PGO Academic Requirement Guides

Select your program below to view PGO requirements and the Waterloo course equivalents you will take throughout your degree. Please be advised that this is a guide and all students should consult the PGO website to ensure the academic requirements of this designation are completed by graduation. Please contact Luke Balch for any questions. 

Note: Courses can not be used to fill the requirements of more than one section.

Water Science

1A- Compulsory Foundation Science Courses

Requirement: Three courses that are 100 level or above in Chemistry, Physics and Math (Calculus).

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 120
  • PHYS 111 (or 121)
  • MATH 127
 None

1B – Additional Foundation Courses

Six courses that are 100 level or above in Biology, Computer Programming, Chemistry, Math, Physics or Statistics.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • BIOL 150
  • BIOL 165
  • CHEM 123
  • CHEM 220
  • STAT 202

1

Note: Can not be a CHEM or BIOL course

2A – Compulsory Foundation Geoscience Courses

Four courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
0

4

Field Techniques 

  • EARTH 390

Mineralogy

  • EARTH 231

Stratigraphy

  • EARTH 235

Structural Geology

  • EARTH 238

2B – Additional Foundation Geoscience Courses

Five courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Group 1: Geochemistry

  • EARTH 221

Group 2: Hydrogeology, Hydrology

  • EARTH 458
  • GEOG 407

Group 3: Geomorphology 

  • EARTH 342
  • GEOG 201
 0

2C – Other Geoscience

Nine courses that are 200 level or above from any subject area in 2C from the PGO Knowledge Requirements Toolkit OR nine courses from the following list.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • EARTH 223
  • EARTH 355
  • EARTH 444
  • EARTH 421
  • GEOG 453
  • 3 Earth electives from "BIOL or EARTH elective units" list
  • EARTH 333 (must be taken to enrol in earth 390)

Geoscience

1A- Compulsory Foundation Science Courses

 Requirement: Three courses that are 100 level or above in Chemistry, Physics and Math (Calculus).

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 120
  • PHYS 111 (or 121)
  • MATH 127
 None

1B – Additional Foundation Courses

Six courses that are 100 level or above in Biology, Computer Programming, Chemistry, Math, Physics or Statistics.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 123
  • STAT 202
  • BIOL 150
  • BIOL 165

2

Examples:

  • CS 105 (or 115)
  • CS 106 (or 116)
  • CHEM 264
  • CHEM 266
  • MATH 106 (or 114)
  • MATH 128
  • PHYS 112 (or 122)

Note: Can not be a BIOL course

2A – Compulsory Foundation Geoscience Courses

Four courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Field Techniques 

  • EARTH 390

Mineralogy

  • EARTH 231

Stratigraphy

  • EARTH 235

Structural Geology

  • EARTH 238
 None

2B – Additional Foundation Geoscience Courses

Five courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Group 1: Geochemistry

  • EARTH 221

Group 2: Petrology 

  • EARTH 232

Group 3: Sedimentology, Geomorphology 

  • EARTH 333
  • EARTH 342

1

Note: Must be from group 1 or 2

Group 1 options:

  • EARTH 260
  • EARTH 460

Group 2 options: 

  • EARTH 331
  • EARTH 332
  • EARTH 458
  • EARTH 459
  • GEOG 303
  • GEOG 407
  • CIVE 382
  • CIVE 486
  • EARTH 438

2C – Other Geoscience

Nine courses that are 200 level or above from any subject area in 2C from the PGO Knowledge Requirements Toolkit OR nine courses from the following list.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • EARTH 223
  • EARTH 358
  • EARTH 436A
  • EARTH 436B
  • EARTH 440
  • EARTH 444
  • ERS 215

2 EARTH electives 200 level or higher

Geophysics

1A- Compulsory Foundation Science Courses

Requirement: Three courses that are 100 level or above in Chemistry, Physics and Math (Calculus).

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 120
  • PHYS 121 (or 111)
  • MATH 127
 None

1B – Additional Foundation Courses

Six courses that are 100 level or above in Biology, Computer Programming, Chemistry, Math, Physics or Statistics.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 123
  • STAT 202
  • MATH 114 (or 106)
  • MATH 128
  • PHYS 122

1

Examples:

  • BIOL 120 
  • BIOL 150
  • BIOL 165
  • BIOL 240
  • CS 105 (or 115)
  • CS 106 (or 116)
  • CHEM 264
  • CHEM 266

Note: Can not be a MATH course

2A – Compulsory Foundation Geoscience Courses

Four courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Field Techniques 

  • EARTH 390

Mineralogy

  • EARTH 231

Stratigraphy

  • EARTH 235

Structural Geology

  • EARTH 238
 None

2B – Additional Foundation Geoscience Courses

Five courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Group 1: Geochemistry, Geophysics

  • EARTH 221
  • EARTH 260

Group 2: Petrology, Hydrogeology

  • EARTH 232
  • EARTH 458

Group 3: Sedimentology 

  • EARTH 333
 None

2C – Other Geoscience

Nine courses that are 200 level or above from any subject area in 2C from the APGO Knowledge Requirements Toolkit OR nine courses from the following list.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • EARTH 223
  • EARTH 358
  • EARTH 436A
  • EARTH 436B
  • EARTH 460
  • EARTH 461
  • EARTH 471

2 EARTH electives 200 level or higher

Geology

1A- Compulsory Foundation Science Courses

 Requirement: Three courses that are 100 level or above in Chemistry, Physics and Math (Calculus).

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 120
  • PHYS 111 (or 121)
  • MATH 127
 None

1B – Additional Foundation Courses

Six courses that are 100 level or above in Biology, Computer Programming, Chemistry, Math, Physics or Statistics.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 123
  • STAT 202
  • MATH 114 (or 106)
  • MATH 128
  • PHYS 112 (or 122)

1

Examples:

  • BIOL 120 
  • BIOL 150
  • BIOL 165
  • BIOL 240
  • CS 105 (or 115)
  • CS 106 (or 116)
  • CHEM 264
  • CHEM 266

Note: Can not be a MATH course

2A – Compulsory Foundation Geoscience Courses

Four courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Field Techniques 

  • EARTH 390

Mineralogy

  • EARTH 231

Stratigraphy

  • EARTH 235

Structural Geology

  • EARTH 238
 None

2B – Additional Foundation Geoscience Courses

Five courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Group 1: Geochemistry, Geophysics

  • EARTH 221
  • EARTH 260

Group 2: Petrology, Hydrogeology

  • EARTH 232
  • EARTH 331

Group 3: Geomorphology 

  • EARTH 342
 None

2C – Other Geoscience

Nine courses that are 200 level or above from any subject area in 2C from the PGO Knowledge Requirements Toolkit OR nine courses from the following list.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • EARTH 223
  • EARTH 332
  • EARTH 333
  • EARTH 358
  • EARTH 436A
  • EARTH 436B
  • EARTH 471

2 EARTH electives 200 level or higher

Hydrogeology

1A- Compulsory Foundation Science Courses

 Requirement: Three courses that are 100 level or above in Chemistry, Physics and Math (Calculus).

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 120
  • PHYS 111 (or 121)
  • MATH 127
 None

1B – Additional Foundation Courses

Six courses that are 100 level or above in Biology, Computer Programming, Chemistry, Math, Physics or Statistics.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • CHEM 123
  • STAT 202
  • MATH 114 (or 106)
  • MATH 128
  • PHYS 112 (or 122)

1

Examples:

  • BIOL 120 
  • BIOL 150
  • BIOL 165
  • BIOL 240
  • CS 105 (or 115)
  • CS 106 (or 116)
  • CHEM 264
  • CHEM 266

Note: Can not be a MATH course

2A – Compulsory Foundation Geoscience Courses

Four courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed

Field Techniques 

  • EARTH 390

Mineralogy

  • EARTH 231

Stratigraphy

  • EARTH 235

Structural Geology

  • EARTH 238
 None

2B – Additional Foundation Geoscience Courses

Five courses that are 200 level or above in the following subject areas.

Required courses in your program Remaining coures to be completed

Group 1: Geochemistry, Geophysics

  • EARTH 221
  • EARTH 260

Group 2: Petrology, Hydrogeology

  • EARTH 232
  • EARTH 458

Group 3: Geomorphology 

  • EARTH 342
 None

2C – Other Geoscience

Nine courses that are 200 level or above from any subject area in 2C from the APGO Knowledge Requirements Toolkit OR nine courses from the following list.

Required courses in your program Remaining courses to be completed
  • EARTH 223
  • EARTH 333
  • EARTH 421
  • EARTH 436A
  • EARTH 436B
  • EARTH 440
  • EARTH 456
  • EARTH 459
  • CIVE 353
 None