc applicants must have a faculty supervisor before an acceptance offer can be made. The search for a faculty supervisor must be complete prior to submitting the application to the School of Graduate Studies.

Students following the research thesis-based program option complete a research thesis under the supervision of a faculty member in the Faculty of Science, plus four courses selected as follows:

All students complete the following two courses:
ENVS 6000 - Environmental Science and Technology
ENVS 6010 - Environmental Science Seminar

One additional course, intended to broaden the student's perspective on environmental issues, is to be selected from the following three courses:
ENVS 6001 - Earth and Ocean Systems
ENVS 6002 - Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
ENVS 6003 - Applied Ecology

One additional course, intended to provide greater depth in the student's scientific specialization, may be selected from among graduate courses offered in the Faculty of Science, the Department of Geography or the Faculty of Engineering & Applied Science. Selection of this course is subject to approval by the Board of Study.

The research thesis, which is a central component of this degree, is based on the results of systematic research on an approved topic. The thesis is significantly more extensive than the project report (ENVS 6009) undertaken by students in the course-based program. The thesis will be evaluated according to the regulations of the School of Graduate Studies.

Please consult our ENVS Handbook for more indepth information on the program requirements.

Typically, students require over 2 calendar years to complete this program, with the thesis occupying at least 1 of these years.